The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-09-24
THE TRAFFIC IN CATTLE.
shipments to Eastern Markets-ThS
wonderful Increase i'm the Business
The Great Herds of Colorado and
Wyoming.

Shipments to Eastern Narkets-The
wonderful Increase i'm the business
Wyoming.
The Denver Nelrs says: Those who
have watched, during the past few years,
the course of the cattle trade on the plains,
have seen, with its growth, a constant
changing of trails and shipping points.
Speaking of this changed and changing
condition of affairs, it is noticeable, especi-
ally to our stock men, that the opening of
new route across the plains and into
| Colorado, namely, the Atchison, Topeka
and Santa Fe Railroad, is dOins much to-
| ward bringing about this new order of
things. At the same time, owing TO the
constant increase in the business, the Kan
sas Pacific shows a great gain over last
| year, and at the present time, which is the
height of the season, Is running extra
| stock trains, TO accommodate the demands
for transportation. There has been a
marked increase lately in the shipments
! from Carson.
| A statement from the books of the aud
| itor of the Kansas Pacific gives a cOmpar-
ative exhibit of the business, and shows
the number of carloads carried during the
first seven months of this and last year
1t shows total of 1,G66 carloads for the
first seven months of 1874, as against ,l53
for the same period of 1873. A carload
will average about sixteen head of cattle
so the figures for The first half of 1874 show
the shipment of about 26,700 cattle, and
those of 1873 about 1890. Almost the
whole of this stock was taken to Kansas
City, and there distributed to Chicago or
st. Louis, while some went eastward via
Leavenworth and the Rock Island route
The shipments of the AtchisOn, Topeka
! ,,,lG 70 ". hot h.-
trated TO the StOck-grOwing region of
Southern Colorado, are greatly in excess
of those of the Kansas Pacific. The prin-
cipal points along this line are Wichita,
Hutchinson, Newton and Great Bend
The auditors books show that 1876. 1868
head of cattle were carried during
the first half of 1874, as against a.
800 for the first half of 1873, this
years shipment thus far being nearly four
times greater than last years. The fact
that both the leading railways show so
marked an increase in the trade is signifi-
cant in view of the fact that the general
impression has been that the cattle bust
ness would be small this year, owing to
the scarcity of money and the unfortunate
and ruinOus ventures made by parties last
year. 1t is a fact that all the cattle men,
from the Missouri River to the Rocky
Mountains, and from Wyoming to Texas,
are unanimous in their complaints that
there was no money in the business last
year. 1t is also noticeable, from finar cial
trouble and one cause and another, that
many of the most venturesOme and largest
cattle dealers do not appear on the board
at all now, and numerous new operators,
on a large scale, have taken their places.
Times here and at various shipping
points are just beginning to pick up, fore
shadOwing great activity for some time to
come. The months of September and Oc-
tOber generally constitute the busy period
in this industry. 1t is claimed, by some at
least. that there are sufficient cattle await
ing shipment at the various shipping points
to equal during the next two months the
entire shipments for the first half of the
wear. We see it estimated that the entire
shipments for this year over the new east
and west line to Colorado (the A., Il. and
5. F. will not fall far short of 100000 head.
| This is, to the people of Denver especially,
"A surprising fact, considering that the cat
tie shipping trade of the plains was mo-
nopOlzed until within year past
by the Kansas Pacific Road. The fact is.
the former line, as it has progressed to-
ward the mountains, crossed the old trails
south of the Kansas Pacific, placing stock
raised in the South one or two days drive
nearer the shipping points, and cutting off.
of course, some of the business Still, most
of the large herders and dealers prefer to
drive a hundred miles further and ship by
the Kansas Pacific. This is mainly due TO
the fact that majority of the heavy ship
pers make Denver sort of business head
quarters. What this business is, and how
it is increasing, on the Kansas Pacific,
may be inferred from the fact that in the
first year the trail was ep"ped, only 81 400
head of cattle were carried over the road.
The number transported in 1873 amount
ed to 164.S20.
The railroads recognize the paramount
value of this trade. Some one has recent
! ly estimated that the drive from Texas this
year into Colorado and Wyoming will
number 100000 head. The whole face of
the plains are becoming dotted with herds
of immense size. At Hugo. stock COM
pany composed, by the way, in part of
Denver mem controls from 10000 to 3d.
600 head. Near Fort Lyon the children
of Kit Carson own herds of from 5000 to
5000 head. Up north of us on the Lara
mic plains, Creighton & Co. have a herd of
| 5000 cattle j. w. Iliff, $4,000; E. Creigh-
ton, 5000; Taylor. Gaylord & Co., 5000.
There are over twenty herds, numbering
! from | 900 to 5000 each. In Bent, Pueblo.
and Las Animas counties very large herds
are found.