The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1883-10-31
AN IMMENSE CATTLE HERD.
THE GREATEsT CATTLE HERD AND
RANCHE IN TEXAS.

pany is the large of all the mammoth
land and cattle enterprises of the Lon,
star state. The company owns in fec
simple 100000 acres of land lying
about the center of the Pan Handle
midway between Mexico and Indian
Terr tory, and covering about equal
portions of Carson, Gray, Robertson
and Hutchinson counties. In area
the track is about the size of an entire
county. 1t is also in an unbroken
b dy a rare advantage in large rancho
lands, and incloSing the entire domain
Is Bessemer steel barbed wire fence.
In the spring of 1882 the company
purchased the celebrated Ikard and
Harold brothers herd of cattle, the
largest single herd in America, and
about which so much appeared in the
newspapers several years ago. 1t was
claimed by the lizards and the Harolds,
and generally conceded, that there
were $4,000 head in the herd, and the
figure first named in the negotiations
was $l,500000.
The purchase was finally made,
upon the basis of So per head.
Colonel Groom, of kentucky, one Of
the purchasers, estimates that the herd
will number $1,000, and, therefore,
with the realization of his expecta-
tlons, the company will have saved a
cool 100000 by the purcha ase upon the
per head basis. and the grand total of
the investment viii be 81, 100000.
what system of care and protec-
tlon have you for such a vast amount
OF property that is so liable to loss?"
was asked of the colonel.
Why, the simplest in the world"
ne replied. "1,hrough winter and
a. MINER they fet d upon the natural
gras,7, which 'osts not Il penny. At
presen,, the he. ID is where we bought
them. in "the ST al of Greer" or Greer
county. which Isl dispute between the
United states and Texas, and being in
the omen country, it is necessary to
0nard them by a cir cult of herdsmen,
located al convenfen distances apart,
who cover the enti re circuit twice
each day ON bor,Seback tosee that none
have strayed ont of bounds. Every
animal bears the brand of our ranch,
diamond E." and i1 naC way tney
can readily be distin gu 'sheu as our
property. Now, when we geC lhem
all within our inclosure, Whlch we
contemplate accomplishin grauuaily'
we can dispense with all thL ;. .nerusmeh'
except enough to keep an t,y 9 on Cne
fences and then our only eXp,e, use VIII
be that of driving to Caldwell, \ ansas,
our shipping point, and the freis 'l' u
Chicago"
"Do you suffer much from Indl an
invasions2"
"Ah, there is an all important
point. The Indians can cause us no
end of trouble and loss, if not properly
managed. At the Start adopted con-
ciliatory measures with them, made it
a point to treat them literally in the
matter of supplies of meat, visited them
frequently, staid over night at their
camps whenever the opportunity pre-
sented, gave them little trinkets, match
es, ETC., and the consequence is that to-
day am upon the most friendly rela-
tions with all the tribes, and they areas
eager to protect my property and do
me kindness as my best neighbor |
would be up here.
what of the festive cowboy?"
l.
sir. AS a rule he is the bravest,
honestest, truest liberty-loving son
that American soil can boast of. There |
are of course exceptions to this rule,
and 1 know cowboys that are the
meanest men that ever went unhung.
But the great majority of them are
filed with the noblest traits of man
hood, and are as true as steel to
friend or promise. Their deXterity
in throwing lasso is marvellous, too.
Every year we have a "roping, and offer
prizes to the most expert. A cowboy
mounted on a trained horse, lasso in
hand, is stationed on the open plain one
hundre yards wide from little pen
containing a wild three-year-o d steer.
At given signal the pen is thrown
ppen, he steer rushes off at full speed,
the rider puts spurs to his horse,
catches the game, throws the lasso over
his horns, reverses his horse with ter
rife force: the steer is thrown fiat on
his 81 e, the horse holds the rope taught,
and in a jiffy the cowboy has di,-
mounted. Mr.. steer feet are tightly
hel in a moose and up sails the broad
rimn ed hat signifying that the animal
is ready for the knife. 1t makes mag
niicent sport. asst year one man ac-
complishe the feat in three min tes,
another in two and a quarter, another
in one AMI three quarters, and fel oW
by the name of Tom Hi l in the phe-
nomenal time of one minute. ConsiI-
ering the speed of wild TEXAS steer,
the distance to be covered by the horse
man and the amount of actua labor
TO he performed, that is an accomplish
ment that is won er nj, and as a con-
seq ence Tom Hill is the boast and
hero of all that section"
"Well, whit manner Of life do you
lead down there?"
lOh we rnnnh IL of cnnrsa. hut To q