The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
ON a COLORADO CATTLE KANcM

brought me In contact with dozen booted
spurred. and bronsed men. who wore flannel
shirts. wide hats. and no collar. They were
riding over the country. showing rich Eng
llshman tho COWS" My host had one Of the
iucst ranch houses In Colorado. and they had
brought the gentleman down from Rabbit Ear
Ranch to call. Ny first knowledge OF the np-
proach was a whirr. n sweep of horsemen
brushing the window frame. although tho hoofs
made no noisc on the soft turf. and then a loud
whoop ut the door. To one but recently from
the land Of gntes and door bells this salute was
singular. The visitors did not disnount. but
dropped their rcins. leaned from the saddles, aud
talked to the host, who had ut the whoop made
for the porch the while their Wild eyed ponies
stood. with heads thrust into the rooted gallery.
The broken sentences that fell on my car con-
tanned mysterious syabcs-cow horses COW
boys. COW punchers, mavericks, carry yards,
round ups. cutting out. rangc. trail. outfit.
The visit lastcd an hour or more. refreshments
and cigars being INDUCED in. ON the wing" 30
TO speak then. with abrupt good day the caval-
cade rode pcll- mel away. across the breadth Of
wild flowers and brown grass that spread on
every hand far as the eye could rench
There WIS no fence about the house it's piazza
faced tho mountains seventy miles AWAY; tho
prairie blossoms leaned againe, the boards. as
though the dwelling were big thistle grown
up in their midst the sod had not been dis
turbed there were no trees, no rose bushes. no
gradine-none Of the litter and rubbish Of new
house Mt home. Neat and complete Ms n PASTE
board box It stood alone in tho vast prairies
thirty miles from any other dwelling The big
herds Of tho owner were nowhere to be seen.
They with the horses and mules were out in
care OF tho COW boys on the range. Aiar
out on the prairie the tlnkling bell OF the leader
the weird songs and shouts Of the herders now
here. now there. ns they headed Oft some ro-
fractory animal with wide detour and whizzing
folds OF the larat. WINS one OF the most peculiarly
Western and fascinating OF the many strange
experiences on the ranch.
In Colorado there is n claes ~ highly edu-
Gated men engaged In the cattle trade. The
men are sunburned and wear flannel shirts
while on the ranch. but none need mistake
them for common or ignorant persons. They
ARE. In very many cases. gentlemen Of
culture and Standing In the circle of ranch
men whose acquaintance have formed during
my stay. there are several men OF large wealth
and scholnrly Attachments who. travelling in
the West for health bocumo Interested In the
cattle business enchanted by the wild. open air
life. and have invested in stock. roughed H. and
enjoy the climate the freedom. and the excite
nlt'nt. rs wei rs Inc money IL htlhES. Out gym
tleman-mine host-was in the navy. but likes
the billowy prairics better than tho deep blue
sea. A ncigibor is one OF the finest special ge-
oogists in America. Travelling IN pursuit OF
his profession. he saw there wis money In cat
tie and 30 left his msthclc boston home for "a
tent on the plains. Another scientist. whose
mime ia known on two continents. has. during
the past year gone heavily into the business.
Two Harvard graduates are On ranches nd
joining Two young men. educated in Ger
many. herd their own lOcks. and live Temporal
rlly In n dugout At the ranch where | was
entertained I saw three youths. brown and
bashful. come every evening homo with the
horses and ride away in the carly dawn. at
break neck pace. after the snorting herd. They
looked like any farm boys Yet In the evening.
when work was over, aud thcy sat ON the steps
with the family. thoir talk was wonderfully
bright and interesting. Two OF them had trav-
eled in Europe. One was the son Of ex-Sena-
tor Connrss Of California; one was Mr.. Pope
Yeatman. nephew Of Gen Pope. L. S. A.: the
third was the son OF Fred Law Olmstead OF New
York. They are as well read boys rs one can
ind anywhere. In delicate health from city life
and study they came out here to rough it,"
Rre stout and we'll. busy from morning until
night riding all daY over tho blossoms and the
frsseh grass. and. learning the cattle business
from the beginning. will. no doubt. In a fow
years own ranches aud herds OF their own.
Tho man wishing TO engage in stock business
here buys 80 many head from n Texas herd.
from men Just In on the trail-that Is. who have
Just driven herd up from Texas. So many
ycarlings. either malo or female or steers. so
many two. three yeEs old. or beeves. cows.
yearlings. or two years old. are called stock
cattle" three years old are separate stock
cnttle;' over three years old are stock beevc-.
The yearlings this year average ~ apiece for
two years old and cows sl9; for three year -old
steers SIS; for beeyee. $50. The stock man So
lects his range. builds his corral and shantics
boy contract takes hi cattle there, brands them
turns them loose. pays his herders $50 TO so
per month foreman t70 20 .l00. Prices are
higher further north in the Indian country. but
around here this is the average
The ranches are Government land. Auyholy
can Craze thoir herds thereon. but by common
custom the man who has long had range in n
certain place II not driven AWAY by new corners.
man can. II he chooses. presmpt 100 acres
near n stream. build his house there, and allow
his herds to range around for forty or fifty
miles. Tho general pasture land OF this region
Ia an immense triangle bounded by the noun
tains. the North and South Platte. and the Ar
knnsns. Very few cRttlo ever get over the
mountains or across tho rivers. therefore prac-
ticnlly this range is enclosed by these natural
boundaries.
The customs concerning tho range vary I'm
different localities. On the Arkansas "A man
owns certain number Of milrs Of river front:
back OF that he claims his range. Hero the
custom Is different. Tho country Oh the South
Platte is older, well settled. and every mans
range is as we'll known as II It had high wall
about IL.
In the winter tho cattle grnze on land where
the lnck OF winter prevented their pasture In
summer. In winter the snow qucn hes their
thirst, and under the snow the nutritious grass
serves them MS their only food They arc
never sheltered or watched, or hcrled during
tho winter. Lott TO take caro- II themselves
they wander OF. are driven by the storms far
IRON nome. anu by spring scattered over the
whole triangle enclosed by rivers and noun
tRins. Every mans herdsHra mixed up topeth-
or. Then comes the grand round up.
In Colorado the time and places ~ the round
ups are established by law. or rather d"tor-
mined by County Commissioners, who publish
In the spring the places for the round ups for
every day during the six weeks usually begin
ming in the middle Of May. Every ranch or
heighborhood then fits out n squad OF men Ia go
and DICK out their own cattle. Generally n
ncighborhood club together for the great spring
lrollc There are busy timeR there after the
long winters rest and isolation. The noun
ttins ara white with snow from top to toe but
the crocuses are us thick on the prnries rs in
the garden borders at home n profusion Of tho
dainliest Wild blossoms keep them company,
ana from the bleak plains which the frost has
scarcely left the hardy floral pioneers lit brave
and beautiful heads out of the tender grass