The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-05-04


diyi led into $50 900 beeves, $50, 900
COWS, and 100000 young cattle. The
plains on which these cattle roam, con
tain about l52 900, 200 acres of ground
The principal pasturages are on the
Nueces, Rio Grande, Guadalupe, San
Antonio, Colorado, Leon, Brasos, Trim
ity, Sabine aud Red rivers. The cattle
are owned by scores of raDchmen, each
Que of them has from l, 900 to 10000
head Ou the Santa Catrutos river is
a ranch containing "a, 1872 acres. 1t is
owned by one mau, Richard King, and
has on it 1000 head of cattle, 50 900
horses, 1000 sheep and 5000 goats.
This immense number of live stock, re-
quires 1000 saddle horses aud 300
Mexicans, to attend and herd it. len
thousand beeves are annually sold from
the ranch, and 10000 young calves
branded. There is another ranch on
the San Antonio river, near Goliad,
which grazes 10000 head of cattle, and
brands IL 900 head OF calves annually.
MIR. O,Couor, the owner Of this ranch.
sells ST5, 900 worth Of stock each year,
and his herds are constantly increasing.
In 1852 he began cattle raising with
1900 head, and his present enormous
herds and wealth are the result Of uat-
ural increase. On the Gulf, between
the Rio Grqnde and Nueces, is a ranch
containing l42, $40 acres, and owned by
Mr.. Robideaux. 1t is on a peninsula,
surrounded on three sides by water, and,
to enclose the other side, has required
the building of thirty -one miles of plank
fence. Every three miles along the
fence are houses for the herders, aud
enormous stables and pens for the stock.
There are grazcd in this enclosure 30,.
900 head OF beef cattle, besides an i'm.
mense number Of other stock.
A ranch ON the Brazos river contains
$4,000 head Of cattle, 300 horses, aud
so herders. John llitson, the owner,
drives 10000 cattle to market annually.
Ten years ago he was poor farmer in
Tennessee, but selling his land, aud
going to Brazos, he succeeded by dint
OF hard labor in getting together sixty
cows and nine brood mares, when he
went to raising stock lie has now
80 900 head of cattle, worth at least,
$3.50, 900, aud he is still only forty years
old. This man is establishing stock
rancho on the South Platte, in Nebras-
ka. where he now has 5000 head of
cattle, and next spring will bring in
0,000 more. ....
There is ranch on the Concho river,
Texas, where, | am told, one man owns
1000 head of steers aud milch cows.
The best grazing counties in Texas
are those Of ThrockmortoD, Stevens,
Jack, Youug, Callahan, Coleman, Brown,
Tarraut, Ellrath, Comanche, Palo Pinto,
Hill aud johnson. These counties lie
along the Rip Grande, Nueces, Guadu-
lupe, Gan Antonio, Colorado, Leon,
B;azos, Trinity, Sabine, aud Red rivers
The stock from these counties are driven
to the Gulf in great numbers, where
they are slaughtered, packed in steam.
ers, or put on live, and shipped to
| New York, Boston, and other nothern
markets. A great many cattle are driven
north on foot b. way Of Abilene. Kan.
sas, aud Schuyler, Nebraska. Some
follow the Pecos, aud pass into Arizona
aud California; others keep along the
Arkansas 10 Beut's Ford thence across
Colorado over the Black Hills and into
Wyoming, and on do into Utah Mon.
tana. Nevada. aud Idaho. There ore
some drivers whose names | cannot
mention, but the whole humber Of cat.
| tie brought north overland from Texas
during the year 1870, did not fall short
of LOG, 900 head, OF these 30 900 went
to Montana, 5000 to Utah, 5000 to