SMALL STOCKMAN'S BIDS
A Reply to Mr. Lusk.s Communi
cation In the Oroffonlan.
The following communication,
written by J. D. Fairman, of Mal
heur county, was clipped from a
recent issue of the Oregonian:
"In your issue of June 21 1 aw a
letter from Mr. Lusk advocating
leasing of the range. In your last
week's ifcuc I saw another letter
fiom him, stating no stockman had
presented any valid reason against
the proposed measure. 1 have been
asked to present the small stock
man's side of the question, and
with your permission Till do so.
"First as to the much-talked of
overstocking of the range. There
are in Harney county 6,780,160
acres of land, of which according to
tax roll of l'JOO, 54.457 acres are
tillable land, of which the French
Glenn Company pay taxes on 105,
931 acres and the P. L. S Company
on 82,683 acres. Deducting tillable
land from total area. We have 6,
725,703 acres of grazing on which
(see tax roll same year) there range
78,876 head of cattle, of which 13,
200 are assessed to F-G Company
and 20,000 to P. L. S. Co., No. 10,
033 horses and 56,250 sheep. Now
Mr. Lusk says in his first letter
that his company pays taxes on
cvey acre of land and every head of
stock they own. The P L S Comp
any is a similar corporation, equally
wealthy and Ipersume equally con
scientious (and as they pay taxes
on one head of stock to every four
acres of land, while the ratio of the
F-G Co. is one to eight, it seems a
safe presumption), but the settlers
(I know being one f them) are dead
hard citizens, and no fonder of pay
ing their taxes than the rest of the
community, so we will double the
number of their assessed stock, and
with all possible apologies to Mr
Lusk we will also double that of
the companies; not that I doubt
his statement at all, but simply
that the advocate of the leasing
system can have no possible objec
' tions to ray figures. This counting
10 sheep equal to one cow or horse
give3 149,033 head of stock on
6,725,703 acres of land. Or 45 1-8
acre? to each head of stock. For
Malheur count v, the figures are even
worse. Total area 5,760,000 tillable
land, 86,433; net pasture, 5.673,567
Cattle, 2o,(09; horse, 14,01,; sheep
144,241. Applying same ratio for
sheep to cattle, and doubling total
results, as in Harney county, we
have 108,282 head of stockJ5,773,507
acres of land, or 52 1-2 acres to
the animal, an average for the two
' counties of 48 4 5 acres to eachjhead
of stock. If this be overstocking,
better paint the map a desert and
warn intending settlers to keep out.
And while we are on the subject of
acreage, I would ask Mr. Lusk,
.secretary Wilson or any other ad
vocate, of the leasing system, how
any small setler can lease, erect
imd maintain fences on nearly 79
seres (if land to keep one cow dur
ing the nine favorable months of
tb.i' year and then provide feed and
shelter for three winter ones beside.
And, understand me, I neither
assert nor admit that thereare
this many stock in the counties. I
simply put it so high that even Mr.
Lu?k must' admit I have overesti
mated their number.
"Nest as to the social aspect of
the two systems. Take for instance
the Mand Ranch of the P. L. S.
Co. This is a big hay ranch, situ
ated in the forks of the Silvies river,
below Burns. M.!e upon mile, far
as the eye can see, is one-vast niea
do.v, in ihe midst of which sur
rounded by a few outbuildings
sir.n ls a large, while house, looking
ing lonely ami desolate as a coral
island a:i;id an ocean of waving
grass. But go to the eastern end J
of the meadow, only a wire division
fence marks the ending of the ranch.
On the other side of every quarter
section stands a comfortable farm
house and outbuildings, the fields
are dotted with the settler's cattle,
and in the midst of tho ranches1
stands the thriving little town -of,
Lawen, with its Btores and Hotels,
blacksmiih shops and livery-stables,
and close at hand ft big white
schoolhouse. Vhich is tho most
pleasing picture, the more profitable
for the largo and the country in
particular, the vast lonely ranch or
the thriving settlement? lurn to
tho census returns, and see the
stationary condition of Harney
county, dominated as it is by large
companies, and the healthy growth
of the Malheur county, controlled
by small stockmen. I have not the
figures by me, but if you will pub
lish them they will bear out what
I say.
Continued next wwlc.
The Supreme Court of California
has rule! that if work is resumed
on mining location but not com
pleted to the amount of $100 before
the first of Janurv arrives which
forfeiture would occur, the claimant
by continuing the work into the
new year, and working continuous
ly until tho $100 value of work is
completed, protects the claim a
gainst forfeiture. It is not required
that assessment work continuous,
as contemplated by the statue.
The work so performed, however,
is only valid for the year it was
completed.
