The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-04

quire. This is doubtless reprehehensi-
tbIe as an interference with the estab-
iished laws of nature, but the Universal
Iopinion of Colora ado farmers is that s.ir-
Irrigation beats Providence all hollow
when the weather's dry" In a general
| way, however, the valley is better
adapted for stock-raising than for sgri-
culture.
| Any sheep or COW not contented with
a home here the year round ou sht to be
converted into chops and steakss forth
| with. All summer long a boundless
range OF succulent gramma grass, and
during the short winter months hay
NATURALLY cured on every prairie knoll
in0rthward to the Smoky River and
southward to the Cimarrnn, ought cer-
tatniy to satisfy The most exacting beast
that ever ehewed the cad.
| Thousands OF cattle already swarm
the river banks on either side, and SUBJ
sist the yeariround without the faintest
suspicion of artificial food Or sshelter.
Eney roam atwiil except when grounded
lup" twice year for inspection and
branding, or tor slaughter or sale. AT
present the spring "found ups" are TAX
ing place throughout the Territory. The
| process is an eXhilarating one Tor the
men and an exciting one for the BEASTS
Picture an open, almost treeless ex-
panse of grazing land. with a diameter
of twenty-five to thirty miles. over this
leXJeut are scaJtereu thousands of head
ot cattle grazing on its uplands, hidden
in its arroyos, ,secreted in its almost i'm
penetrable bluff-cfowns of interlucing
pinyon trees. THIS is the scene OF opera;
lions.
On a given day it. is duly annou need
that the cattle upon this particular
range, circumsoribed probably by cer-
tain natural boundaries OF river or buff
line, will be "rounded up" at desig-
mated spot, and the fifty probable own
ers of stock within the range are re-
quested to be present TO assist in the
task, and select their own animals from
the general herd. BY daybreak the
country is astir. Each stockowner,
with his herdsmen, starts for the ap-
pointed place, securing the country as
he goes, leaving no hoof behind, no mat
ter what the brand, and driving all be-
lore him toward common celter. In
|, this way frequently from five thousand
, to ten thousand cattle are collected in a
single herd. Around the circumference
of this circte of cattle ride owners and
herders driving in lhe wanderers and
, guarding against a possible stampede.
: When all ls,ready the process of ''cut-
ting onV begins. Mounted on swift
footed and quick witted Texan or In
dian pony each ranchman with his men
} selects an animal plainly marked with
his own brand and forces 1T out OF the
B common heard to q convenient dis
I tance where it is held by others. The
IL process is repeated and smaller herds
are formed around the main one. This
7 work goes on Tor several days till at last
/ there remain only animals with tndis-
; tipct or disputed brands, and 'tmaVer-
7 icks," Or animals with no brands at an.
lat this point in the proceedings the
ifiercest disputes sometimes arise con-
cerning proprietorship, and in the old
times many q man dropped out OF the
: saddle shot to the heart.
4 The freshest industry of this section
| is the shipment to Eastern cities of beei
lslaughtered here. AT Las Animas, from
which point the Atchison, Topeka &
t Santa Fe Railroad has been built to Pu-
eblo during the past winter, slaughter.
house has been built, and the possibility
of shipment in this manner practically
, demonstrated. In itself this enterprise
| is utterly unimportant, but as a single
| step toward the equalization Of the rela.
D tive price OF beef mere and In New York
: 1T is worthy of careful attention.
ell Far western cattle when shipped on the
: hoof to eastern markets, after having
been driven hundreds Of miles to 9
3 shipping point, lose SO much in weight
7 and quality as to be next 10 worthless
upon their arrival. When slaughtered
| here on a large scale and shipped during
> the winter months as dead weight there
! can be no reason why good beef should
9 be thirty cents per pound in New York
r and ten cents in Colorado.
q | Pueblo, on the Arkansas River, the
3 present terminus of the road, Is city o.
: considerable pretensions and tair prom.
: Use. -Four years have elapsed since
4 last saw Pueblo, and during that time Its
growth, if not it's general prosperity, has
e been very marked. It's advance has en-
: croached upon the surrounding wastes
i Water has been led from the Upper Ar
: kansas through ditch twelve miles
long out upon an open mesa or table IanC
ell south Of the river, and Trees grow, flow
l ers bloom, and men build upon what was
q then barren alkali desert, seemingly
forever given over 10 the production O
y soap weeds and sage brush.
: From this point the Denver & Rit
g Grande Railroad runs northward to Col
b orado Springs and Denver, westward t.
q 4 Canon City, whence stages set out tri
j. weekly Tor the Del Norte and the mining
d districts Of San Juan. Already thu
e spring tide Of emigration sets strongl,
r toward these southern gold fields, il
. which all seem to have SO much faith
e The mule is again hooked to the prairi,
= schooner, ana "off for San Juan" is th,
J, parting salutation of the day.
al Meantime we have turned aside t.
T. watch from this point the springtim
II shadows and SHOWS alternately darker
g and brighten tue face OF that grim pea
b which was discovered seventy years ag
y by Major Pike. and which was mol
I'll than half century later the centre of
Q gold excitement similar to that whic
J. now turns all speculative venture to
- ward San Juan.