The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-05-30

Last Big One in Mountains of Eastern Washington.
New \ ork sun.


Eastern Washington HIS been in "le-
ration the past ten days, and about
1900 of the wild equincs have been
brought into the corral. The country
ridden thus far has mostly been brok-
en- and mountainous.
Eastern Washington has for long
years been known as the home Of the
wild range horse, aud many arc the
markets of !, the Central and Eastern
States to which these horses have
been shipped. Now, with the en-
croachment Of the farmer to till the
soil, the day Of range riding and horse
raising on the open range is about to
vanish.
The southern half of Douglas Coun-
ty has heretofore offered tan inviting
range for horses, and there arc thous-
ands still running at large there on the
sandy stretches Of bunch grass and
the deep green eloughs Of the canons
The first realization of the necessity
Of complete roundup became known
when the ranohers began to build
homes around Moses Lake and over
the top Of Frenchma1 Hills, clear
south into the canyon Of Lower Crab
Greek. Wire fences wero being put
up, and the danger Of injury to the
range horses became every day more
threatening.
The natural result of these move
ments, says tbe Portland Oregonisn,
was to show horsemen that there was
o market for their property, and they
finally got together and agreed to
1ound-up all the horses that could be
got together.-- They began to realize
that the old prices eli $3.50 to $40 a
head for horses on the range was a
ching OF the past, and many a man
found be was really the possessor of
enough horses to amount to quite q
fortune.
In order to move concertedly it was
agreed to orgsnize into legal body,
and Thomas Burger, Of Ephrata, was
elected foreman Of the great drive.
Burgen is an old rider and horse own
er, and enjoys general respect and
confidence in the State. His plan
was to meet in the latter part Of April,
and with from $50 to 200 riders sweep
the entire country Of wild range
Aorees. April s23 was settled as the
date to begin the work, and Ephrata
was to be the starting point.
The following AThursday morning
the first riding for horses began.
Towering up to the South was Saddle
Mountain, OF better known among the
horsemen as Grab Creek Mountain
This range rises from 600 to 1900
feet above the level Of the canyon,
precipitous on ! the north eide and
gently slopipg to the south toward the
Columbia. About seventy.fve riders
were detailed to ascend the mountain
opposite the camp and ride westward
toward the;mouih Of CFFah G7zek, ea=
deavoring to drive the wild horses be.
fore them. This meant some forty
miles Of rough mountain riding for
them.
The main body of the outfit, aug
mented here by the addition of anoth-
or big camp outfit, drawn by six
horses, and ;several q bite men and In.
dians, pushed leisurely on down the
canyon toward the Columbia. The
last FIVE miles of this days march
we're through washed sand along the
creek, ioterspersed with short stretch.
% Of basaltic rocks, aud it was not
nntii rundown that the Columbia was !
reached. Here were large corals, and
the result. Of the ride on the mountain |
was eagerly awaited by the camp. |
More men on, fresh horses were sent |
into the mountain to assist the riders |
there and about 8 o'clock the pound.