The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-11-26
FROM AGNES CITY.
rAirIe FIres--The Herd Lawfully Il
Will Pay.
AGNES Cry, Nov. 81 1875.


AGNES CITY, Nov. 81, 1875.
We have had our prairie fires with
the usual destruction of hay, rails and
timber. 1t is said that Miss Little was
burning fire breaks and let the fire get
away from her. We heard quite num-
Der promise to be better prepared by
next year for such an emergency, but
we expect next year to repeat the same
old story-damagsd by fire, because of
neglect to prepare ire-breaks in time.
Andrew Potter, late from Utah,
has been visiting friends here, and
started with his little girl for Marshall
county, last week.
The anti-herd law folks of this
township, after counting noses, &c.,
have decided IF their lOudest takers
on election day are the exponents) J,
that only fools and Candidates for the
lunatic asylum could favor herd law
in this part of the county. Conclusive
argument, and well worthy of its ad-
vOcates. The points made by the more
reasonable were, that this is peculiarly
stock county; its lands cannot be
probably cultivated; that we are too
far from market to make grain raising
prOgsable, even ON our bottom farms !;
that stock will not do as well herded as
when running at will on the prairie.
That this part of Lyon county is well
suited to stock raising, and that there
is moro money made in that way than
by raising grain, we admit. But will
stock do better running at will on the
prairies, ("barren" the little races they
have with the dogs nearly every day),
than if properly herded? We would
like to have facts and figures from men
who have had experience both ways.
We notice that most of our prominent
stock men herd their cattle. If it will
pay for large herders, let those of lin
tied means unite, put their stock to-
gether, and hire IA herder; the expenses
would not, perhaps, be over ten or fif-
teen cents per head per month, which
is cheaper than many of US can afford
To look after our stock and no herd
law. AS it is, we not only have our
own stock TO look after, but our neigh
bors also. Most of our people could
take the capital invested in sham
fences, and buy and fence land enough
To pasture all their stock. This with a
much better fence than they generally
have around their improved land. Then
if horse is wanted early in the morn
ing, it can be found without running
all over the prairie, in the wet grass
till nearly noon, after it, aud then, per-
careful estimate would reveal the fact
that nearly all of us lose enough time
hunting our stock to pay for the herd
ing. But they say herd law fosters
law suits and litigation; that in herd
law counties the people are continual
ly fussing and quarrelling. We sup
pose the "gist" OF it is: / trespass on
your premises, and appropriate the
fruits of your hard-earned labor-corn,
wheat, vegetable, &c.-with my stock,
or otherwise. You will have a right to
demand pay for the same, and 1, accus-
toned to a different condition of things,
refuse to compensate you until the
strong arm o. the law SO cOmpels me
to do. This Is hard one on the herd
law. Most of US have as much having
now as is at all profitable (have it that
justice may be done, you know,l and if
this additional brand is thrown in
among US, where will the end be?
The first snow of the season fell
last Friday night, but evsporated by
noon Saturday. VENTILATOR.