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STATE RANKS 2ND»IN WOOL OUTPUTIBy MURRAY E. STFBBTNS, Secretary of Montana Wool Growers’Association.SIXTY-SIX years ago John w. Bishop ,now living at Dillon,trailed the first sheep into Montana from California. Little did he realize that in trailing some two thousand sheep into the territory of Montana, he was laying the foundation for an industry which was to become one of the chief resources of the great Treasure state.The first sheep reached eastern Montana in 1876. In the fall of that year George Miles, now president of the First National bank of Miles City, crossed the first flock of sheep over the Yellowstone river near Fort Keogh.Sheep found many natural advantages in Montana; the dry climate, the abundance of nutritious grasses, the unlimited area for grazing, all combining to make Montana a real home for sheep.With the many natural advantages, there were some difficulties to be overcome. Cattlemen and horse ranchers were much opposed to sheep ranching and many a bitter battle was fought over the range. Largely through the sterling quality of the men who stayed by the wool growing and sheep raising industry, the business was developed, however, until today it has added to the wealth of the state more than $30,000,000.Sheep in Montana increased in number until 1901 when Montana assessors counted approximately 6,-500,000 sheep, the peak of the industry in Montana, from the standpoint of numbers. Wool production reached its highest point in 1904, when 37,-000,000 pounds of wool were shipped out of Montana.The low mark of the industry was reached in 1920 but since that time the industry has enjoyed a substantial recovery. Montana's wool production of 16,000,992 pounds in 1920 had risen to 24,979,992 pounds in 1926, an increase of about 50 per cent.-
Newspaper Details
Thompson Falls Sanders County Independent Ledger
Thompson Falls, Montana, US
Wed, Jan 12, 1927
Page 2
Full Page
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MT, USA 07 Feb 2022
Other Publications Near Thompson Falls, Montana
Thompson Falls Sanders County Independent Ledger
Thompson Falls Weekly Montanian
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