New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-14
rANsAS CATTLE RANGES.
- CROCK NEW METHODS AND NEW MEN.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE'I
r"ov CRY. Kansas. July 17.-There are cattle
-.rs an these plains who say that the business IL
az. overdone But have yet to hear OF houso-
49, IN New-York who complains that the price
100 IL TOO low. Since my visit OF year ago IL
" 80 that there has been notable increase III the
..,ber of cattle comp nies throughout the SOUTH
-, and an investment OF capital Id cattie WHICH
"e's .aohss the extraordinary. Such enterprises as
.ns Prairie Cattle Company with It's oooooo Deeves
'n' OK mar cent annual dividends have proved the
anu ~ 90 attracting additional foreign capital.
- Strong City. TO the east of this somewhat no.
w.. town. some Of the stockholders In the
-. Company. with others, have purchased
80 600 acrss of land which is being fenced in and
s,or,,rg ranch with 1000 cattle already
az ~ 0ronnd. To the south the " Comanche Pool
ol 49,. ooo 600 acres and $4,000 cattle along the
~. 80 Indian Territory, and tho other day there
.,oas an entry of 43 600 acres in the same gen.
We, district in behalf of the Cherokee Cattle Asso-
citation.
.r.h,ns ~ land and cattle which control mill
IONS upon millions Of acres throughout the south
,.o., Ia the business being overdonef SO Tar az
- observations 90 think not. Pessmists claim
~. ,s.r. !. danger of overstocking the ranges
.,nee IN, comparative thinncsc OF tho buffalo and
honcb 0rass necessitates a larger grazing area for
.a,h animal. and that II the range 10 fed close In
,nmmer starvation must ensue in winter. 1t 10 also
nonud out that the prices of ranch stock nave so
largely increased in the last three years as to render
En-, profits upon that stock doubtful after IL mas
been kept for the necessary time. 10 TINS IL
q, answered that the matter of overlooking
range rests simply with the owners and that cattie
have seldom starved in the West except during
xhA
driven before severe storm. Further, the increase
in the price of cattle needed for stocking ranch
has for its cause the fact that these cattle are now
IF far better quality than formerly. Taking every
thing together. then it appears from the experience
of stockmen whom l have met that while cattle
raising may not continue to offer the marvellous
profits of the past, 1t remains, when managed with
the care. knowledge and shrewdness necessary IN
any business tho most profitable occupation OF
dinsrily speaking. which presents itself to-day.
IMPROVEMENT OF STOCK.
The point which last mentioned, the improve
mont In the quality of ranch CATTLE has lately as
sumed tho greatest Importance In the eyes OF the
ranchmen of the plains. They arc no longer con-
tent with the wild Texas steer. long and sharp OF
horn, sinewy, feet and uncertain IN temper. They
arc stripping the breeding farms In Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri and Indiana of blOoded stock for the I'm
provomept of their own. The Durhams rank first
in favor, with the HerefVrds next and the GALLO
ways third, while there is growing up demand for
Holsteins. So far Is this eagerncss for line stock
carried that have hoard of hundred blended bull
calves &C ntraced and pald for before their birth,
and the price a high ono ut that. The asst in
crease In this demand has led to movement for a
Fat Stock Show" to DO held in Kansas City this
fall. patterned after that at Chicago and designed
IN aid in bringing together the ranchmen and the
lrseders of fine cattle from the Middle States.
The result of this free use of blooded cattle ON
The ranges. Is seen IN the prevalence OF graded
cattle better for beef aud profitable to tbeiI
owners than their predecessors, the wild Spanish
rattle originating in Texas and Mexico. Here Is an
estimate which places the wisdom of this course In
striking light: "The old. fashioned long horn OF
Texas maturod at four years and made from 500 to
900 pounds gross. worth two and half or three
cents a pound in Chicago The son OF Texas COW
BY a shorthorn or other good Dull would MAKE
weight of 100 to 800 pounds in three years and
sell Tor four or five cents per pound on ioot All OF
which should possess q certain interest 10 tuose
New Workers who yearn for bctter quAii'y Oh
beef
OWNERSHIP OF RANGES.
Another change In the methods of csttle-raising
on the plain. is IN the outright ownership and tho
fencing of lands In the wild hording of the past IT
la, never been considered necessary TO own foot
Of land The most that was done was to secure a
water privilege; that u.s. to locate strip OF lan1
along river or incosng q spring. But with the
great increase In business, the constant arrival OF
new cattle men and the formation OF companies
hacked by large amounts of capital 1t was inovita
bic that clear titles to the ranges and undIsputed
possession should be demanded and obtained
This process is going to-day Large strips Oh Iaho
are purchased from week TO week, ana small herd-
Who have been grazing on thsm are forced away
In this State many OF the ranges are being fenced,
although in the extreme western part there are sti
large sections OF free lands or Texas stockman
says "TeIas vail place her public lands on the
market at an advanced price aud IN more system
attic manner. Several entries have been made In
anticipation of this change one OF 6s 900 acres 10
be stocked with cows and Hereford bulls another
Of 100 900 acres which will be fenced but one OF
the largest tracts ever obtained from Texas was
one of 900 900 acres, tue consideration lot winch
Was the huldng of State House to cost over
million dollars This tract, thirty miles wide ana
$50 long, rms south from the Pan handle along
the New Mexico line. These ranges, Win those III
kcwMexico to he available must be fenced III large
tracts"
While the ranges have been open the cattle have
wandered for hundreds of miles, gathered up only
10 the spring at the found-nps" Under snch con
ditons the business has been highly prolltablc put
lar better results looked Tor under tho new us
pensation, when the ranges are fenced, eTazed ny
Improved cattle. and not ovorstockod' Du1 'ho
transition involves some curious featured
FAREWELL TO TIE COWBOY.
1t is said that the great roundup" this spring at
this town was the last which will he held, and the
ehisi reason Is that the increasing prevalence OF
wire fences prevents driving cattle across the
country. Moreover-and what fall 10 this for the
naughty cowboy the land about this town is All
owned. and the owners have begun 20 levy tax OF
ono cent head for all cattle driven across their
soil No wonder the cowboy finds it hard TO
catch to this here civilian process" In Texas
be has risen up against the destruction OF the great
hss ranges by fencing and there arc tales OF fences
cut and torn down by way Of an emphatic protest
POOR follow his days are not long In the land.
lhe general introduction Of fences means that III
Will no longer he necessary to employ small army