The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-09-11
The Great Beef Source,

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few years the increase in the Western
cattle trade has been very large. Form
erly, Texas supplied the States east Of
the Missouri and Mississippiriver with
grazing stock, and the direction OF the
droves which left the Texan prairies waf
toward the east. Missouri and Illinois
we're the principal purchasers Of the
droves, and from these two States was
drawn the larger portion Of the beef Of
this character that was sent eastward.
Now it is all changed. A large portion
Of the annual drive passes through Kan
sas, Colorado and Nebraska, and reaches
the far-of pastures Of Dakota and Mon
tana.
A few years ago Colorado was sup
posed to be a worthless desert; now
Colorado beeves compete with the prime
steers of Illinois and Ohio, and many
of them surpass the average Of those
sent from these States. Many cattle
have come from Montana that were fit
to ship for the European trade. The
basis upon which the cattle business Of
these localities is built has been the
Texas stock, and from this fountain head
is supplied the stream which fills the
vast reservoir Of those northwestern
plains and valleys Mingling with the
stream is an inflow Of pure bred bulls
from Kentucky, Illinois and elsewhere
in the East, and this intermingling Of
blood results in an improved race of
beeves which, as has been stated, COM
petes fairly with some of the best graded
stock Of the East.
But Texas is the grand source from
whence comes the raw material, and the
current is formed by what is known as
the "annual drive" Once year this
great movement occurs and the drive of
Texas cattle, its promises and probabili-
ties, form the burden of the talk of cat
tie men throughout the country, from
the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic.
This drive consists of the surplus from
the great herds, which Craze upon the
Texan prairies and fields; it furnishes
the means by which large part of the
Texan people subsist, and it represents
the profits Of the graziers and wages of
the cowboy" who handle the droves.
A constant stream of cattle pours out
from the State and takes the Northern
trail to reach the market. From $50, 900
to 100000 head of COWS, steers and
young stock forms the substance of the
stream.
If these cattle we're strung along q
trail, eight or ten feet apart, they would
extend for one thousand miles; and al
though the droves are necessarily driven
loosely and in vary open order that they
may find sufficient pasturage, yet while
on the drive, either drove or the dust
Of distantly passing one, will be con-
stantly in sight from any part of the
wide trail that is travelled. The routes
chosen are necessarily diverse and dis
tant from each other, SO that grass may
be found in abundance, and il may be
taken as an indication of the verdure
and herbage Of these vast natural pas
lures that the cattle actually improve in
flesh and gain in weight while on the
drive. Spreading out as the rays of
huge fan, the trails lead east, north and
west, and reach Kansas and Colorado on
their way to distributing points, either
in the East or Northwest. The drive is
leisurely taken, and frequently rests and
camps are made.