The Washington times., 1907-06-10

CHEYENNE. Wyo., June 10-Once
more there is a war on the range. The
irrepressible conflict between the cattle
men and the sheep owners, that has
been waged the whole way from the
Mexican border to the Canadian line,
after an unusually protracted armed
truce. has again broken forth as viru-
lently as ever
This time the battle-ground Is In Wyo-
ming The trouble started early in
March, when night attack was made
upon the wisner camp. near Sheridan.
wyO. More than 400 sheep were killed.
and the camp was burned. A short time
after that a similar outrage was perpe-
trated i'm the Owl Creek county. The
Hugh Dickey camp was attacked by
twelve masked men, the herders driven
on At the muzzles of Winchesters. the
camp reduced to ashes. and an indis-
criminate slaughter OF sheep begun.
-Four Thousand Sheep Killed.
Up to this date, more than 1900 sheep
are reported killed. while thousands
more have been scattered promlscuously
over the raEges. where they will be an
easy prey 10 the wolves and coyotes.
raid upon a sheep camp belonging to
Mrs. Bell. on Wild Horse creek, a
branch Of Powder river, I'm which 500
sheep were slaughtered. More recently
still, notices have appeared tackled on
sheep herders' wagons, on trees, and
pasted on rocks all over northern Wyo-
ming. notifying the Sheepmen 10 leave
that part OF the country or take the
consequences. These notices appeared
the same night at points hundreds OF
miles apart. indicating concerted action
and widespread conspiracy on the part
Of the cattlemen.
Sheep HerdeIs Gun Fighters.
Notwithstanding the fact that cattle
men profess to hold sheepmen in utter
contempt. the range wars OF the past
have proven that the sheep herders are
quite as good gun fighters as their an
izgonists. The sheepmen OF Wyoming
are arming and preparing to defend
their property to the last ditch. 90 that
stirring news may be expected from the
seat OF war. II is Tot at all likely that
the sheep herders VIII respect the dead
line that has been esta blished by The
cattle kings, nor that the cowboys will
be content with so tame a diversion as
killing sheep. nor that the sheep herd
ers will refrain from taking a shot at
every stray steer they happen 10 see
nor that they will hesitate 10 stampede
every herd Of cattle they can find.
Natural Range War Region
The region in which hostilities have
broken out is one that naturally lends
Itself 10 a range war. that Will be pictur-
esoue, long continued, and much more
destructive to property than TO life, on
account of the ease with which the
weaker party can retire into Businesses
In which they can defy pursuers. On
the west and south are the rugged peaks
and narrow passages of the Big Horn
mountains, on the north is the Crow In
dian reservation. and on the east are the
Bad Lands. A real fight. therefore. will
come only when both sides are willing.
and that can be only when both feel
prepared and equal in strength. How
ever, surprise, ambuscade. and fine spun
strategy will doubtless be features IN
this war of the West.
Began in Early Seventies.
These range wars have continued with
infreduent Interruptions ever since the
early seventies. The first skirmish lines
weae formed down in Texas. and have
gradually worked northward through
the Lone Star State. New Mexico. Colo
RADIO. Wyoming, and Montana, fighting