The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-09-28
THE CATTLE KING OF THE PLAINS.
The experience of MIR. Tiff, the "Ca

The experience of Mr. Tiff, the "Cat-
tie King of the Palms." whose great
ranch in the Northern Colorado includes
hundreds of square miles OF bottom ana
upland ranges, is typical of the whole.
During the severe winter of 1871-,72
there were deep SHOWS that remained
long time, and the storms were lncessant-
In the midst of them Mr.. Tiff visited
his ranchand found his cattle dying and
scattered by thousands. In spite OF all
he could do, less than half OF them were
recovered, and those had strayed at
springtime into two different States and
four different Territories. Meantime
$40, 600 were expended in efforts to find
them. st last, in the spring OF 1874,
5000 undiscovered cattle were charged
to profit and loss. Gould these have
been sold the previous fall they would
have brought at least 5l6 head, a total
OF $9O, 600 Yet the Cattle King and
many cattle princes beside him, make
money from cattle raising on the plains,
for they learn much by experience, and
the demand is great enough to warrant
all their risks. Mr.. Tiff has now more
than 26, 900 head of cattle, of all ages,
sizes and conditions Nearly 5000 calves
were branded on his ranch last year, and
he sold about the same number Of 4 year
old steers and fat COWS. At the average
selling price Of $50 head net, 1000
head brought him $128 600. He employs
from twelve to tl1irty-fve men to take
| careof his immense herd in summer. By
| the introduction of thoroughbred Dur
ham bulls the herds are rapidly graded
UP, and he estimates the increase, out
! side of purchases and sales, to be about
| 70 per cent per year. Besides the cattle
raised OIL his ranch, he deals largely IN
| Texas and Indian cattle, and last season
advertised for 10000 head of Texas cat
tie to be delivered during the driving
months of 1876. IF he does not obtain
this number from Texas he expects to
supply thedefciency withthe Oregon and
| Montana cattle, which are beginning
to come East The Laramie Plains,
| higher up, among the mountains, are
paradise for stock, especially sheep;
and away over the mountains, toward
| the Pacific, there are stock ranches that
throw even lifts in the shade. In the
Humboldt Valley, some $50 miles east OF
San Francisco, one cattle firm, Dumphy
& Hildreth, have 10000 acres fenced in.
Is is seven miles across from their east
ern to their western fence. The fences,
made of red wood posts and Oregon pine
boards, cost about 900 dollars a mile,
and there are twenty miles of them.
The firm own 40, 900 head of cattle which
are mostly SHIPPED to San Francisco.
The stock is all of good quality, and
some of the best blooded animals in the
country are annually purchased to i'm
prove the grades The snow here sell
dom falls deep, does not stay long, and
the grass makes its appearance early in
the spring. Grass, though, does not
seem essential to the well-being of some
of the latest cattle on the continent.
Further down the Humboldt Valley,
where nothing else but sage-brush,
| grease-wood and alkalidusb is to be seen,
the Central Pacific trains have to slack
en- speed to avoid manning heavy herds,
for which the green grease wood bush is
alleged to furnish abundant provender.