The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1874-09-10
CATTLE TRADE OF THE WEST.
The Increased Transportation OF Trans
Mississippi stock.

A large proportion Of the cattle from |
Texas are driven westward into the ter
ritories. There they fatten for the mar
ket, and provide beef for the growing |
cities and towns, mining regions, and |
military posts. 1t is thought that the |
entire drive from Texas this year into |
Kansas will number over 600, 900 head. |
Perhaps one.fourth OF these go INTO |
Colorado and Wyoming and westward
to Utah, while most of the hnIanco seek
the eastern market. At this season Of
the year one will be struck with the APP
pearuuce of the numerous and fine
looking herds grazing along the Arkan-
sas valley from Wichita as far west as
Sargent, and thence scattered ut inter
walls to the foot Of the mountains. AS a
sample of the size of these nerds !
might mention that a list of iorty-three
herds iu the vicinity showed total oI
81, ,9OS head Of cattle While it is claim,
cd that the drive to Wichita this year
viii not exceed 100, 900 head, not much
over one-hNlf what it was last year,
some of the other towns on the line OF
the railroad having been found moro
accessible for shipment, YET it is notice.
able that the quality of the stock is mp.
parcntly much better than that of form.
er seasons.
The further the hocks get westward
the grcutcr their tendency to Increase in
size. In the vicinity of Hugo, on the
| Kansas Pacific, about 100 miles beyond
the eastern borders Of Kansas, some of
the old plainsmen have formed stock
company, and control from 10000 to
80, 900 head. There are huge herds also
near Ellsworth and Bunker Hill. Down
on the Arkansas, near Fort Lynn, the
children of Kit Carson and one or two
of his old comrades own herds of from
3 900 to 5000 head. On the Laramie
plains, northward, Creighton n Go. have
a herd of $1,000 cattle; J. W. ihh,
10000: T.. Creighton, 5000; TNylor,
GAYLORD Il Co., 5000. There arc over
twenty herds, numbering from 1000 ia
3 900 each. In the parks OF Colorado
extensive focks will also be found.
Throughout the middle and southeast
crn portions of Kansas a large amount
of stock is now being driven casj"ard,
the cattle being allowed to Craze along
the way. The droVcrs will soon be
hulrying forward their herds, however,
for feed is short, and il will cost too
much to winter stock in Kansas, owing
10 the short corn crop. Where last
winter there were thousands Of cattD
scattered throughout Kansas, and the
winter before still greater numbers, t.
fat, en- on the surplus grain, this yem
there will be very few. The full corn
cribs of Missouri aud Illinois tempt the
drovor that way, and in the spring h'
will be nearer the great markets. There
are various estimates of the numbers
that have been wintcred IN Kansas II
former seasons, but the range is from
100. 600 to 10000,
You will, ut this timi Of the year. see
the Colorado spectators pryinR ther
way into the broad pastures or hy-way
of Kansas and Nebraska, buying ul
a here few and there few in nm appa
rently indifferent way, as ii the cattl
e wero hardly worth their care gettin
. Them Mt low-dowu prices, and fnoIl
1 marching with great herd back towar
: on their purchases. just now stock Il
r some points rules fabuIousIy low. Io
( can pick ont Texan heifcrs from II her
Mt SG to IS per head, cows at $40, AM
, sheep Mt sixty cents. Beef cattle hay
been sold at Wachita at five cents pc
pound on foot.
The Kansas city market has for In
, past two or three years held II control
Y ing position with regard 10 the TeXa
= cattle trade. This is a great dlstrlbu
u ing point, and stock men seek 1t IrOl
J.. Illinois, Miss ouri, Iowa and Indians
r making it during the season their poir
for selecting and shipping stock INT
their several states to feed, or to tn
Chicago and st. Louis markets for bee
There are extensive yards into whic
o the various railroads run, aud good OF
$ portunities for shipment. A large pacl
Il ing interest has also sprung up here.
~ direct connection with Texas has latel
o been obtained, and the business Of 10
IS warding stock directly from their natl
B. pastures to this point has been undo
v taken to some extent. But this expel
is ment has already, it is claimed, Prov
10 unsatisfactory. The cattle rarely alta
rs a good marketable condition in Texa
sr and when they do, rail transitover su,
IL long distances reduces them to conc
ys ton unfit for market when they rea'
IS here, As the production of cattle
he one of the main interests OF the gre
y state of Texas, whose herds are countt
\, by millions, its pastures will doubtle
|. for years continue to furnish the we
,, with beef. The cattle will be drive
Q as formerly across the plains, fattenln
d as they go, and reaching the raliroa'
II by the trails which for months have bee
& alive with the "long horns" and take
is to Kansas city for distribution into Il
a various states The supplies which Il
e different markets require, and the pr
y portion going into the various state
II may be calculated from the fOllowlr
d figures, which show the shipments
it cattle eastward from Kansas City durlI
o last year: Hannibal and st. Joe IA!
,. road, 1858; st. Louis, Kansas Oh
and N. railroad, S2,674; Nilsson
Pacific railroad, 16, 142 driven on
45,441. Shipments we're also made Il
various other roads, showing total
e 227, $3.50 head. Those via the Hannib
n and st. Joe road went TO the Chicag
@ market ; by the other railroads to tt
, st. Louis market while those drive
y out we're distributed to large extent
n feed throughout Missouri and llllnoi
), Power of Bearing Heat.
\. H.. ,,,.,,,osaJ lbot ihn Ian