The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1908-05-08
RELIEF FOR
. ABERDEEN
SCENE TO RELIEVE SETTLERS
AND HELP STOCKMEN
Opposing Forces Can Be United to
Develop the Country-No Losses
and No Bad Feeling. Cultivated

. anu INo Duu OuItltdtcu
A watering place in the desert will
/ be the solution of the troubles con
fronting the settlers at Aberdeen
Not watering place by the sea, bu1
a watering place on the plains be-
tween the Snake river and the Laws
beds. A place where cattle anG
horses can get cool, fresh drink In
the midst of the range and then graze
again without having long trip tc
get to the grass. The stockmen and
settlers must cooperate if they would
save expense and get results that
will be mutually beneficial Here
| is statement of the case:
For about twenty-five years the
stockmen of the west side have been
troubled by settlers, and the settlers
have been equally annoyed by stock,
and all had an equal right on the
range. The county about Tilden and
Otis was fenced up, but. the big
springs at the head of Danilson creek
and Boone creek were left on the
open range. The country from Wat
son'sh ranch to the Bergman ranch
was fenced, and cattlement were shut
out. Their stock bothered the set
tiers some, drank muddy water at
their bitches and trampled down the
ditch banks. Then stockmen moving
their herds across the, river tried to
get through the lanes, the calves
would get into the fields and there
was much annoyance both to the
farmer and the stockman. In recent
years the stockmen have had little
territory left except between Danil-
son creek and American Falls where
their stock could range unmolested,
and water at the river or at springs.
Since the settlement began at Aber-
deem and along the line of The
American Falls canal the farms cut
off the stock from their old water
ing places, and afford new watering
places along the canals and bitches.
The water is not very good and the
stock does much damage to the
bitches. 1t is some advantage to the
stock to have water nearer the sum-
mer range, but the growing crops are
a temptation to cattle, and they 60
through the frail wire fences built
by the settlers and trouble ensues.
There is heavy loss to the settler
and no advantage to the stockman
The range within a few miles of the
river has not been very good for
long time, and the stock have to
travel long distances in summer to
get water at the river or springs and
get back to grass. AS the hot season
advances, and the grass is eaten
down so they have to go farther back
on the plains to feed, the animals
do not do we'll, but remain in a jaded
When they reach the
bitches of the settlers and get their
water, and smell the rich vegetation
in the fields it is only natural that
they linger around and get into the
fields or waste their time enjoying
the prospects of possible feast.
At the meeting of the county COM
in April, the settlers ap-
piled for the formation of herd dis
trict to compel the stockmen to herd
the cattle off of certain territory, but
there was vigorous protest and the
application of the settlers was denied.
They have hundreds of acres of crops
that are not protected at all by fence,
and other fields are surrounded only
by fence of two or three barbed
wires, and this counts for little with
,attle, because there are always calves
and bulls that will go through such
fences, and then the others usually
follow.
Operating with a herd district will
be very expensive to the stockmen,
and operating without 1t will be un-
satisfactory to the settlers, and So
luton Of the matter has been offered
by Frank Boyles, of the firm Of
Cooney & Boyles, who have drilled
more than thirty wells In that Sec
ton of the country during the past
year.
He suggests drilling a well at some
favorable point on the range about |
twenty miles northwest Of American
Falls and nearly the same distance
westward from Yuma, and putting in
q pumping plant with plenty of large
open troughs for stock. He will take |
,are Of the watering place for the sea-
son, charging fixed per capita fee
Or tax to be paid by the owners of
the stock. This can be arranged so
that 1t will combine the features of |
4 herd fee and a water fee, the two |
working together 80 that within a J