The Coconino sun., 1909-10-29
PROTEST AGAINST SHEEP
Ranchers and Cattlemen Want all Land Retained in Prescott Forest. Fight Made on Theory Rather than Facts.

The Phoenix Gazette has the fol- lowing to say relative to opening the desert country to grazing now included in the Prescott National Forest:
 That the big sheep owners of Northern Arizona have been work ing quietly but earnestly for sever al months to have the Agua Fria watershed thrown open for unlim- ited grazing. is startling bit of information that has alarmed the farmers of the Buckeye section. Phoenicians who last summer filed on land beyond the Agua FriaI and the catlemen whose ranges are on the watershed. The farmers of the Salt River valley are also indirect ly interested. Prominent sheep- men have gone to Governor Sloan to enlist his aid in their cause but it is understood that the governor has declined to commit himself, stating that he would not be in favor of opening the watershed unless that would benefit more people than it would injure. The sheep interests have also been at work with the officials of the forestry service and have obtained promise that they will be given an opportunity to present their side of the question.
 The falicy of attempting to main- tain the vast desert area of country with a national forest or holding it useless as a nominal watershed has been so clearly proven to the Forest and Reclamation Services that they practically agreed on throwing it open to sheep grazing. In any event this protest comes with poor grace from the ranchers and cattlemen of the south. since thousands of dollars annually are poured into the coffers of Salt Riv- CT valley by sheepmen who use a vast waste of country unfit for oth- CT purposes. They pay taxes in Maricopa and Yavapai counties money that would never reach them otherwise. and, yet on a mere theo- ". protest that damage will be done watersheds when it is well known fact that sheep do not reach that section until after the rainy season when grass comes up. then stay but a few months. The grass dries up and blows away If not eaten conse- quently it is of no use in the con servation of water.
 Buckeye ranchers are over fifty miles from the Yavapai county line and from 65 to 75 miles from the country which the sheepmen asks to be thrown open. The land is en- tirely in Yavapai county. Many settlers in the vicinity of the lands are in favor of it's use by sheep and have signed petitions to that af- feet. Cattle and sheep have used the ranges in common for years and because of a temporary advantage to a few individuals, desire it withheld from sheep and secure as- sistance from ranchers away to the south who cannot, according to best authorities on the subject. be affected in the least, but who fear that they might be affected. The sheepmen of the north. as gener- al rule, are only desirous of secur- ing a square deal, and only in view of the sentiments of the Forest and Reclamation Services asked that they be permitted to use this des- ert country. A drouth is disaster ous to the south and is just as dis asterous to the stock interests of the north: when they come both in- terests are affected dit will always be so. except where the govrenment at the expense of millions of dol lars is storing water for the ranch CT while the sheepman must hustle