Just a few more sheep stories that were reported in the Williams News for 1923. Not all pertain to Arizona but were included as some of these articles would have been of interest to the sheep men and maybe the public. Newspapers back in the day certainly carried more newsworthy stories to the public then they do today.
In the February 2, 1923, Williams News an article appeared on the many attributes associated with Williams. Besides the fact that it had prospered because it was the “gateway to the Grand Canyon” mention was made that the outlying country was “still grazed by profitable herds of cattle and well-paying sheep herds.” There were many sheep men who summered in the Williams area that I have previously wrote about – Aleman’s, Pouquettes, Wm. Pitts, R. E. Diahl, etc. It was also reported that J. F. Daggs, who had extensive sheep interests in the state, had passed in May 1923. His son had a home in Williams and was aslo connected with the sheep industry.
An interesting piece of information came from the William’s Woman’s Club November meeting. The women’s club held a meeting and discussed many things. One of which was how to beautify their town. Some one thought flower gardening worthy of our intensive attention, then came the water problem and finally the question of keeping the town herds, pet goats and sheep and range cattle out of their lawns and backyards. Just how this was to be done was not decided but the ladies thought perhaps they could cooperate with the Rotary Club and gain something definite in the way of means to make Williams the most beautiful town in Northern Arizona. It will be interesting to see if further information of a joint adventure with the Rotary Club produces any results of ridding the town of sheep and other livestock!
In December the Williams News reported on the Articles of Incorporation for the Chevelon Sheep Company by P.J. Moran, C.J. Babbitt and H.G. Babbitt. Once again, this information helps with names of the sheep companies and those who were in the business.
Among these 1923 newspapers were many articles that would have been of interest to those in the sheep business. One was “Department Film on Wool One-reel motion picture on phases of wool handling and marketing is released”. It had been prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture and could be borrowed from them. Another from the Department of Agriculture dealt with “Sheep are Particularly Subject to Parasites.” A third informational article was titled “Commercial Life of Ewe”. It stated that the life of a breeding ewe is six to eight years, depending on type of sheep, range, feed, care, etc. The first lamb is dropped when the ewe is about two years of age. Four to six more are gotten before the animal is discarded. Many sheep breeds the ewes have two and sometimes three lambs thus this number cited could have been low but it did say depending on the breed!
And for our conclusion: the humorous story – “Maxim for Moral Maidens – To keep a man from dancing – cheek to cheek with you, wash your hair in sheep dip.”
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