The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-04-26
VOL. XIx.-NO. "a.

In the northern and northwestern parts
of the State are the wealthiest companies
and the largest herds. Capital is becom-
ing concentrated, and the smaller owners
are being frozen out. The fence-cutting
agitation is simply protest against monop-
ohes which are securing enormous tracts of
land and fencing them in, to the injury of
the men with smaller ranches and few cat
tle There are few roads in Texas A man
who owns one, two or three counties builds
fence around the entire tract, and those
who wish to cross it have to go 100 miles
or so around, or cutthe fences. They find
the latter alternative the more agreeable,
and hence the trouble that has been per-
picking the State Highways will have to
be established at certain convenient inter
walls of distance, but how it is to be done
the Legislature is not wise enough to de
termine. -
Until recently the entire northwestern
part of the State has been what is called
free range and hundreds of cattle have been
pastured upon it by men who do not own
an acre of land, but have followed their
herds, carrying their homesteads along with
them on pack mule. But the purchase
of tracts of land by wealthy capitalists has
almost entirely destroyed the free range, as
! the new owners have been compelled to
fence their property to protect their grass.
The erection of fences hundreds of miles
long looks like big expense, but it isn't
so very large, and the interest upon thein-
vestment is more than paid by the reduced
percentage of loss by cstrays. The pur-
chase of couple of car loads of bmbed wire
isn't great item when a man is investing
81 10000 in ranch.
The loss of the free range, however,
keeps men who have no capital out of the
cattle business, for cowboy on the ranges
or a clerk in country store cannot now
buy few cows and let them drift, as he
could with great profit few years ago, and
it was in this way that the cattle kings of
to-day got their start.
For example, there is John n Simpson,
Tennesseean, who served through the war
as member of Wheeler's Confederate cav
airy. When the fighting was over he came
to Texas to seek his fortune, and the best
start he could get was as bookkeeper in
bank at S75 month. As fast as he saved
few dollars he bought COW, and when
he got a few COWS together he borrowed
money upon them and bought more. He
made friends and won the confidence of
moneyed men, Non-residents placed their
investments in his hands, and he organized
the Continental Cattle Company, a gigantic
corporation, of which he is now the Presi-
dent and manager.
About seven years ago, two brothers
named Harold came to Texas with S35 900
loaned them by Robert T. Strahorn,
banker at the Chicago stock yard. They
bought cattle and run them on the free
range. Their herds increased rapidly, and
two or three years ago they purchased a
considerable tract of valuable land at price
that was merely nominal. Last summer
they sold their ranch and stock to Charles
G. Francklyn, the Cunard steamer man Of
New York, for 81 100000, and bought Il
cheaper piece of property further west.
f. G. Lugg of Gainesville is young
man who came to this country a few years
ago without a dollar Now he owns i'm
mense herds in the Indian Territory and
in Texas and is worth more than 81 ,000,-
000 1t is understood that Senator Plumb
of Kansas, and John D. Miles, the Indian
agent, are interested with him.
1t requires capital now to engage in bus
iness, and to be successful man must
own his pastures and Improve his cattle
The wild Texas steer will soon be thing
of memory only, and a few years hence
Texas cattle will go to market in refrig
orator car. The systems of slaughter and
packing houses that are being established
along the railroad lines will cheaper trans
portation and increase profits. The lack
of ice is the only obstacle that stands in
the way of complete success, and that will
soon be removed as the cars that take the
beef to the eastern markets will bring back
ice as return cargo.