The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-23
Worst Ever Known in Dallas
San Angelo District.
Can't Get Cars To Ship Feed In
or Cattle Out.
NO RAIN SINCE LAST SPRING
Affected District South of the
Panhandle Country.
One Cattle Raiser Figures Mini
mum Loss at Half Million.

San Angelo. Tex, Nov. 23.-Thou-
sands of cattle have starved to death
in Texas and thousands more will die
from the same cause, the protracted
drouth in the western and southwest
ern sections of the state, the freight
car shortage, and the scarcity and
high price of all kinds of feed stuff
It is literally true, as press dis
patches from the north and east,
quoting federal officials, bave said.
that enough cattle are Starving to
soldiers this country will place in
France during the next eighteen
months. Cattlemen confirmed these
dispatches today.
Colonel John n. Simpson, well
known cattleman and banker of San
Angelo and Dallas, said today the
drouth has been the worst this section
has ever known. He defined the ter
ritory affected as west of Weather
ford, and south of the Pan Handle
section, altho there are spots in that
area where conditions are good.
Planted Crops Three Times.
Last spring the farmers there plant
ed feed crops three times, the last
planting being in May. but the seed
still remains in the ground ungermin-
ated, not enough moisture having fall
len since then to sprout it. The grass
also has been killed.
The cattlemen then asked the rail-
roads for cars to ship their stock to
east Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and
Louisiana, where the seasons have
been normal and conditions excellent.
The roads were unable to meet this
demand and only a few of the cattle
could be transported to the green
fields far away. OF those that re-
NAMED many thousands have died
and other thousands stand like shiv-
ering skeletons on ranges cleared of
almost the last vestige of vegetation.
Feed is high and, dL to shortage of
cars, hard to get. One big cattle
raiser declared that up to July ! he
had lost a quarter of a million dol
!ars, and would consider himself for
tunate if I lose onyl that much more
during the ramainder of the year.
Appeal TO Federal Government.
Thousands of tons of cotton seed
sake, excellent feed for cattle, lie
stor> at Galveston, the property of
Danish interests, and held there for
export. The government has seized or
S about to seize this supply and dis
tribute it amons the cattlemen at a
-easonable price. Details of the ar
-angementS for this now are receiving
consideration. But it is felt by the
well informed that this aid is not suf-
icient and therefore an appeal has
oeen made to the authorities in Wash
ngton for $5OOOO,OOO further as
aASNelllNC- II W eAoAiiiASIOAi IClelyS VI llclo
much red tape to unwind before ac-
ion is taken, the loss probably will be
enormous. 1t is a case of where as
distance must be given Immediately
This assistance must consist not only
Of a supply of feed, at a reasonable
price, but cars in which to transport
t to the ranges.
Chairman Alison Mayfield of the
Texas railroad commission today in
1uced the Interstate commerce com
mission to instruct all roads in this
:erritory to give preference to feed
shipments to the drouth stricken sec
ion.