The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-07-04
A Night at a Stock Ranch In New
Mexico.


Mexico.
The carriage waiting at the station OF
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad
on pleasant July evening is to take us
to Cross Seven Ranch. We are soon
driving over the plains, in the midst of
which rises the thriving town of Springer
The air is cool and inspiriting and the
sun is coloring the western skies with its
lingering rays. 1t will light our way for
an hour yet, and show us the grandeur of
these deserted shores and bottoms and
headlands of once vast inland sea. Far
away to the west and north extend the
Taos and other chains of the Sangre
Christie range of the Rocky Mountains,
making deep blue border to the light
green plains. Travelling at brisk rate,
the horses are now carrying us over the
rolling acres of the famous Maxwell
grant, where fat cattle are feeding by
thousands upon the rich grass.
We follow the course of the Cannamon
River till we reach its junction with the
Red River. Here the Canadien River is
formed, which flows several hundred miles
southeastward towards the Gulf. We
have come near to the edge of one of the
plateaus along which the Red River runs.
Looking far off into its valley, we see
herd of two thousand ewes moving slowly
in the deepening shadows towards the
white tent of the Mexican shepherd, where
on the side of HILL they will be corraled
for the night. Soon we come upon
flock of hundred rams that at this sea-
son feed by themselves. We enter the
the valley of the Canadien and ford the
river, stopping to drink OF sulphur
spring which bubbles up beside the
stream, and, mounting the bank, we find
ourselves at our friends mansion.
We are surprised to see a new house of
adobe, covered with wood on the outside,
as nicely finished and furnished from the
stone cellar to the roof as gentlemans
country seat on Long Island. Five or six
instruments, from valuable upright
piano to a violin and music box, with
players belonging to the ranch, will fur
nish music for the evening. A lawn
thickly covered with soft grass stretches
in front of the handsome house. Across
the river, mile distant, rise the abrupt
sides Of three lofty mesas that extend
from twenty to sixty miles eastward to
the horizon line. These high, level plains
are covered with a grass for cattle. The
river flows on for miles, and descends into
canons a thousand feet deep within the
| limits of this ranch Its steep banks form
an impossible boundary for cattle on one
side, while they are restrained by sixty
miles of wire fence on the other side.
! Forty-fve miles of telephone wire are
| stretched over the land, with the stations
six or eight miles apart, connected with
the Office of the ranch.
The house is situated at the northwest
border of this immense landed property
that includes pasture range for herds and
focks, twenty miles square, and the control
of 10000 acres. Such an extent of land
cannot be taken in with the eye. As far
as sight can reach and beyond are grazing
the herds and hocks which belong to this
ranch. The proprietor is in constant COM
munication with every part OF it by his
telephone wire. Sending out his orders
to the different stations and receiving i'm.
mediate reports from them, he rarely needs
to ride over these broad acres to examine
into the condition of the fences or herds.
He talks to his neighbors on other stock
ranches fifty or one hundred miles distant,
and by instant communication with the
railroad station can receive or send orders
to New York from his far away New
Mexico ranch, as quickly as they could
be communicated from New York to
Brooklyn.
The ranch is thus made complete
business establishment. 1t has stable
where stand twenty saddle and carriage
horses, and a beautiful white Norman
stallion, worthy of the pencil of Rosa
Bonheur, imported directly from France
The harness and saddle room is a curl
osity. Here are equipments for half 6
dozen carriages and twenty cowboys
Grazing near the house are one hundred
and twenty Devon bulls, recently brought
from Kentucky, to maintain the high
grade of the 5000 cattle which belong tt
our host.
The evening was spent in inspection o.
these arrangements in doors and out, anC
in listening to good music from the ladies
Then came the luxury of night of per
feet rest on good bed and breathing thu
pure air of these plains. We walked a
the breakfast call in time to see eigh
rancheros or cowboys starting off to
roundup, twenty miles away. 1t was tn,
reality of many picture of frontier lif,
} which has been given by illustrated pa
pers or dime novels.
The leader was mounted on 1.-the sad
} die pony, in leathern breaches, broad fel
sombrero, dark blue shirt, boots armed
: with spurs two or three inches long, ant
well filed cartridge belt and ivory han
: died revolvers at his side. Around hi
: saddle horn was wound lariat, to brinl
: low any refractory animal that should re
, fuse to follow with the herd. A short
handled whip with long lash, and rop
guiding an extra pony behind him, com
: pleted the outfit, which was about tn
same for his companions, with rather les
, OF the dashing style of one long familia
with the rough service.
, At night these rancheros win return
, driving two hundred cattle which will b