Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-11-03
THE CATTLE BUSINESS

a
Western Nebraska, Wyoming, Dakota and
Montana, have recently bsen disPosed OF at
almost fabulous prices. English capitalists
have gone ia there, and-''you could hardly
ask enough TO make them even hesitate about
Buying. They came on, from the old coun-
try 70 new 70 engage in the cattle business;
they sre loaded down with money, and there
vss no non.epse about them. They meant
10 buy 4, once and a. their ide2 Of ranch
.nd herd is far above any figure that the
most enthusiastic Western cattle breeder es-
g, dreamed Of, the latter asked prices rs
they could hold their breath, and then sold.
The Englishman look with perfect wonder on
ranches that are thirty TO fifty miles long and
iusniy vide, and when they see tie herds
roaming nj viii over the vast ranges, oil they
desire 10 to get hold Of them. The price lie
not material 10 them. They feel that there
are princely fortunes On the Western plains
for them, and they seek them with all the
s.gerness that characterized the early Span
ish sdventurers 10 the New World, 10 their
resrch for conquest and gold.
In Western Kansas and Southern Colors-
do, last winter vas $50 very severe one on
herds, and the less vas very heavy, but The
high prices Of this season have more than
made up the Io.ee-, and all the cattle men
in those regions are reported Is doing we'll.
From the Texas papers We learn that the
sesou Of 1881 has been one Of the most pros
porous for cattle dealers that has ever been
Anosn in the history Of that sta,e. There
are i@mense ranches beyond San Antonio,
and the Express Of the city declares:
"There has been no bad luct;' cattle have
ell done vel. and prices are nov higher than
ever krown before. Oferings are being
made for spring drive Of SO for yssrliDes.
tl2. so for 2.yesr olds, and el5te l6 for
three. aud beeves. L,st rprina the pricrr
ranged rs follo~s: Yearling.. s. t. $3.50;
2-yssr old.. 50 to $40; threes and beever,
$2,o$ l3. Female cattle are scarcely to b.
purch ,-ed at any prioe, though few year
ago young male cattle we're much more valu-
able than heiisp.
Or course, the scarcity OF cattle make the
high prises. bat while some people affect to
mourn over the los or depletion Of the in
meme herds that used to Craze in Western
T.xAs, il will be seen thst there is nov more
money in the caule business than there "a
in the former time. 0~ing to the high
prices that can now be obtained for the same
class Of cattle, email bunch Of cattle j,
worth more than large one was . fow year.
ago. Ten years ago yesrlings were worth
only from S. to S per head, year oids Sc
20 s., S-year olds s. TO S., and bseves s. to
$40, or only ms much as a yssriing at this
time. AT the clo-e Of the war stock csttl
sold at Sl.50 to 81 per head. II Is reported
that al one time cows hide was wort
the cos, OF skinning the COW more than th.
animal was worth when alive. With the
pasture system the cost OF raising cattle has
been considerably reduced from that OF fe~
years ago, and with the good price received
for cattle those possessing capital to conduci
the business properly must make very larg,
protis. The Whole business has undergone
a great change in tie past few YEAR, sind
with belt r results ior all conee net, unles
j, be tor that class whose entire CAPITA wa
invested in cros.-bresder and rope. Tn,
basinsss has been syslsu.aiaed, aud civilized
there is better protection, and dies, ergsg-
I'd in tas business are. ss consequence,
more prospsr9us.s
The o,,;i., AZ ,,r,ss esttle i,om Colorado