Indecenoy in marriage is one of
those offensive things .if frequent
occurence which mark the decline
of virtue in luxurious times. . Ko
man annals are full of thorn. Our
own time furnish many of these In
stances of tho prostitution of mar
riage. Here for example, is an old
fool, Flagler) one of the Standard
Oil magnates, past seventy years ofl
Hue, who has married a young fool
Kenan, to whom Flagler's wealth
wealth is attractive. , The grievance
of tho public is that the news re
ports takes notice of it. Flagler
owns all tho east coast of Florida
from St. Augustine to Miama,Home
300 or 400 miles. He owns land
and timber and railroads, and great
hotels at every station. The legis.
lature of Florida, his obsequious
servant, passed a law at his dicta
tion or purchase to enable lain to
get rid of his old wife, who had
become insaio. Now he marries a
young wife, and the country must
be told of it. Youth wedded for
money to the palsied old is not an
inspiring spectacle, even if the old
man's special train in care of youth
and vigor, Mid make sixty miles in
fi f ty-fi ve m i mi tes . O regon i a n
A preacher, raising his eyes from
his sermon, was paralyzed with
amazement to see his little son i n
the gallery pelting the hearers be
low with horse chestnuts. But
while the good man was preparing
a frown of reproof, the young hope
ful cried out: "You 'tend to your
preaching il.uluv; t il keen 'em
awake."
Hamilton Stables
ai Redby Feed Barn.
Stock boardud by day, week or
month. Fine saddle horses and
livery turnouts. Rates reasonable.
Good accommodations.
Remember us when in Prine
ville, and we guarantee that yuor
patronage will be appreciated
and deserved.
P. B. D0AK, Proprietor.
Street Carnival
And 13th Annual
b.J liMt liihiiu ui'i't'M
TO BE HELD AT
The Dalles, Oregon,
...SXZ: DATS
SEPTEMBER soth " " OCTOBER 5th
Io.sItivi!y the Biggest and Grandest Attraction Ever I veil
n the I is land Kiupirc.
There will be many Special and Rare Attractions every day, worth hun
dreds of miles of travel to witness.
$!5S3 willbedHtri'juted-J PRnfllUnS fr Stotk, Agricultural and Art
Exhibits,
Five Days cf Good Racing
On the track j stc oiu pitted.
Several TilOUaand Dollars will be given in purses for Trials of Speed.
Epecia! Rates rill benwie on all nsportatinn lines, aad ample accommodations
are assured for tiie thnunatid who wiil visit th s splendid Fair.
Remember the Bates and tal;e advantage of the low rates; visit The Dalles and
see the co.ubiud bi attrajtlous. For particulars a hirers
J. S. FISH, Secretary, Tub Eallee, Cr.
.1
Thin Space is Reserved for Ed Harbin's
Planing 1!
-AND-
Bicycle Repairing Shop.
South End.
PAINT YOUR FLOORS!
-WITH
IN rro Tin T riTmffTavrrn TIT rrT TO A TtTT DltiKHOlUCKf.Y
Send lor Color Cards to W. P. fuller d Co., Portland, Oro,
CHAMP SMITH.
ISOM CL&EK.
Winos, Liquors,
Domestic and
Imported Oisrars.
RECEPTOR
(Ja The Celebrated
A. B. 0. Beer
i Always on Hand.
Proprietors of tfcc PrincTillo Soda Works.
Two Doors South of
First National Hunk.
PMMVME, ORE.
Prineville Planing Mill.
John B. Shipp, Proprietor.
Manufacturer and dealer in all kinds of rough and
dressed lumber, shingles, brackets, mouldings, turn
ing and band sawing. IIouso Finish made to order.
Agent for Rambler and Ideal Bicycles and Sundries.
Mill oppite rriuevillti Flour Mill. Yard, 2.1 Ht., opp.mli) I. O. O. F. JU1L
Prinsville, Oregon.
3. jCppman,
furniture and
Undertaking, .,
Carpets, tyattinj and and jCt'noloum, "Doors,
Windows, Slass, Paints, Oils, "Car, SSuildiny
and Carpot Pap r, Scf n 'Doors and Norton
Wire,
All kinds of Lumber.
Pememier, $ deliver in the oily
Rough Xumbor, par QQ
flooring and Rustic 25.00
; J i'.- i 'f.i
Ccast Agency Co.
Pacific Coast Aacnfs for
Jcweit, Slides
Resiingtca arj
Oliver Typewriters.
Expert Repairing.
Platens and parts for all machines. Duplicating goods and
office supplies of every nature. Rubber stamps and seals a
specialty. Write us. Long distance phpnc in tho oHice.
HJi 1-2 Stark St, opjs&e Ctamtsr of Craascrce, Portland, Orejoa.