Evening star., 1949-01-23
fresh Shows Prevent
Rescue of Livestock;
Heavy Losses Feared
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
Fresh snow blocked rescue efforts
for starving livestock herds on tht
Utah-Nevada ranges yesterday anc
stockmen feared losses would be
heavy.
In Washington, Air Force officers
informed Western Senators thai
planes are standing by to droI
feed to stranded livestock. Repre-
sentative Case, Republican, of Soutf
Dakota, said Air Force planes have
been carrying baled hay and con-
centrated feeds to livestock in his
State for more than two weeks.
Meanwhile, several other scat
tered sections of the country felt
the lash of winter. Bitter cold helc
its grip on the Northern Rockies
Snow up to 7 inches deep blanketec
Maine. Sleet coated roads anc
communications lines in Oklahoma
Southern Missouri and Southern
Kansas.
State of Emergency in Utah.
Unseasonably warm weather pre-.
vailed in the South Eastern States
and more cold weather was forecast
for the Plains States.
Stockmen said about 60C 900 sheer
are in distress in Utah alone. Gov
j. Bracken Lee proclaimed a state
Of emergency-for the entire State
instructing all State agencies tc
make an all-out effort to get feed
to snoWbound cattle and sheep.
Utah and Federal agencies re-
sponded quickly. H. Byron Mock
regional administrator of the Bureau
of Land Management, said Presi-
dent Truman had made available
$4,000 in emergency funds.
Mr.. Mock estimated that 907, ,00C
sheep and 77,OO0 cattle are in the
area hit hardest by the series OF
snowstorms.
Many of the flocks of sheep were
reached by feed trucks earlier this
week, but drifting snow again closed
the roads. Some sheep camps have
been isolated since January /.
Call Airlift Futile.
Utah stockmen say proposed air
lift operations would be ineffective
because half the feed dropped to
animals would be lost. They said
another relief proposal made in
Washington-to move animals to
where feed Is available-would be
impracticable except in few in
stances.
George N. Swallow, secretary of
the United Stockmen's Association
at Ely, New, said about $4,000 cattle
and 100000 sheep are on the ranges
in Nevada and that losses are ex-
pectsd to run so per cent or higher.
Some Nevada cattle, walloWing in
3 feet of snow, have been without
feed for week. An emergency
supply Of alfalfa hay was found in
the western part of the State and
16 Air Force flying box cars stood
ready to fly it to the SnoW-blockeC
zones. However. the storm closed
airports and new SHOWS are fore
cast, making such an operation
unlikely before tomorrow, at least,
-stockmen said.
|, Planes Are Alerted.
+ At McChord Field, Tacoma, Wash,
Air Force planes have been alerteo
and are ready to begin transporting
feed by air, if that plan is deemed
advisable.
Nebraska, with an assist from the
Army, threw bulldozers and "weas-
els" into an effort to bring relief to
snowbound families and range
cattle.
Gov. Val Peterson issued an ap-
peal to the Nebraska chapter of the
Association of General Contractors
for bulldozers. In a quick reply
the association declared that &c
or 40 were ready to go wherever
they were needed.
WeaSelS Are Loaded.
Some ranchers have objected tt
hay lift" efforts to fly food directly
10 starving cattle The ranchers
complained that the hungry ami
mails ate too much and too fast
and as a result, died.
The weasels, loaded aboard train.
al Camp Carson, Colo, for NORTH
Platte and Grand Island, Nebr, vii
be used chiefly for carrying fooo
to isolated farm families. Gov
Peterson said. Two weasels are al.
ready in use in the western sector
At Sacramento, Calf, the State
Department of Agriculture officials
estimated that early January freeze.
had damaged 10000 acres Of
vegetables, in addition to the citru.
crop.
Temperatures dipped far below
zero in the plains States. Willmar
Mimi, had an early morning read.
ing of-31, while Grand Forks anc
Z DoG nol