San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-02-01
=. TEXAS 'PANHANDLE."
o.,,,, Range Hitherto unknewn to the
ISL The "stAked Plains'-how Water
N''" youud-Fortunes In Live Stock
Growth Of Colorado City.

oM caches of red prairie land COW
Long with mesquite and buffalo grass
sIea iomstimes rising into abrupt but
e ~ breaking up into deep ravines
es, Ii Sich ridges covered with jagged
sn a1la mic rocks, scanned with canyons,
v ,oS At long intervals intersected by
sn sil :, brackish streams---this is the
, DaaanSandle of Texas, the home of the
i i'rOte, the jack-rabbit and the prairie
S ,,y The native heath of the cowboy.
az SThere is no timber worth speaking
:, arcept the mesquite shrub, which
O an0rIies food for beast and fuel for
s supp The seemingly harmless rivers,
u.. a running the dry season, when
swollen svn by heavy rains or a suddenly
s"rsting waterspout, are transformed
; into foaming torrents which sweep
men and stock to destruction.
SOIL AND WATER.
The Panhandle comprises some
fHv counties, which aggregate about
G0OO square miles of territory, and
lies north of the SD parallel of lati-
inde and west of the Tooth degree of
Ongitude. A few years ago it was
considered desert, and the "Staked
Plains" was a synonym for all that
Was sterile and forbidding. Now CAPT.
hl pouring in, cattle feed upon
thousand hills and sheep innumera-
Bile crop the nutritious grasses of the
valleys. 1t is impossible to compute
the outcome of this vast scope of ter
ntory, or forecast it's influence on the
commerce of the nation; and all this
mainly because in building railroad
across it's southernmost part it was
found that plenty of good water could
be obtained at a depth of from twenty
to fifty feet. The adventurous cowboy
had long turned his wistful eyes to-
ward the "Staked Palms." but the
water problem baff1ed him. 1t re-
NAMED for much-abused corpor-
alton to open this vast scope to the
settler. This was done when the
Texas and Pacific Railroad was built
from Texarkana to Ell Paso.
PHENOMENAL PROGRESS.
Development is the order of the
dav here as we'll as elsewhere, First
a tent, then a board shanty, then
brick and morter. First the cowboy,
then the owner of a herd, then a cattle
king.
The cowboy is a wild, rollicking,
generous-hearted, enterprising fellow.
With his white jacket, leather overalls,
broad brimmed hat, high-topped boots
and heavy spurs he is the ideal of the
picturesque. With his well-trained
pony, Winchester carbine and six
shooter, with plenty Of lariat at his
saddle bow, he counts for something
on these Western plains. Two OF
them recently roped and captured
alive a full-grown panther. [ saw a
fierce catamount which had been cap
tured in the same manner. You may
know a cowboy by two things---he
wears leather band buckled around
his hat and always rides in a gallop.
COWBOYS HARDsH1ps.
In a climate so changeable as that
OF Texas, where an hour may bring
on a fierce ''norther" that always
freezes to the bone, any one exposed
TO Its rigors, often without tent, and
with only single oil coat and a limit.
ed supply of blankets, standing guard
az night III the pitiless rain to prevent
stampede of the herd, and out fa]
beyond all shelter for weeks during
lhe roundup" the cowboys lot il
not to be envied; his life is no sin
ecure; he deserves more sympathy thai
ne gets, and less blame than is usual.
bestowed on him if in seasons of hi
aIanty he is guilty for grave indiscre
uOns, and has some fun at other PEG
pies expense.
The cattle king is, usually, the COW
10Y grown wealthy, and settled into
SGOerer and less dashing style of life
ne has learned to take care of wha
ne makes. Many young men CAM
70 this country few years ago with
Outa dollar, and are now worth thel
COOL HUNDRED THOUSAND.
1rue, We only hear of the successful
ones: Many, doubtless, gave way tc
whisky, their worst enemy, and hav'
either passed over the divide, or ar
sui spending their earnings in tn
OaI rooms or at the gambling table
The cattle business is not a hap
hazard affair. 1t has its system, 1T
established custom, its code of ethics