Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities external link and the Library of Congress. Learn more
Image provided by: Washington State Library; Olympia, WA
Newspaper Page Text
* ■* A CATTLEMAN'S REMINISCENCES The first cattle brought to the Yakima valley by a white man were driven in from Klickitat county to winter, November, 1860, by Benjamin E. Snipes, Dr. D. B. Baker and a Mr. Allen. The following spring these cattle were driven to the Cariboo mines in British Columbia. Hands of cattle were brought to the Yakima valley to winter, their desti nation being British Columbia. The Yakima having become a noted win tering ground, (that winter was the longest and hardest winter known before or since) about all the cattle together with thousands of Indian horses perished. The settlers in the Moxee had put up hay, therefore they suffered no serious loss. In 1864 Elisha McDaniel came with his herd and turned them on the range opposite Mabton. He was the first large owner in Yakima, but after a time he sold the band, which had in creased to many thousands, to Ben jamin E. Snipes, who was after that the cattle king, not only of Yakima, but of the state of Washington. There is no doubt that he owned in 1880, 50,000 head of cattle in Yakima. On Cold creek there reigned su preme and alone Nick McCoy, who was not a good rider, nor an expert with the rope, but notwithstanding this his unllagging energy coupled with the staying qualities of his old yellow horse put him there just the same, for his ear marks showed up on all parts of the range. Cattle were fat the year around; in mid winter or early spring thousands of fat steers could be gathered from the range that would compare most favorably with the stall fed ones of today. Cattle could be seen grazing the white sage in the coldest weather absolutely shaking with fat. From 1861 to 1869 our markets were the mines of British Columbia, Idaho and Montana. The annual drives would start from Yakima in the spring, occupying several months on the journey. Prices ranged at $40. per head in Yakima and from $75 to $100 at the mines. Men did not do business for their health as the risk in driving was considerable from swimming streams and the lurking savage who was ever hovering on the trail. In the early '70's Phelps and Wad leigh who were associated with W. S. Ladd of Portland, Oregon, bought and consolidated land which is now known as the Snipes ranch of Parker Bottom. They owned several thousand head of cattle, were in the butchering business in Seattle and were for ten years the largest buyers of beef cattle in Wash ington. In 1869 many of the Yakima owners drove their cattle to the Kittitas valley for summer grazing. It was one of the most beautiful valleys one ever looked upon. No stock save an occasional In dian horse ever ate the tall grass; beautiful streams meandered through the valley from the mountains on the north, making it an ideal cattle hea ven; and here the herds had their easy times. In 1(69 Joseph Borst, a member of the firm of Booth, Foss & Borst, butchers at Seattle, came over the Cascade mountains via Snoqualniie pass and bought steers and drove them over the mountains to Seattle. ByA.J. SPA WN. These were much larger, fatter and better than the cattle raised on the west side of the Cascades, so the firm continued to buy all their supply in Yakima. Soon other western buyers came and a new market was opened for our beef which has remained ever since. In 1872 the increase of cattle far ex ceeded the demand and prices dropped to $18 and $20 per head and continued low until 1875, when the eastern buy ers made heavy purchases and drove them over to Wyoming, where they had just begun stocking the ranges. For a few years that trade was brisk, but the winter of '80 and '81 killed off about 60 per cent of the cattle in East ern Oregon and Washington, which made a scarcety and placed the prices at their old mark. That winter Ben jamin E. Snipes alone lest 20,000 head. From 1875 to 1880 there were in Yakima 200,000 cattle at an average price of fifteen dollars per head, amounting to three million dollars. This was the principle occupation and people who disposed of their beef once a year were prosperous and happy. In 1878 Portland buyers began to come, thus opening another needed market. In 1887 the cattle business began to decline, the hard winter immediately following killed many on the ranges. Then too sheep had begun to destroy the grasses. The cattle raisers latter ly did not thrive till Yakima was no longer considered a cattle country and remained so until the last two years, which the following will show: The assessed valuation of cattle for the year lo^9 was $164,431 and for sheep $229,921, while in 1900 cattle jumqed to $235,627 and sheep de creased to $246,290. This condition can be accounted for from the fact that the dairy business is growing rapidly. Most of the far mers are stocking their farms with cattle of both dairy and beef breeds. There are no more large herds on the range; the grass has been destroyed by sheep grazing and cattle cannot ex ist now where they once flourished. The cowboy may as well sell his schapps and rope, take hold of the plow handle with both hands and go at it, for his day has gone. He will no longer shine at the round ups, his camp fire songs will be a thing of the past and his voice will no longer be heard in the land. The alfalfa ranches must support the cattle of the future in this county; the beef farm with the best beef breeds; in that way the beef raisers will market