Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-11-07
valuable for coughs.
Ranchiur With Small CapitaI.

i 1uc OdLtlle. LII SOult OI IU6 issues
of the Gazette notice discussions in
regard to stock-farming or cattle rais-
ing in the far west, and herewith sub
nit few scraps from my three years
observation and experience in Colorado,
where many made thorough success
| of it with no more start than some of
your correspondents.
To begin with, the west is full of fer
tile valleys and plains, which may be
had by conforming to common laws of
homestead or pre-emption by any citi-
zen of the United States, and thus
the land for beginning operations is of
little or no expense to the young ranch
man. Of course the desirable ranches
on immediate lines of travel are long
since pretty well taken up, but by leav-
ing the thOrOughfares and taking the
! course of some previously selected river,
valley of which is known to be a grazing
country, where the ranchers are using
houndless tracts of country for ranging
their stock and becoming well acquaint-
ed with the section, the right chance
for locating soon appears. You also
become gradually acquainted with all
the ins and outs of the codes that gov
ern these apparently lawless men. and
finally start in with the good will of
your otherwise dangerous neighbors,
and probably buy your cattle to start
your range from those around you.
The question will be asked, how a
young man without q great deal of
means at his command may do this
travelling and investigating? The an
swer is definite: you must conceal the
fact that you have dollar in the world,
and hire out to SOME well-to-do stock
man, and suffer delays and hardships
for the benefit to be gained thereby; fol
while earning your living and laying
up little additional money you are al.
so learning the business of caring for
cattle in wild country, gaining a
knowledge Of the surrounding territory,
Of the men you have to deal with, and
their mode Of acting together in the
care of their herds and defence against
intrusion-all of which will be invalua.
BILE when you start your own herd and
put your little all in among herders
who, knowing you, will be of great assis.
tance, whereas they would be very sus
picious had you dropped down amongst
them with small herd before the,
knew or cared who you were. In thi,
way you find out the ups and downs o.
the business while still retaining you
funds and making a living, and car
stop or go ahead according to what yol
may think best, and know what you art
to look for.
As to the right section-that depends
on the market for your beef. The min
ing camps pay lest for the small herd
ers, and to- supply them you want Il
establish in southern Colorado, Utah OF
northern New Mexico. For the Chica
go market / should prefer southern
Wyoming, Dakota or northern Colora
dos and probably the finest spots of all
regardless of market, are on the Pacifi,
slopes of Washington Territory and Or
egon, using the California market o.
mining camps nearest you, which woult
take all you could turn OF for the frs
few years. leave ont the west Of Kan
sas ana Nebraska as being dry and the
grasses much poorer In quality TO thos,
nearer the mountains, whiie the win
ters are more severe than nearer tn
Pacific.
Instances are not rare, and am ia
miliar with several, where young me,
have made neat little fortunes in yer
few years by following out just such
: c0Urse as the one that Is here suggested
and If is the only one that has q goo
chance Of success; for the most unwis
. thing you could possibly DO would be I
; go into that country and while q "ter
derfootr allow them 70 know you ha
. little money to start with. Neithe
l your prospects of success nor long Iif
ONE VINO HAS BEEN THERE.