The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-08-26

WEDNESDAY,. - :. .1LoDoI 1905
Texas Cattle
1S1RoDUcrIoE INTO TEssEssFE AND VIRGINIA MARKETS.
From the Memphis Appeal
The question of the supply Of good and wholesome
tood, especially fresh meats is always one OF interest,"
every popplous and growing community In our
present comparatively youthful and nncrowded cendi-
ton, have but little present need Of much fore
thought the subject but In the older portions OF our
country, it has already become of paramount i'm
portance and philosophers, fuanccrs and statesmen
have discussed it in all its bearings There has been
lately started in our midst an enterprise connected
with this question, which believe is destined to play
n grea. part in the development aad growth of our
city al it will bring to US an entirely new branch of
trade and make Memphis play great role in the feed
ing of the great cities of the East and North and make
it. in fact vast central market for the cattle trade Of
Texas. 1a@
In times ante belium the markets of Baltimore aew
York and othern Eastern cities very largely sup
piled from the magnificent grazing and stock raising re-
gions of East Tennessee and the famed Shenandoah
Valley of Virginia. The came, and that splendid
country stripped of cattle of other branches of
its material wealth, and is now almost entirely de-
plcted of stock of all kinds. The financial condition
of the people has not enabled them to do as much
might be desired to recuperate their exhausted re-
sources. Industry and determined energy, however,
directed to the cultivation of the sothe source of
all wealth-and the prospect of abundant crops, have
this year rendered their condition better than it has
been at any timesince the war They need work ami
mails and the surplus Of cornhey have produced this
year cannot be probably used than being fed the
coming winter to stock, commanding at all times IN
the Eastern markets good prices.
Texas, as every cpe knows, besides being great
growing State is possessed of immense herds of
cattle, which roam her boundess prairies, in
creasng with almost incredible rapidity. For these
cattle there is sale in the interior, Annually,
menclng about the first Of April the stock rasers
drive the cattle offour years old and upwards either
through Arkansasand Kansas to the Missouri river,
to points the Gulf Of Mexico and the Mississippi
and Red rivers. 1t is estimated that 100000 cattle
have been driven to Kansas aud other parts of the
Northwest and there sold, since the first of January
last and that during the period about 600 head
have found market at Hog Point fnear the mouth Of
Red river) and New Orleans The latter have been
bought by the dealers in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio
Illinois being the naiu purchaser. These cattle are
pastured and atened on her bread prairies and for
the part shipped to the markets OF Baltimore
New York and ether Eastern cities, though not few
are sold for consumption in Chicago. The West and
Northwest cannot, as has been amply demonstrated
this year. supply an adequate market, and there are
consequently at this time great numbers of cattle at
New Orleans and other points, for which sale car
be had The stocll-raisers of Texasa and the CATTLE
brokers of New Orleans therefore ious to open
up other markets for the rapidly increasing supply of
cattle; and it is precisely this that may be made to
inure to the benefit of the people living in the fine
grazing regions of North Alabama, East Tennessee
and Virginia. Let us look for moment at the stocks
and production Of these cattle, and their cost deliV
cred in East Tennessee or Virginia.
From the best information to be obtained, the num-
Der Of cattle in Texas is estimated at 100000 head
end the annual increase at 1,00Q,aRD calves Stock
rasers estimate the loss on the increase to be about 20
per cent by death from disease and casualties leaving
a net production of 100000 yearly. About 100000
cattle are annually exported from Texas These esti
mates considered low by those best informed At
being driven from the interior Of Texas, journey
of from twenty to twenty five days, they of course
in poor condition. At present they worth in New
Orleans from SO to so per bead, according to size
Cattle of the largest sse costing in New Orleans say
twenty dollars and capable of being fed so to weigh
1900 pounds gross, the beef they afford being of the
finest and tenderest quality. and they being besides
very serviceable yoke alimasl, be shipped by
boat to Memphis thence by the Memphis and Charles
ton railway and connections to Bristol or Salem, on
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad costing there
about thirty dollars head J. ie needless for Is to
say anything to our readers of the grazing lands OF
East Tennessee and the famed Shenandoah Valley of
Virginia, accessible from Bristol or Salem by good
turnpike road, OR of the facilities that country pos
of rapid and easy transit to the Virginia and
Eastern markets, where these cattle will always COM
lnand profitable sale. From the point Of debarka
ton from the cars the cattle be lesurely driven
up the valley, each day improving their condition and
finding them nearer good market. 1t is very conf
IDENTITY believed that time and the investment of lit
tie capital alone needed to develop larger and
more profitable trade along the direct and continuous
line of railroad from Memphis to New York than is
now done by the Northwest with its longer, cir
cuitous and costly communication with Eastern cities.
Our firm conviction is, that if this project be car
ried out Memphis will become the very centre Of
the Texas cattle trade, for the Northern Eastern and
the Atlantic seaboard Southern cities Our friend,
Charles S. Sawyer, Esq, of the Memphis and Charles
road is now engaged in perfecting the arrange
ments for trial of the experiment. and it is to be
hoped that he may find Jealous cooperation from all
parties in this highly important enterprise. We would
respectfully request our Texas contemporaries aud
changes bring this matter before their readers in
proper light, for by so doing they will materially aid
and assist by making efforts known to the stock
raisers themselves.