The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-12
The Fence Cutting Mania In Texas.

The excuses for cutting fences are
manifold. Travellers and Others who
have for years been accustomed to cross
the ranges and great prairies along GER
tain old trails and well known roads
often find themselves confronted with a
wire fence, erected since their trip and
without any notice OF guide-boards to
direct them on their way. They per-
haps ride a mile or two each way,
hoping to find corner to the Enclosure,
OF a gate. or some information concern
ing the route they should take. Eail-
ing to find way they make one, and a
pre- edent is thus established. Having
cut into the Enclosure they probably
have to cut out on the opposite side.
The next traveller enlarges the open
ing; none who pass trouble themselves
to cobble it up again, and miles of
fence will thus be practically destroyed
in a day. Scores of these fences are
eight to ten miles long; many of them
fifteen to twenty miles on each side. A
gentleman yesterday told me that his
pasture was fifteen miles square, and
inclosed the Colorado River for about
that distance.
An instance lately occurred where a
Lieutenant of United States cavalry on
duty had to cut his way through wire
fence. He notified the owner and of
fered to pay all damage to the fence,
but was promptly prosecuted and fined.
The Governor, in addition, paid re-
ward of thirty dollars for his conviction,
according TO his proclamation, and,
am informed, also provided for The pay
ment of the fine But perhaps the coun-
ties of Jones and Coleman present the
most glaring abuses. A. State Fetal
informed me to-day that the CAPITAL OF
Jones County was surrounded by a wire
fence about fifteen miles distant in. all
directions; that no one can get to the
county seat from many directions with
out tearing down the fence; that he be-
lieved there We're but two or three gates
in its entire length, and the land own
ers would make no provision for high
ways or public convenience. In Cole
man County eight men are said to own
one third of all the land in the county.
They are, bv reason OF communit5 OF
interest, enabled to control county at
fairs, and recently had regular coun-
ty road vacated, or reduced to third
class road, having gates through the
fences, instead of lanes through their
land and this within sight of the Court
house!
1t is also cropping ont as an item OF
news that cattle owners who have. no
land are largely responsible for fence
cutting, ii not the actual culprits. They
employ scores of men, whose personal
convenience as herdcgs and cowboys
would lead them to furtively DESTROY
fences by night. A wink or nod from
their employers would be ample eneour-
agement for destroying every fence
within ten miles The would also be
sufficiently inscription indeed, have
been-to charge the mischief to limo
cent parties. The two a. rests in Ham
ilton County riots turn out to be good
old deacon and his wife, who profess
themselves abundantly able TO prove an
abb. Nearly all pasture fences are
three-wire ones. A lawful fence must
have more wires. and board attached
to one of the upper wires as warning
to keep off. No pasture fences have
| boards along them The ence-eutters,
therefore, persuade themselves that in
asmuch as a three-wire fence is not 6
lawful one, it can not be unlawful to cut
them, and down they go.
Another excuse for fence cutting il
that pasture men inclose great blocks O.
land not owned by them, to which the
public is entitled to access. Unsold
| lands, school lands, land owned by non
residents, and many small tracts having
resident owners are inclosed by pasture
men who have surrounded them The
small nestlers on the prairies complain
of this, think they have as good right
| to the grass and water on theunsold anC
the school lands as the rich pasture mai
who counts his acres by tens Of thou
sands and runs his wire fences across
the prairies fifty miles at a stretch
Finding himself not only surrounded
and el6owed about b. the herders anC
employees Of those millionaires. bn
actually inclosed b. wire fence, he
does not consult the statutes for form:
of relief, but chops down fences righr
and left, and often DESTROYS in one night
unaided, the labor OF score of men To-
a week (Ter.) Cor. 81. L0a
i GLGbe- D. 7u6r,d at