12 
FACTS BROUGHT OUT BY THE INVESTIGATION. 
CHARACTER OF THE PERSONS ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS. 
All the sheep owners in eastern Oregon appear to be American citizens; 
at least upon inquiry no aliens were found. Someof the owners, as with 
our farming population in all parts of the country, are of foreign birth, 
but have become naturalized. In earlier years, too, some of the herders 
were French or Portuguese. Many of the owners are prominent influ- 
ential citizens of the highest character. 
A popular impression seems to prevail that sheep herders in Oregon, 
as elsewhere, represent a comparatively low class of humanity. This 
impression as applied to the majority of sheep herders many years ago 
was perhaps correct. At the present time, however, many bright and 
reputable young men have undertaken sheep herding in default of 
opportunities for more desirable work, and as a whole they probably 
average as well in character as the men engaged in any other branch 
of agricultural industry. 
COST OF MAINTAINING A BAND OF SHEEP. 
Under present conditions a sheep owner with one or two bands 
can seldom conduct his business profitably if he follows a nomadic life, 
and in general it is a prerequisite of success that.an owner shall have 
for winter headquarters a permanent and commodious, properly fenced 
ranch, provided with a house, one or more hay barns, and several sub- 
stantial corrals. It must have enough arable land to grow the hay 
necessary for wintering his sheep. Such a ranch represents a capital 
of about $5,000 or $6,000. The following is a fair estimate of the cost 
of “running”—that is, maintaining—a band of 2,000 ewes for a year in 
a typical place in Sherman County: 
Taxes, 21 mills per dollar, on an assessed valuation of $2 per head ...--.---. $84 
Herder, 12-months,.at $30 per month. = 25525) eee ee ee eee 360 
Packer.) months, at'$30' per months: 22 3s-s.ces- ese eee eee 150 
“‘Grub”—that is, food provisions—for the herder and packer, at $10 per 
month eae soe oc ss ot in oaks coe oer eae le See Se te 170 
Rentalofiwinter range, iG imonths 22s. 52225 soe se. ee ee ee eee 100 
Shearing at’) cents per head]. 22-2 .2..2 ease eee cone ee ee eee 100 
Wheat hay, sufficient for 40 days, at the rate of 3 tons for 100 sheep, at $7 
per tomy. =. ooo 2 Po Sek Se he ee ae oh ee ee ee 420, 
Salt, 100 pounds per week, at 50 cents per 100, plus $1 per 100 for freighting 
to. summer range during 20 weeks = 5-22. 2.225 eee ee eee eee 46 
Hauling wool to the railroad, at 40 cents per 100 pounds, the estimated clip 
being 8 pounds per-sheep 2222-62 232 css ce eee a coe ae ce eee 64 
Extra help for 1 month during the lambing season, at the rate of 1 man for 
200 ewes,vat aisalany of $30 permonthe > 222s - oe eee es See eee 300 
Outfit for herder and packer, including horses, pack saddles, tent, and bed- 
(0 Ui ae ae een eee RR eM Har ort ae CAM ye ean Se eh Os MEN oo cs 25 
Bucks, at the rate of 2 bucks per 100 ewes, replaced every 2 years, at an aver- 
age, COsb.O£: $10 eachi: i220 2. ele. Se eas SRR ese eg ee 200 
Summering bucks, which are kept separate fron the ewe bands, at $1 as 40 
TOtalice ose ea om Solon a oe ate 3 Se eRe ee ea 2, 059 
