Connecticut western news., 1877-01-19
TWENTY MILLIONS IN BEEF,


 Plainn---Herds Great and Small on the
 Borders of the Great American Desert.
 A good share of the best beef in the Western markets comes from the plains of Colorado and Wyoming The supply is increasing every year, as the ship ments from the cattle yards at Cheyenne, Denver, Deer Trail, Las sAnimas and other points show. The best ranges are now largely occupied, and the valleys of the Platte, Republican and Upper Ar kansas fairly swarm with cattle. Some of the best known Texas drovers have removed their herds from the Red river country to the Platte. John Hittsons great ranch on the Bijou, tributary of the Platte, where his herd of 40, 900 head are grazing, and the ranches of John W. Tiff, J. P. Farmer, and other "cattle kings" now located in Colorado, are ex- amples. The State auditors books show that there are half million head of cat tie in Colorado and over 200, ,OOO in Wyo- ming. As large number escape assess ment by being transferred over the line. back and forth, at the proper season, it would be fair estimate to say that there are a round million of cattle grazing in the two Territories. They are worth from $1O,OOO,OOO to $12,OOO. GOO, and when marketed at Kansas City or Oma- ha, twice that sum. Last years ship ments from Colorado were estimated at 90, 900 head, worth in market $s2, 700, GOO; and the shipments from the Laramie plains in Wyoming over 25, ,OOO-showing in round numbers product of about $3, 300, ,OO0 in beef raised for market on the western borders of the "Great American desert"
 The shipping season is generally from August to November Sometimes the drovers hold back, as they did last sea- son, for better prices, resulting in great rush for the market in the latter half of October and the first two weeks ID November, taxing the railroads be- yond their capacity. During Octo- Der there were 46O carloads taken East ward from points on the Union Pacific railroad, most of them being loaded at Cheyenne and Julesburg, and coming from the herds on the Laramie plains and the Platte valley. For the four months ending with October, 1,561 car loads had. been shipped from these points. The shipments by the Kansas aclfic from Denver, Box Elder, River Bend, Deer Trail, Kit Carson and Las Animas during two months have been very large. One hundred and ffty-three carloads were shipped from Las Animas alone during October. The total shipments for the season, from the above stations, have probably been 2O,- 900 head. The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe line has stockyards at Pueblo, West Las Animas, Granada and one or two other points within Colorado. Their shipments have been considerable, but I could not obtain the figures. Last sea- son they took 8,043 head from Las Ami mas and 8,O74 from Granada. Large numbers bound for the Eastern markets were driven out of the State, feeding leisurely along, and finally loaded on the cars at Dodge City, Great Bend or Wi chlta, from which stations there were forwarded in four months 37, ,S75 head. It seems probable that there will have been shipped out of Colorado and Wyo- ming during this season over one hun dred and twenty-five thousand fat beeves for the markets of the Missouri and Mississippi valleys. Had better prices prevailed, especially in October, the exports would have been much greater. Shipping dressed beef to market is car ried on at two or three points, and is a business of some magnitude. The slaughter houses at West Las Animas put up and sent into Eastern markets over twenty thousand head in this way last winter. The prospects are that very large shipments will be made during the winter months. It will depend on the markets. Beef is now low, and all who are not obliged to turn their beeves into money will hold on for better times. Good steers bring but two and one-half cents per pound on the hoof, from one- half to one cent less than last season: Ordinary Texans rule so low that neither buyer nor drover cares to market them, The drovers on the plains are giving a good deal of attention to "breeding up. ]" Large numbers of thoroughbred bulls have been introduced The old Texas stock Is fast disappearing, and the young improved half breeds, which make choice beef and are far more marketable. take their place. As a result there is an in creasing demand for the plains cattle. The Texas herders see this, and out of last seasons "drives" from the Red river country, numbering about $50, head of cattle, about one-third, instead of being marketed, were driven west ward to feed until another season, and then to be shipped East as Colorado or Laramie plains beef.
 While five or six years ago cattle in this section were herded in sufficient quan- titles only for the local demand, isi1ch as comes from the scattering settlements and military posts, and the business did not attract much attention, it is now grown to such importance that it seems likely In few years to be more extensive and profitable than gold or silver mining. The returns are large, and it is noticea- blesthat greater share of the capital that has come this way during the last