The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-01-15

cost of raising bceves, and the losses by
stampede, thieving aul Indians, are not
nearly 50 great Us in the Red river cOun-
try. The Colorado droycr cNn Mt any
time get his beef, fat anil sleek, into the
Kansas City market, OF the range, in
five days time, ull thus take nlvnntagc
Of rise. On tho other hand, tlie method
Of marketing Texas cattle is to drive
them across the country, north, to the
Kansas Pacific md AtciiisOn, Topeka
lml Santa Fe railroads, taking generally
two months time, and then holding
them, at considerable expense for feed,
nt the shipping points until prices nre
favorable. 4 hurried glNnce Mt how the
Texas droyer has Jared III this way may
be taken. He is always more or less mt
tlIc mercy OF the SPECTATORS, who every
spring 60 down early into the cAttle dis
tricts and spread the most doleful nc
counts Of the prospects for tic coming
seasons trade. If the times are dull Rnd
the droycr hArl up they hav0 MI the
better chance to frighten Rnd squeeze
him. The result is large contracts for
beeves, to be delivered ut such time to
certain shipping points. Whole herbs
hive, during the past few seasons, often
been bought Of, at So per head, or culled
out at s. per head. Thisi is from twenty
five to thirty cents per hundred pounds
gross. From the year 1865. when what
is known as tho annual Texas cattle
"tlrives" began, until 1875 the busi.
hess hns been y series Of ups and downs,
moro particularly the latter. Take, for
instance, the experience OF 1866, when
tile Southwest was undergoing the pinch
Of liurd times. Everybody was anxious
to sell. Money wNs scarce. Some who
could count their long horns by the tens
Of thousands could hardly raise cash for
their ordinary wants. In fact, mans
poverty WIS almost according to the size
Of his herd. The "tlrivc" Of 1866 into
western Kansas numbered 2G0, 900 head.
The ilrover went fOrwilrtl with visions Of
better times and big gpay for his beef, but
was destined to meet with unlocked for
difficulties. Bands of outlaws infested
the "tr,lil," H.s il they could not by
some means make away with the tlrover
and ste.l tho whole herd, would at night
time stampede the cattle in every direc-
ton, a1d seize the opportunity to gather
up and hurry of whNt they could. His
losscs wore fearful, and mnny Of the
rising cattle kings were "Rnuifel out. !"
In later years the Texas irovcr hAs herII
put to grcat annoyance and loss by the
laws Of the Kansas Legislature establisil-
lug "ilead lines" md compelling ship
lnpu!s eacll year TO he made ut points
much further west, lengthcniug the drives
and turning them into sections where
food il short and dear.
During the pnst eight years about B.
600, 900 TGxRs beoves were put upon the
market. Iii 1874 100000 head were
handled, the cost value Of which Mt the
shipping points III Enns'Is WINS only S5.-
600, 600 and when finally sold to butch
ers md packers. Sl2 100000. This was II
poor yeNr for the business. The graSs.
hopper plague depressed everything.
There was no feed, ind 50 the drOvers
hurried to market. the supply being 50
GrcNt and the quality 20 poor tlat prices
were down. down.
The cattle men Of the plains suffer
none Of those drawbacks. Stock is easily
raised, multiplita frst ,uld is Of better
quality md geserIlly i'll better condition
for market tllM the Texas; the drovers
;lrr old hands ut the trade, give good
tlc.I Of attention to improving the breeds
and are carrying on their business i'll u
metholical, husincss.like why, ind hive
gooi markets ut their command, all 0i
which seems to point to the "Gre0t
American Desert" as the Texas Of the
future.-Ncw York NiorM.