The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-12-08

I'LL Tic SIlccp DuSluCSS Ill DOuS Ido
county, and Superior has an am
bj.ion to become the sheep and
wool headquarters for the entire
head of the lakes region.
/ The sheep business in Douglas
county really started ten or
twelve years ago. Carl Anderson
secured small flock for his farm
on the red Clay belt twelve miles
north of Brule.
About eight years ago, Fritz
Carlson made a start with sheep
on the red clay eight miles north
of Iron River. His neighbors fol-
lowed his example until sheep be-
came quite the fashion in that
locality and, incidentally, very
profitable.
Valentine Depta, for example,
was working for Fritz Carlson
four years ago as farm hand.
His employer told him that he
did not wish to lose him as a hand
but insisted that he buy 100 acres
of cut-over land across the road
from the Carlson place. Depta
did so.
There were some old logging
buildings, suitable for shelter,
ard with only $265 in casl, Depta
bought a herd of sheep in South
st. Paul. He paid down only 81
a head and gave mortgage on
the flock for the remainder of the
purchase price. O. j. Schumacher
of the Drovers Bank, South st.
Paul, loaned the money and
Rogers & Rogers, commission
men, furnished the sheep, as we'll
as easy terms for the deal.
Since then, Depta has increased
his landed estate to 480 acres and
his herd to 500 sheep. He now
is clearing his original 100 acres
for hay and is worth in money
and property anywhere from
$4,000 to $1,000.
That is what the sheep business
has done for a man who, four
years ago, owned no land and had
no assets other than his strong
bare hands and $265 in cash.
The method to date has been to
buy Western ewes, four or five
years old, with bad mouths, any.
where between September 1 and
December 1. Such animals
bought most reasonably, are bred
to blooded Shropshire rams. The
sheep are clipped in the spring
and then the mothers and lambs
are marketed in the fall, just
about year after their purchase
Four or five years ago, only a
few hundred sheep were owned
or fed in all Douglas county
This fall, 5000 sheep were
brought in from Western points
in addition to very respectable
native flocks already here.
Mr.. Swenson, north of Poplar
John Wick, at Foxboro; Mr.. Fin
layson, a dairyman at Foxboro
Mr.. Often of Dedham, and Mr.
Osborn Of the same place, have
very respectable focks.
Frank Spring Of Superior re
Gently placed a flock Of 100 sheer
on his farm at Dewey. DR.. Woo
has a goodly flock at Wascott
Geo. L. Webster has 240 head al
Hines. Peterson, Livingston
Montana, man, shipped SOC
animals to Douglas county. j. w
White, Cogswell, N. D., jobber in
sheep, recently shipped In 1,4O(
well bred Hampshires, that being
a small portion of 100000 sheep
handled this season by that
dealer. Trumbull brothers, for.
merly cattle ranchers in Montana
will winter 1900 of those sheep
on the Wentworth farm of T. B.
Jones Of West Duluth. Mr.. Frank
Kleinheinz, of the University OF
Wisconsin, a sheep authority OF
/. national reputation, viewed this
shipment of 1,400 sheep and de.
cleared that it was the best big
bunch ever brought into Wiscon.
sin. They were three and four
years old and averaged 13O
pounds in weight.
Northern Wisconsin not only is
eoEsidcred. a superior place for
wool anu mutton production but