Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-03-16
SOME SHEEP STORIES.
The Enormous Profits That Are
Made q Sheep Culture
In Texas.
Ex2erisEcss of Practical Men,
Colorado City and Its
Prospects.
where f;Orthsrn Men Should LO-
cafe and How They Can
Sseurs Lands.

COLORADO CITY, TENAs, March g.
Until 1850 Fort Worth was the western
terminus Of the Texas and Pacific Rail
road, but during the two years subse
quent it was pushed rapidly through
and the track-layers were followed by
crowd Of enterprisiGg pioneers, VIII
rushed ia, occupied the ranges will
their sheep aud cattle, and built up s
line of towns that compare well witt
any in the West. Agriculture was not
thought of at first, but the experiments
Of two years have been eminently sue
Cessful, and have proven beyond all
question that the soil Of Northern Texas
is 50 good as that of Kansas for wheat
or any other crop.
Colorado City, 2S2 miles west Of Fort
Worth, is typical town illustrating
the growth Of the country, and the en-
teTprise Oftbe people. Where in May
1881, the first tent was erected, there
are now 1900 busy people, who last
year transacted 3 business Of s., OSO,ODO,
and represent a wealth of 81, O00,OOO in
cattle and sheep. There are four
churches, two tine schools, two National
hanks, seventy business houses, and a
stock company has Just been organized
To build ~, 900 hotel. There Is a fine
opera house, = street. car line aud sew
tIal tLICe-stCry brick blocks that would
not be CU! ol pIace in New York or Chit
cago.
Last year 81, 900 beef cattle were ship
ned frOm Colorado City to the Cuicsgo
nd Of
wool 20 the Eastern market, Tuere is
q need of capital, and few places oder u
better opportunity for investment. Toe
beet that ne sent on the hOof to market
might ~ well be killed and dressed
here, and wooden mill would BE- very
profitable.
Collecting Buffalo Robes.
The traveller will see at nearly every
station along the line, great piles Of
buffalo bones and skulls, that are tie
subject of much curiosity and eOmm '0l
A few years ago the buffalo was 50 mum
erOus ON the ranges of Texas that he
was killed for his tongue and hide, and
his carcass was left for the vultures and
CayOtes, but he is so scarce to-day that
his bones are being gathered up aud
shipped to the phosphate factories at
st. Louis. The whole of the old buffalo
range, from the Rio Grande to the Mis-
souri, River in Montana, Is drear
GOlgOtha, and the vision Of the prophet
who saw the valley full Of dry bones
finds thousand counterparts on the
plains of Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and
Dakota. The animals have been
slaughtered for sport, or for their hides,
until the pastures, which sustained mill
lions Of them, are swept bare Of every
trace except their blsached aud decay
ing bones.
These have At last come TO have q
value, and hunters are gathering them
up from the plains where they have
lain for ages. The teamsters who trans
port supplies TO the far Off settlements
on the borders of Indian Territory and
New Mexico, on the return trip scour
the prairies for buffalo bones, with
which they load their empty wagons,
and upon arrival at Colorado City and
other railroad points sell them to the
commission men who ship them to ST.
Louis, where they bring Sl3 ton, and
are used for feTtilizing material. Thus
the buffalo, which in life was consider
ed worthless, in death is found prof.
table article Of commerce.
As 10 Mutton.
Colorado City, like Dallas, Fort
Worth, aud Abilene, is the residence OF
a number OF wealthy cattle and sheep
owners, who remain only part Of tine
year Upon their ranches, or leave them
entirely TO the care Of superintendent
and managers, and live in town, attend
ing to other business,
The number of sheep owned in the
country tributary to { dorado City is very
large, and a great deal Of money has
been made in running" them, as the
phase goes.
OF different breeds the Spanish
MerinO is the fayOrite in this part oil
the country, being superior In their
wool bearing qualities, easier to herd,
and less liable to disease. The prices
of sheep vary according to the grade,
the native Mexican animal or lowest
grade selling for - a head, while the
fancy imported stock brings as high as
30 and in some cases $40. There is no
regular market, but the demand is al
ways good, and the selling price largely
depends upon the necessities of the
seller or the anxiety of the buyer.
Texas now produces more wool than
any other State in the Union, except
California and Ohio. As the hocks are
increasing at the rate of so per cent,
not including the impOrtatiOns, and IS
the WOOl-bearing qualities are being In
creased by the introduction Of the best
imported varieties, there is no doubt
that Texas will soon contain more sheep
and ship more wool than any Other
State, at by far greater profits than are
realized elsewhere.
The Cost and the Returns.
The expense Of raising Is so per cent
less in Texas than Ohio, and the WOO
brings the same price for the same
grade. Here the sheep feed out the en-
tire year, require no more care in win
ter than in summer, and the cost o
keeping is merely nominal, being eSti-
mated from 80 To so cents per head by
different owners. In ordinary years The
profits are from 75 to 100 per cent. I'm.
iii recently the ranges around Colorado
CITY were covered with herds Of cattle
hut they have gone westward into the
Panhandle and their places filled with
sheep, thousands having been driver
FROM California, to take advantage o
the better facilities that are offered In
this State.
Regarding the profits in sheep culture
Mr.. +. w. Shaetfer, Of Duval County,
who is regarded ~ one OF the best au
thorities on the subject in the State, AND
is himself enjoying their benefits to
large degree, says tfat rs per cent. Is al
average estimate, and 80 per cent. moi
an excessive one in most cases. Where
the range is free the maximum profit L
reached, but as long as good sheep pas
ture can be had for 81 an acre, and three
acres will sustain sheep, the interest
on the money invested in land Is merely
nominal, and the best sheep men argue
that the improved health Of the herds
and the reduced losses from estray:
more than pay the interest on money