their steers at 18 to 24 months old and will realize as much money as the 4-year-old range steers of the past. Thus the winter losses will be avoided and business much more satisfactory. In 1867 Mr. A. Cleman brought the first sheep to Yakima and settled on Wenas. He was a man of more than ordinary ability. He was very success ful and accumulated a fortune. In the early 80's a few other bands of sheep were driven into Yakima, but the own ers were not successful. It remained for that hardy race of Scotchmen to make a success and demonstrate Yak ima to be one of the best sheep coun ties on the globe. Now hundreds of thousands graze within our borders THE RANCH. and their owners have made great for tunes. Cattle and sheep can be raised here at a good round profit by avoiding the scrub. We have in our county a few pure blood cattle of the dairy and beef breeds. Mountain View Farm, owned by O. A. Fechter and Louis Janeck, of Natchez, have fine Jerseys; J. B. Shan non, of Nob Hill, Polled Durhams; Fred Brooker, of Selah, Shorthorns; A. J. Splawn, Springdale Stock Farm, Co wyche, Herefords and Polled Angus. These herds will be added to and oth ers go into the business until this coun ty will take high rank as a producer of pure-blood cattle. The cattle industry will gain rapidly within the next few years. Our mar ket for beef, mutton and dairy prod ucts could be no better, for we are at the door of Puget Sound, Alaska and the Orient. No other State is so favor ably located. On the Pacific Coast must the in crease in population be much more rapid than elsewhere; therefore, I say, increase your alfalfa fields, improve your stock and you will reap your re ward. A Big Landholder. Probably the largest tract of land lying in one body under control of one individual is owned by W. H. Babcock, the wheat king of Eureka Flat fame. People have heard that Mr. Babcock owned thousainds of acres of land, but when those thousands run into nearly thousand the amount seems enormous. Mr. Babcock farms in the neighbor hoon of three thousand acres on Eu reka Flat, but this is a small amount compared to what he owns and partly farms in Douglass counnty, on the line of the Great Northern railroad. A few years ago he purchased this land, some, 46,666 acres, which lies in the vicinity of Waterville and Trin iriad, for a stock range, at from 50 cents to $1.25 an acre. The land, to the uninitiated, looked like a barren waste and only fit for this purpose, but Mr. Babcock was under the idea that excellent wheat crops could be raised, and two years ago put in a crop, which averaged as good a yield as the land on the fiat. He was satisfied with the outlook, and made arrangements to farm an immense area lying in one body and comprising about forty-two sections. The recent influx of home seekers fiom the East has caused him to change his plans somewhat, and he has decided to dispose of some of his holdings in order that the country thereabouts may be developed. Three townships have been placed on the market and several sections have been disposed of so far. One feature of the sales is that a bona fide settler must be the purchaser. This has had the desired effect of shutting out the pro fessional speculator, and is filling up the country with a class of people who will actually farm and develop the country. Mr. Babcock was seen by a Walla Walla Statesman reporter in regard to the sale of his land in that section, and the amount he owned. He said: "Yes, I own a few acres in that neigh borhood. I guess it would take you a day or two to 'hoof it over,' " and he smiled at the thought of a pencil push er plodding his way over forty or fifty thousand acres of grouund. "I have some three townships on the market, and the agent reports a sale every day or so. "I will sell only to actual settlers, the idea being to get the country set tled up as soon as possible. "There is some excellent land in that section, and just as good yields can be obtained as on the flat. The prices range from $4 to $8 per acre. One half must be paid down and the balance in three yearly payments, drawing 6 per cent interest." When asked about the water supply Mr. Babcock replied: "I have two wells on each end of my land that fur nish plenty of water, and they were obtained with less trouble than the one on my Eureka Flat farm." When asked what he was going to do with the balance of his land in that section he smiled one of his rare smiles and said nothing. HOW'S THIS? We offer One Hundred Dollars Reward tor any case of Catarrh that cannot be cured by Hall's Catarrh Cure. F. J. CHfcuNEY & CO., Toledo, O. We, the undersigned, have known P. J. Cheney for the last 15 years, and believe him perfectly honorable in all business transactions and financially able to carry out any obligations made by their firm. West & Tbuax, Wholesale Druggists, To ledo, O. Walking, Kinnan & Marvin, Wholesale Druggists, Toledo, O. Hall's Catarrh Cure is taken Internally, acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system. Price 75c. per bottle. Sold by all Druggists. Testimo nials free. Hall's Family Pills are the best. The Ranch can secure for its readers reduced rates on most newspapers and maga zines. Write us for rates on the periodicals you wish te take. TfieAV*Dou§all $ J/foirthwicK Co. V^/ 717-19-21-25 first Avenue • Seattle -Wash* r Exclusive Seattle agents for Sorosis Shoes the perfected American made shoe for women. Over 50 styles in every leather and always at one price. $3.50 When ordering by mail remit twenty-five cents- I for postage. 1 r .-,,,- ■