Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1921-04-30
1921 STOCK MEETING
Secretary Stewart Submits an Interest
ing Report of the Association
Since Organization.

AT the recent annual meeting of the
Western South Dakota Stock Growers
Association held at Rapid City, officers
for the ensuing year were elected as
follows:
President, James I Craig, Belle Four.
che; vice president, Charles Ham, Ra.
pid City; secretary treasurer, Frank M
Stewart, Buffalo Gap. Secretary Stew
art then read his annual report, as fol-
lows:
On the 2lst day Of April, 1892, after
several preliminary meetings, the Wes.
tern South Dakota Stock Growers Asso-
citation was launched upon its career of
usefulness to the live stock growers of
the state. That it has in a large degree
fulfilled its mission is evinced by the
fact that to date at Chicago and Omaha
alone 245, 592 estrays have been recover
ed for our members, the net proceeds Of
which were Sll $40, 655 "a. The records
Of Sioux City, st, Paul and other points
have never been compiled, but it is con-
seryative to add 81, ,0OC, 700 to above total
valuation; when it is considered that
this result of protection given our mem
bers was accomplished on $5 annual
dues and an assessment of &c per head
on cattle from date of organization until
1912 and hve cents per head since that
date the enormous benefits and the tri.
vial cost ~ each individual must be APP
parent to all That the organization is
as much of necessity today as at any
time in the past is clearly shown by fol
lowing tabulation of 1920 inspection
Estrays belonging to our members were
recovered as follows
Chicago, 1868 head, net proceeds
1862, ,50S,O5.
Omaha, 4,lS4 head, net proceeds
S299, 2S447.
Sioux City, 500 head, net proceeds
$44,847,
Total 1851 head, net proceeds
1866, 63952.
South st. Paul had 49, 240 South Da
kota cattle and recovered a number of
estrays, proceeds of twenty-lour head,
81, ,9l2.25, passed through my office, but
the number and valuation of those re.
mitted direct to owner by commission
drm has not been tabulated We closed
the season of 1920 with 543 members,
the largest number for many years. Att
the 1920 annual meeting we had cash
balance on hand of S., ,37l 80, while the
expenses were Sll $40 26, leaving a net
credit balance of SO, 484 SO. 1t is con-
servatively estimated that owing TO de- |
pleted herds by reason of enforced
we will lose % per cent of |
our members and 90 per cent of number |
of cattle listed for assignment, loss OF
fully S5,000 The distressing feature in |
this copdtion is the fact that it is abso- |
lutely impossible to curtail expenses
with reduced income with |
out seriously imparing the service. Ii |
therefore becomes the duty of every
member to be self constituted a commit |
tee of one to solicit additional members,
and this embarrassment can be easily |
An association was formed |
last spring in North Dakota, and in July |
an emergency call was made upon US for |
market inspection. Under our contract |
with the Wyoming association we could |
not make any blanket agreement but an |
was perfected whereby we
did their inspection on basis of cents
per head on cattle owned by their mem
bers. This produced a net revenue Of
1929 without additional expense Last |
October the South Dakota bureau of |
markets advised my Office that quite a |
number Of cattle were slaughtered at |
Sioux Falls and no brand inspection at |
that point. An investigation developed |
the fact that the local plant was slaugh- |
tering more cattle than formerly, a por. |
ton of their supply being purchased. at |
the local yards, but they also had buy
err circulating throughout the eastern
part of the state, and that he had made |
some purchases west Of the river This |
proved to be serious condition. as any
cattle billed to the Morrell Company
went direc; to their plant and did not
pass through the Sioux Falls yards. Up |
on explaining the matter to the mana
ger of the Morrell company he appre-
ciated the situation and readily agreed |
to notify any representative we had at |
the yards when cattle were received |
from territory we must protect The |
future of your industry is decidedly |
and the grave question |
coniroDts us whether to quit while the |
quitting is fair or re-establ!sh credit and |
continue. 1t is not pleasant to contem- |
plate or recte, but the fact remains that |
full rs per cent of the stockmen of the |
middle west could not close out and |
meet their obligations, and it is really |
pathetic to realize that many of our pio- |
neer stockgrowers, men who have pass |
ed the turning point between youth and |
old age, must begin anew to re-estabish |
credit and begin at the bottom of the |
ladder again. 1t is a grave question |
whether or not we should assume new |
financial obligations, when it becomes |
possible, restock our pastures and ranges !
until such time as freight rates, yarding
and feeding charges and commissions
return to pre-war basis. You have all |
no doubt received copies of the 1921 !
year book of the two principal packing
Thousands of these books |