The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-01-06

WESTERN CATTLE RAISING.
Extract Of the Business, and How 1t II
Conducted.
St. Louis Republican.


Nearly all the cattle men OF Wyoming
are getting out of Texas cattle, and are
| breaking up their cow herds and getting
young stock from the extreme western
country-Idaho, Oregon. and Washington
territory. The drive from the above
points into Wyoming this year have been
about one hundred and fifty thousand
head, which found ready market. All the
country lying north of the Union Pacific
railroad il considered better than the
country south of il, on account of grass
| winter range and water The loss to
stock 10 that country per year Is very
light, not being over to per cent, and
seldom reaching per cent. A ranch is
run ut comparatively very small expense.
4 ranch of FIVE thousand head can be run
| for one year at an expense OF 81 per head.
With a ranch of ten thousend head the
cost would average from seventy-6vs to
eighty cents per head, and twenty five
thousand head would not cost much over
| fifty cents head, 1t requires to run q
ranch, say FIVE thousand head, about four
men during the winter months, and ten
M en- during the summer. Il ia generally
estimated that they require two horses for
every hundred head OF cattle. which gives
to each man about ten horses during the
summer. There 10 nothing afoot in that
country. Everything is done on horse
| back Horse flesh is the cheapest muscle
that can be employed. A stock ranch is
better off with ten men and one hundred
bcrses than with twenty five men and fifty
| horses The horses are ridden until they
| become tired out; then fresh horse ls
| taken until the cowboy uses all theh 0
allotted to him; then he begins with the
herse at first tired out. Each ranch has
NH al
| 81 900 per aunum and found" The ordis
nary herdsman gets about $50 per month
and found, They are rough, hardy.
industrious set of men, and
generally very trusty. The common
dead beats are not going out there tG
rough it. Il is good school for temper
ance and the aosenca of dissipation, and
the men generally lay up money. There
| are no stabling, no sheds for the winter.
| The cattle run Just as the buffalo used to
do. There is no cutting OF hay to be done
and garnered Tor the winters fodder.
In the eastern states it has been said that
the pitchfork has to be handled by the
farmer Gbout nine months in the year. In
the summer The new mown hay has to be
spread. turned. put into cocks and loaded
I'D and unloaded into stacks aud mows.
and during the six winter mouths is used
as fodder In Wyoming the cattle during
winter drift from fifty to seventy Eve
miles from their respective summer ranges
During cold storm they eeperally move
with it, and keep eoiug un1I they get into
a sheltered place 10 some ravine or behind
ledge, travelling ometlmes in this way
twenty five miles during a heavy storm.
But whatever distance they may stray
during the winter, when spring comes
they are oil found during the general
round up" or general gathering up, when
they are driven back to their respective
ranges without loss, where thirty five men,
thirty wagons, aud twelve hundred horses.
That round up" is run by regular
organization. aud is commanded by cap
tain whose orders are im plioity obeyed he |
having entire charge over the operations |
The cattle are all separated according TO
the brands denottng their owners, aud |
then started back to their ranges The |
calves are also branded and again turned |
,ose with the herd The operation OF
cJl!ec:ing. separating. and branding at d
rouud up occupies about two months |
before the cattle are got back durInR
which the whole country IL secured by the
COW boys Il is generally d time OF Wild
and boisterous excitement, reminding one
of the annual asse II blaees Of the old tur
traders, wien they met to exchange their
peitries for supplies brought up from St.
Louis