WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 



735 



made the work of securing even the approximate results here given a 

 (litHcult task. The assessors' returns, which ordinarily are incomplete 

 and unreliable, usually form a basis for a fairly correct enumeration, 

 but the State officials of Korth Dakota found such returns quite un- 

 satisfactory, therefore they are only considered here for comparison. 

 The State board of equalization reports for 1890 and 1891 show that 

 the number of live stock assessed for taxation purposes was as follows : 



It will be observed that sheep have increased wonderfully in com- 

 paiison with other classes of stock. The numbers of hogs and males 

 have declined, while horses and cattle show a small increase. Sheep 

 have increased in the single year 1891 nearly 135 per cent over the pre- 

 vious year, which causes the Commissioner of Agriculture, in his report 

 for 1890, to observe : 



Some stockmen, whose opinions are thought to be conservative, estimate the total 

 increase in the State at not less than 150,000 to 200,000. If these estimates are cor- 

 rect, there are now in the State 250,000 to 300,000 sheep, and next year, allowing for 

 natural increase, will see not less than half a million head within oar herders. 



From the best information obtainable by the writer these estimates 

 are substantially correct. The State auditor, in a letter of October 6, 

 1891, says that the number reported by the assessors for 1891 repre- 

 sents about 50 per cent of the sheep of the State. The auditor's report 

 and estimate do not include all of the sheep brought into North Dakota 

 from other States this year. Information based upon careful estimates 

 of tli e number of sheep in hand January 1, 1891, the increase of the 

 flocks for 1891 and the sheep brought in from other States and Terri- 

 tories, shows the number of sheep January 1, 1892, to be 557,590 head, 

 valued at $1,951,565. The wool clip for 1891 was at least 1,750,000 

 pounds, which netted the growers about $333,333, and the mutton 

 sales as much more. If we add to these estimates the value of property 

 other than sheep necessary for conducting the business, it is fair to es- 

 timate that the sheep industry of North Dakota represents a value of 

 nearly $5,000,000. 



PROMOTERS OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY. 



The rapid increase in the number of sheep in the Dakotas has really 

 been quite remarkable, and has excited the attention of sheepmen 

 everywhere. A report on the subject of this industry in North Dakota 

 would be incomplete without devoting some space to a class of persons 

 who have been largely responsible for its unusual development. There 

 is a class of individuals a,s well as companies and corporations which 



