Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-03-27
ON A THOUSAND HILLS.
Tie Wyoming stock King who owns
100000 Cattle and has S6,000,000
Invested

A II. Swan, of Cheyenne City, is
not only the cattle king of Wyoming
| Territory, but probably the leading
cattle king of the entire west, having
control of as much stock as any single
individual on the continent. His pres
ent possessions amount TO between
81, 600, 900 and $1,000, 900, while the
amount of ste elk of which he has the
exclusive control and management is
over 200, 900 head, and valued at over
Sc, 600, 900. He was the organizer, is
directly interested in and is president
and general manager of no less than
five different stock organizations in
Wyoming, having the personal SUI
perintendency and entire manage
ment of the same. One of these cat
tie ranges is 100 miles in length by
from so to 100 miles in width, and
hence contains an immense acreage
of grazing surface, including the best
land in the territory, and lying along
the Laramie, Medicine Bow, North
Platte and other rivers. Beside the
large amount of capital invested in
stock, of which tins individual has
| control, some of the companies have
made large purchases of land on
which they have completed extensive
| improvements, ana which were done
by this cattle kings suggestions and
directions, so that he has the entire
credit of accumulating, amassing and
controlling this immense congroga-
ton of wealth.
The career of this person has been
/ remarkable for its brilliant success
! financially. AT twenty-five years of
age he travelled from his native place,
Green county, Pa, to Iowa, locating
in the latter state on some wild land
when everything in that common
wealth was comparatively free from
the intrusions of civilization. This
was in 1858 At that time he had but
81, 900 in his pocket as his stock in
trade. After making some improve
ments ON his land he sold out at an
advance, and then pushed still farther
ON the frontier, again investing in
land. Two years after his first en-
trance into Iowa he returned to Ohio,
where he purchased farm, remain
ing in the latter state for seven years,
at the end of which time he again re
turned to Iowa and began dealing in
sheep and cattle, buying and selling
Taking his brother as a partner the
two began turning their attention to
the cattle business exclusively, begin
ming with a herd Of 5000. This herd
was increased at various times as fol-
lows, naturally and by purchases: In
1874 to 5000, IN 1875 to z, 800, IN 1876
to 10, 600, in 1877 to II, 600, in 1878 to
$4,000, in 1879 to 10, 600, in 1880 to "a,
600, in 1881 to $4,000, and in 1882 to
$4,000. Most Of the increase was nat
ural.
By this time the profits of the two
brothers in the stock business had
been so great, not including the stock
on hand, that the next year QSS3),
with several other stockmen, they
purchased 81, 900 more cattle on a
range west of the Black Hills, merg-
ing their two herds into one, and with
other parties forming land and cat
| tie syndicate company, with an invest
ed capital of 81, 555, 900, A. H. Swan
being made president of the same, at
salary of $4,000 per year, the
amount of cattle numbering 115,
600.
Negotiations are now pending for
the sale of Mr.. w. II. Swans interest
in this company at the princely sum of
$3.50, 900. Mr.. Swan organized four
other companies on similar basis, to
all of which he has been given the di-
rect management. One of the com
panies, known as the Ogalalla Land
and Cattle company of Nebraska,
owns IS, 600 head of cattle. The latest
enterprise in which this cattle king
has been engaged was the organization
of a land syndicate and stock yard
company, which purchased 1000 acres
of land adjoining the city of Omaha,
Neb., portion to be sold in lots, and
the balance to be reserved for this land
syndicate and stock yards company
for The slaughtering and shipping of
dressed beef in refrigerator cars to
Eastern markets. This latter estab-
hshment is to be ready for operations
July, 1884 and its capacities are
placed at / 1000 head per day. Among
this cattle kings private possessions
are $50, 600 acres of land under fence,
with ten houses, eight barns and fifty
corrals for the branding of stock He
is also the owner of land in Iowa, 40
miles from Des Moines, valued at
$3.50, 600.
He claims to have never had any
litigations about contracts, never hav-
ing forfeited his word to any person
with whom he has had any business
transactions, either in buying or sell
ing. In appearance he is tall, but
well proportional, and his counter
anee bears the imprint of modesty,
frankness and intelligence, and
though naturally easy in his bearing,
yet he is free from the suavity and in
dependence of action so common
among frontier stockmen.