The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1906-03-29
GREAT HORSE RANGE
BIGGEST IN THE COUNTRY IN
STATE OF WASHINGTON.
Eleven Thousand Improved Animals
Roam the Immense Range
and Require No
Feeding.

Stretching for 200 miles on the north
side of the Columbia river, from a point
opposite The Dalles, Ore, away toward
the Big Bend, in Washington. lies the
largest exclusive horse range in the
Unilea States. In this great expanse OF
v%ariegated hills, prairies and sand dunes,
upland plateau and river bluffs, range
the holdings of the Swilzlers, John
and Jade" numbering IL 900 head OF
horses, says the Chicago Chronicle.
For the last 80 years this expanse OF
lers. formerly William, John and Jade.
In 1883 William died and the two other
brothers continued in partnership for
several years, when they divided, and
each now conducts his own interests.
Jade Switzler lives at Expansion,
Klickitat county, Wash, IL miles be-
low the town Of Umatilla, on the north
side of the Columbia. John Switzler
lives On Switzler's island, in the Co.
lumbia river, near the town of Umatilla.
Jade Switzler owns 1900 head OF
horses and John owns 1000 head, the
range for both these immense herds be-
ing in the territory from The Dalles to
the Big Bend.
At the highest tide Of the Switzler
holdings, before William Switzler died.
the brothers owned at ono time Is, 900
head OF horses. This was saiL 10 be the
largest nerd Of horses ever o. AeG b. one
compan. in the United States. The
Switzler b.and, an IS" on the hip, was
known firm the Atlantic to the Pacific
ocean, as they shipped and Grove horses
to every known market in the United
States.
In the early history of the Sw1tzler
horse industry the holdings were cay
uses-small, hardy, incorrlgible pinto
and buchskin m~ustangs-the hardest
brand of equines ina ever traiieo be-
hind the cattle herds from the Pacific
coast to Cheyenne in the early cays
or that followed an indian trail over
the precipitous mountains of the inland
empire.
But the cayuses are now entirely
welded out. The Switzlers sold 1000
head OF these mustangs t. The Linuton
~ II dCI pli : w InIGG UOl-
lars a mead, delivered. Since that clean
up the class OF horses raised on this
immense range has been arsatlv i'm
proved. Large draught stations have
been crossed with the wiry, nervous
western mares, and the result is a grade
OF horses Weighing from l,UUU to l zoo
pounds, that are fit for any Ordinary
service, and bring the highest price in
every market. About 600 stations are
kept.
On this 200 miles OF range IL, 900 head
OF wild horses reign monarch of all
they survey. The Columbia ard Yakima
rivers are their watering places. they
run over parts of three large counties.
and there are colts on the ranges two
and three years ole without brands, and
that were perhaps never seen by one of
the Switzler herders.
Roundup cOrrals are built about ten
miles apart over this great range, and
the 81 men employed in the roundup
gather and brand the colts in the fall.
The two brothers own about 200 head of
trained sadc.e horses-a large drove of
horses in itself.
None OF this great herd is ever fed a
particle OF feed during the winter sea-
son, the saIdhills and rolling prairies
aftording sufficient nutritious feed the
year found.
S-..srs are crowding the vast range.
wat !!ns places are being fenced up,
and sl~Wl5 ,ae great expanse is narrow
ing down, but there yet remains an en-
pire in extent.
Horse stealing is more or less preva-
lent in the Switzler range, the very mag
nltude of the business making it i'm
possible to guard against renegadesrro m
the outside, who slip in and appropri-
ate what they can safely take away.