952 SHEEP INDUSTRY OF THE UNITED STATES 



and Joseph W. Cooper. From the latter (who has now retired from 

 active business with competence for his declining days and just pride 

 in the resiilts of his well-directed youthful energies) I am enabled to 

 give a brief letter, which indicates the character of the work : 



In 1858 H. H. Hollister, the Dibblee Brothers, and Cooper collected 12,000 sheep in 

 Illinois and Missouri. About one-half were high-bred Ohio Merinos and the other 

 half good, strong grades of English breeds, all chosen with reference to improving 

 the Mexican sheep. The flock was driven into New Mexico and there kept for the 

 winter on the bottoms of the Eio Grande, in close proximity to a strong village of 

 Apache Indians. The good neighborhood of the savages was so well maintained 

 that the stock wintered well; giving an increase of 8,000 lambs. From the winter- 

 ing grounds the flock was started as early in the spring of 1859 as it was judged best, 

 of necessity, moving with extreme care both as to the welfare of the flock and the 

 safety of the drivers. They got into Los Angeles County in January, 1860, with 

 4,400 sheep, and immediately commenced a profitable business selling rams. They 

 also began the use of the best rams of the Vermont type and increased their flocks 

 by joining interests with Col. W. W. Hollister. In 1862 Col. W. W. Hollister, Hub- 

 bard Hollister, Albert Dibblee, and T. B. Dibblee formed a partnership and purchased 

 the Lompoc ranch in Santa Barbara County, con tain ing 42, 085 acres, for $1.50 per acre 

 something over $60,000 for the ranch. The cost of obtaining legal possession was 

 about $15,000. They stocked it with 10.000 head of sheep, mostly grade Merinos ; ; 

 and from the profits of that investment they were able to purchase ranch after ranch, 

 until, in 1874, their aggregate possessions amounted to 140,000 acres. As illustrating 

 the natural increase of sheep in favorable seasons the following is given as one of the, 

 results of the operations of this company : 



In 1862 these flockmasters made a special purchase of 300 pure Spanish Merino 

 ewes, and in 1864 added 100 more to the number. In 1875 the count was 14,192 ewes, 

 which with the same number of males during the same period made the aggregate 

 increase 28,000 in about twelve years. In 1872 their wool clip exceeded 250,000 

 pounds, selling at 25 cents for the spring clip and 15 cents for the fall. 



The total sales of wool amounted to $84, 375 



Sales of sheep, 11,016 head at 40, 408 



Total 124,783 



In 1873 the clip was 338,131 pounds. 



Proceeds $74, 876 



Sheep sold, 14,500 48, 408 



Total 123,284 



In 1874 the clip was 316,597 pounds. 



Proceeds $70, 316 



Sheep sold, 16,500 53,933 



Total 124,249' 



The sales were exceptionally large in 1874, on account of the sale of the Lompoc 

 ranch, appraised at $40 per acre. It was put up for sale at public auction in small 

 tracts and town lots. The first 40 acres were bid off at $76 per acre. The day's sales 

 amounted to the value of $700,000, and left about 35,000 acres unsold, for which the- 

 original owners offered $370,000. 



The annual expenses for the conduct of the above wool-growing and sheep-breed- 

 ing business was from $30,000 to $35,000. 



Another class of men exercised a most potent influence upon the 

 sheep and wool industry of California and Oregon up to and including- 

 1860. They may be classed as mercantile breeders. Of these the ear- 



