The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-02
]. w. LIFE.
The Cattle Kings Of the Plains-A Cattle
Range One Hundred and Fitty-slx Niles |
Lepk-The Great Herds Of the Man VINO
Owns it. |
IFrom the Omaha Herald.

In my letter hitherto have described
some OF the cattle ranges in Western
Nebraska and Wyoming and given the
particulars in regard to some OF the
sheep ranches visited, but / now pro-
pose by way OF conclusion TO give same
account Of the cattle king OF the West
| and the Ghoss rancho Of the country.
tIhe cattle King / shall designate Is nonea
other thanJ. w. Lift, whose ranch is in
tnOrt6ern Colorado. This ranch Is one
hundred aud fifty miles long and begins
at j Julesburg on the east, and extends to
| Greeley on the west. Its southern boun-
dary is the South Platte river and its
northern boundary is the divide, rocky
and bluffy, south of Lodge Pole greek.
1t has nearly the shape OF right angled
triangle, the right being atGreeley and
the base line being the South Platte
river. e
The streams flowing through 1t, first,
the river already named, Chow Creek
and other smaller creeks and streams
which take their rise in living springs in
and near the bluffs in the divide men
toned, and flow in sOutherly direction
into the South Platte river. II includes
bottom and upland ranges, and has sew
eral camps OF ranches. The chief ranch
is nearly south of Sidney and about for
ty miles from j Julesburg. At this ranch
there are houses and sheds, and some
more than two sections of land fenced
in. All the cattle bought by Mr.. Ilif
are turned over to him and branded al
this. place. Here are his private stock
Yards, with corals, chutes, and all the
necessary convenienees for handlin g
cattle. 1t is ON the South Platte river
land OF course has fine watering tacili-r
ties, while from the bottom land adJa-
cent, plenty OF hay may be cut for the
use Of the horses employed in herding.
He cuts no hay for his cattle.
They live the entire year on the rich
native grass on his range, and with the
exception of a severe winter now and
then, the percentage of loss is not very
great. Mi. IiiH is thorough cattle man.
and from his long experience has a per-
ect knowledge OF The business. He
began in 1860, and during the war had
Il jGovernment contracts to fill in New
Mexico and in other frontier Territories.
He supplied most of the beef for the con-
tractors who built the Union Pacific rail-
road and bought immense herds OF cattle
in Texas aud The Indian Territory, which
were driven along the line of the road to
supply the laborers with beef. He has
been engaged in the stock business in
Kansas, New Mexico and now in Col
. orado, and thinks his present location
admirably adapted 10 the business, ii the
; sheep men will only keep out OF it.
He has bought and now owns some
twenty thousand acres of his present
range and Will undoubtedly purchase
more land as soon at it comes into mar
lket. He now owns twenty-six thousand
head oil cattle, and will have this number
after his sales for the present year are
completed. The number Of calves brand
1 ed this year on his ranch will be from
, our thousand five hundred to five thou
sand head, and his sales OF three and
lour year old steers ana fat cows the
present fall will probably amount to the
> same number. He told me that he ex-
pected to realize the sum of $83 per head
; net on his sales this year.. At this rate
four thousand five hundred head would
, bring him the snug little sum OF $14S, 800.
To take care oil this immense herd he
employs from twelve to thirty-fve men
usually in the winter, and the
9 largest number during The 'round ups'
!. in the spring.
y At the present time he has twenty
!. four men employed, and he Is cutting oul
1 of his herd the four year old steers and
T tat COWS which he intends to ship. While
, engaged in this work the same men are
gathering the COWS with unbranded
S calves, which they put into the corrals
/: near by, and after the calves are branded
> they are turned loose with the herd
again. His herd is rapidly being
J, graded up by the Introduction OF thor.
oughbred Durham bulls. In addition .tc
: the cattle raised in this ranch, he deals
e largely In Texas and Indian cattle, and
has now advertised for twenty thousand
head Of Texas cattle TO be delivered al
MS ranch in July OF next year. These
f cattle must be yearlings, two or three
u wears old steers. For Them he offers Il
r nav ST, $11 and SIS respectively. This il
r at least ten per cent. advance on thu
: prices paid for the same kind Of cattle
d this year, and indicates their scarcity ir
!, Texas. Ii his complement is not filled
= out in Texas cattle he thinks he can sup
e ply the deficiency in Oregon and Monta
na cattle.
Mr. Ilif estimates the increase Of cat
n tie from his me-herd-outside of pur
:. chases and sales-to be about sevent,
per cent per year, and about equal!
d .iiyided as to gender. He does not sep
+. arate his bulls from HE herd, but allow
- Them to run in it the entire year. i
~ this. think, he makes mistake, and
H. believe his percentage of increase Woul
n be much larger ii no calves were Dor
e. during the severe winter and sprin
months of eaoh year. The loss in calye
a at these times must be very great. hi
IN shipping points are at Pine Biufs an
70 Julesburg, on the Union Pacific, and a
NJ Deer's Trail, on the Kansas Pacific. Ii
will probably ship Two trains from tn
rs latter point the present year, while tn
balance Of his cattle will be shippe
IN over the Union Pacific.
= Lest any one should come to the COZ
clusion that this business is all prof
d. and that the expenses and losses do nt
s, amount to much, let me turther stat
rt that Mr.. lifts policy is to keep his 81
~ penses as low as possible, having th
IL keeping and safety Of his cattle constan
ly In view. Last year 1 think the. e.
at penses OF herding, ETC., amounted TO les
than $l5, 900, and will amount to a sti
SO less sum this year. But the losses frol
MT thefts and DEANS some years are frigh
". ful. The winter OF ,.7l-2 think was vel
= severe. There were deep SHOWS oy'
~ mis- range that remained on the ground
ld long time, and the storms were inee
ell. sant, In the midst Of these storms M
lila visited his ranch and found his ca
80 tie literally dying by thousands. On u
ee islands in the South Platte river
Of found and drove of into the sand bill
be on the south side, after great exertio
,,v some two thousand seven hundred hea
and of this number less. .than half ha
IN since been recovered.
,rp ml ~. hiao ching hnnne now whitpu Il