Report to the Forest Supervisor

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STUDIES - Cache Ogden, Utah
Historical information. FEBWklQAl    AjtY February 14, 1941
Submitted herewith is information as in Mr. Cluff*s letter of
January 9,  1941 received from Mr. J. W. Thornley of Kaysville, born on
Kays Creek May 19,  1859, now being 82 years old.    Mr.  Thornley was a
sheep as well as a cattle operator.    I will follow the outline somewhat
in making this report.
1. Receipts:
Mr. Thornley fed his cattle over the winter and as a result
had a good calf crop.    The market weight of dry cows was
1,000 pounds, with 3 year old steers weighing an average
of 1100 pounds for the spring market.    For these animals
he received approximately $20.00 to $25.00 per head and
marketed them in Ogden or North Salt Lake.
For lambs Mr* Thornley received $3.00 per head soon after
he began operating sheep in about 1894.
2. Operating Costs:
Sheep were run in herds of 2 to 3,000 head.    The loss among
cattle was small but among sheep coyotes and careless herders
were responsible for rather heavy losses.    Herders were paid
$35.00 and camp tenders $15.00 per month,    supplies were
cheap,  the more staple articles were bacon,  potatoes and
beans being about all that was furnished the herders before
canned goods came into use.    A camp wagon and equipment in
those day3 cost f140.00.    Good first-grade alfalfa cost
|4.00 per ton.    Interest paid on borrowed capital in those
days ran about 8%.
3. General Range Operating Conditions;
Mr. Thornley began running cattle in 1886 when he bought
upwards of 18,000 acres in Morgan County for $1.50 per acre,
with ten years to pay.    Later, in about 1910 he paid |7.50
per acre for some land adjoining this.    In 1894 he began
running sheep and occupied some of the free range on Monte
Cristo along wi th large numbers of other operators.    Most of
his operations however,  concern private land in Morgan County.
Inasmuch as he owned his own range he had very little trouble
with other settlers and homesteaders.    The cattle which IM.
Thornley ran were grade-stock Shorthorns and Durhams.    Profits
from the livestock industry were very high in most cases,
especially so before the Forests were  created and during the
World War.    In 1901 wool sold for 160 per pound; in 1917 he