Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-06-13
Rich Gold Deposit Discovered in Last Chance uIch in $50

bunch grass is covered beneath twr
feet of snow. The storm IS sure to b
followed by a big drop In temperature
II erees below zero. Then All nutrimeni
leaves the tall prairie grass on which
the cattle have fed since the bunch
grass was showed under. The herd he
comes craZed with hunger. and q STAN
/ pede follows. The great body on starv-
Ing cattle start south like an avalanche
heading straight for localities where
homesteads have been taken up In the
| greatest number.
They bear down on the settlements
/ and besiege the komesteaders, who
vainly try to keep them back with their
rifles They shoot the hungry animals
down by the hundred, and sometimes
manage TO hold them in check until
their ammunition Is exhausted. Then
the fight must end The cattle sweep
down on the homesteads, and not only
eat every vestige OF hay the homestead
ers have stored for their own small
herds, but tear down the houses and
outbuildings which the settler builds
out of prairie sod, and devour the roots
Of the grass that remain succulent in
the sod Homesteads hundreds at a
time, are cleaned up by herd Of hum
CRY cattle, quickly and thoroughly, on
q single stampede. Then the herd con-
tlnueS on its way taking the home
steaders herd Of two or three hundred
with it, and leaves him a homeless,
ruined man. He may have his home
stead all clear Of the government claim
but be in debt for cattle or supplies.
He can't pay and the creditor comes
on him. takes his saddle and whatever
he may have left"
The obvious absurdity OF all this is
followed by the simple statement that
the homesteader is discouraged. In the
wake Of the stampeding herd comes the
agent Of big land owner.
He makes the discouraged settler
an offer for his claim, and the settler,
nine times out Of 10, is glad to accept
the offer. The chances are that he will
turn cowboy or hire out as q herder
for some small cattle grower on a
range. The agent Of the land grabber
may secure in this way immense areas
Of much coveted land for his employer
which he could get in no other way un-
less he paid fair price, which he never
wiz do. 1t is no infrequent thing for
one Of these agents to say: I wish |
there would come good freeze out. |
We want more homesteads.'
Speaking for the cowboy, "Broncho
John" informed the reporter from the !
New York daily newspaper, that they
were being paid only sos per month,
land must pay $145 for an outfit be-
work, and that as they work only six
months year, it leaves them only $5
clear, but "as BrOncho goes on to state.
"it costs SIS per month to furnish cow
boys with tobacco, which leaves them
considerably behind"
The cowboys living conditions were
also described. He lives on cornmeal
a MI kNnnOF1 Fc cd 70. fforYat Tra
dams and white men, swim streams
running big chunks of ice under q
burning sun, etc, and be tOrmented by
hornets until their heads are too badly
swollen to wear hats
A further accusation was made. In
his vivid imagination, Broncho John
pictured q "ranchers society which
for the purpose Of "blacklisting" all
who asked for a raise in wages.
Afeer declaring that 1T is q waste Of
space to notice this new candidate for
free advertising further. The cowboys
Of the west laugh at the ignorance Of
the crank" the Miles City Stockgrow-
erS' Journal gave a word picture of the
typical cowboy. The description is pre-
faced by the following observation:
The typical cowboy OF the ranges,
with his big sombrero huge pistols,
heavy spurs and damaged English Lam
yuage, aIloyed with profanity and slang,
going about seeking whom he might
scare, shooting out lights, forcing Eng
ish lords, dukes and lackeys to drink
With him by the persuasive six-Shooter
has been so often held upl
% the public view by florid writers, that
We feel inclined to show up the typical
cowboy in this country in his true,
LIKENESS Here Is the portrait of a cow
Joy of these ranges while he was in
Niles City for a few days vacation"
The Journal admitted there may bel
! few exceptions to the typical cow
10Y, but their days on the range are
Usually short The word-picture fol-
ows:
aHe is found at the corridors of the
vest hotels, in the club room, or some
f the prominent business houses In
own. From his clothes you can not
distinguish him from any other patron
f the places where he is found He is
quiet, unobtrusive individual, his
ronzed features and hale appearance
lone proclaiming him cowboy. He
oes not wear his sdx-Shooter and spurs
n town, he is not noisy, he goes to
hurch some times, to parties given by
lis acduanitanceS in town, and is gem
rally q favorite at such places. he does
lot paint up the town. feels good
nough at all times to drink with lords,
ukes or emperors, but doesn't shoot
ne of these dignitaries If he should
efuSe a social drink. When his time is
ID IN town, he kisses his best girl good
We gets him a bundle Of papers, peri
ideals, etc, pays his hotel bill, mounts
lis horse and pulls out for the ranch."l