Connecticut western news., 1876-05-05
SPRING CATTLE DRIVING.
Extent of the Western Trnde-This Sen sOn's "Drive "--Almost n Hnlf NIilliOl Texas Reeves Coming to Market.

Extent of the Western Trade-This sen-
 sOn's |" Drive e"--Almost n Half Million Texas Reeves Coming to Market.
 The live stock trade of the Southwest has become matter of millions. The herd is king. Drovers and "cow-boys !" go about with masterly swagger, and are the most popular as we'll as the best envied class to be found. While the average herd runs from two to three thousand head, there are those that number from twenty five thousand to seventy-fve thousand, and the owners of such, like Abram of old, may be set down as decidedly erich in cattle." It is now getting to be the time of year for the annual "drives" from Texas into Kansas and Colorado, preparatory to marketing beeves for the Eastern trade. From April until November the "trail !" fairly svarms. The cattle have been "rounded up" as soon as the young grass begins to start, and assorted &C., cording to their brand. This is neces- sary because while feeding through the winter they roam at large, and the herds stray apart and get mixed. After the "round up" each drover takes his own to separate "range" or pasture. Then the process of " cutting out" takes place. This is the selection of such as are designed for the market. The next step is to get the "long- horns upon the road or trail" When once upon the way they follow on without much trouble. The greatest danger is from stampeding during storms, or through the efforts of highwaymen, who often take this method to steal cattle. A herd of two or three thousand upon the trail often presents fine sight, tramping in Indian file, and stringing out for distance of mile or more over tke prairie.
 When the cattle are fairly upon the trail they are allowed to feed along leisurely upon the spring grasses. The distance to be made in these drives |" is generally from 250 to $50 miles, and it takes from thirty to forty days. When they reach the vicinity of shipping point they are often herded out several weeks until good prices prevail then Chicago, St. Louis, and other points. Middlemen are always on hand, and herds frequently change hands en route, and more commonly at the shipping point. Then there are numberless com mission agents who undertake to negotiate sales. The most of these are located at Kansas City, which figures largely in this trade. Her stock yards are busy scene from June to Decem- Der. In 1871 there were received 120,- 827 head of cattle in 1872, 236, 1902 {: in 1878, 227, ,169 in 1874, 207, ,069, and in 1875, 169, 1891. While the number last year was less than previous years, the cattle were better and brought higher price. The total receipts of the past five years have been over one million head, large share of which were reshipped or driven to Chicago, St. Louis, and points in the Mississippi valley, for beef.
 The annual drives from Texas run from 350,0C0 to 500,0 900 head. All of these do not go into market, but work their way across the plains into Colorado and Wyoming. The stockmen in these Territories give good deal of care to breeding and improving the quality of cattle. The old buffalo ranges have gradually been encroached upon, and stock thrives and fattens so well that the herds now graze over large portion of the plains, and the principal shipping points are in the very midst of what was not long ago designated as the Great American Desert. The numerous springs and creeks are found to give sufficient water, and the buffalo grass throughout the entire year is sufficiently nutritious to keep the herds looking fat and sleek.
 It is now ten years since Texas cattle, or ' the long horns," began to appear in large numbers on the Northern markets Since 1867 over 3,000,000 head have been driven into Kansas, and shipped to Chicago and St Louis. Large num- bers also have been herded in western Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska and Wyom- ing. In looking over our future beef sup, ply, good judges place the number of cattle now in Texas at 3,50O,000, with half as many more upon the Western plains, distributed as follows Western Kansas, 45O,OOO; Colorado, 600,000 ; Nebraska, 375, 900 Wyoming, 200, ,0O0 ; New Mexico, 150,000.