Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-04-16
BARRED FENCES.
Tanners Complaining That Hides Arc In.
jured BY Them.

----~-AoAS NoAApAa&u Th8t Hides Are n
tured BY Them.
Much has been said in convention by
tanners and written in trade papers re-
iating to the branding of cattle, but
the injurious effects from the use of
barbed-wire fences seemed to have
been ignored or overlooked. That the
branding of cattle is great evil and
Daroarous custom none will attempt
to deny, but how best to remedy it is
one of the problems yet to be satisfac-
tor1ly solved. As long as cattle are
permitted to roam atwill over the vast
prairies and ranges. there should be
some improved method devised as a
substitute for the hot iron for the pur-
pose of distinguishing them when
making the roundup" Numerous
devices have been suggested, but so
Tar each one has met with serious OBJ
Jections. The cowboys. when making
the roundup, must have some guiding
device or letter which can be seen at a
distance. If a small brand, thes,ze of q
teacup, be burned upon the rump, neck
or foreshoulder, these are not plainly
distinguishable upon the crowded herds
during an exciting chase. If of the
size of a peck measure Gas many are),
in characters both upon the butt and
body. they are easily recognized, and
each owners stock is separated from
the herd with an adroitness and rapid
ity highly complimentary to cowboys,
dogs and pom es having them in charge.
The theory has been advanced that
time, and time alone, would remedy
this evil, based upon the increasing
growth of this great industry; and
again that the ranches are fast being
taken up and becoming the property
of capitalists and wealthy corpora
tons, and the grazing lands will
eventually be all fenced in, so that each
stock-grower may keep his or their
herds together. Then it is claimed
that branding may be abolished. and
the surplus number of herdsmen re-
duced. Very true, should all the
stock-growers in the immediate section
of state adopt this method otherwise,
suppose the fences dividing the herds
We're broken (this is no SUPPOSE
ton, but liable to occur daily
the cattle would become prOmiscu-
Gus. and herders demoralized for want
of some private mark in which 70 aid
them in assigning to the lawful owners.
A prominent tanner, in answer to the
questions: "What are your views in re-
lation to the branding of cattle, and
what do you recommend as a substi-
tute?" gave practical answer when
he said that fences, and fences alone.
will accomplish the result, and We fully
believe all efforts of the tanners to stop
branding VIII result only in utter ia /
ure." Should the present branding
system be abolished, the beneficial eff
fects could not be seen or appreciated
by tanners for several years, or until
the calves matured in age and weight
for beef purposes. In the meantime,
radical changes will be made in per-
fecting the present system. The mil
lions of cattle now roaming upon the
plains and ranges will be supplied with
sheds for temporary shelter, and be
protected from the severe storms of
winter. Fencing of ranches will be
more generally adopted. This man.
moth industry will be managed upon
more economic principles. as upon the
farm, the tannery and workshops
Time worketh wonders. Tho
present generation of tanners
may not live to derive the bene-
fits of better and cheaper hides, but it
is bound 20 come. 1t might have been
welcomed ere this had tanners worked
more in unison. No great battle was
ever won or blessings conferred except
at the sacrifice of personal interests.
The selfish principle of looking out for
number one. and letting the devil take
the hindmost, prospers for time, but
like the long lane there must be a turn
ing-pont- This has been fully exem-
plitied during the past two years in the
failure of mammoth tanning inter
ests, whose am was to control the hide
and leather markets by wedding out
their less fortunate ne ghborS.
The immense prairies Of the West
can not be CONVEX. ed into paradise in
u few years, although men of capital.
Of indom table will, pluck. and enter
prise, by the building of railroads, are
opening up communication with other
nations. EmIgrat on and colonization
follow upon the heels of great enter
prises. Wild prairies and mountain
Businesses are, as by magic. converted
into teeming farming lands, stock
ranches and mines of gold, sill
yer, and lead, thereby adding year
ly TO the wealth of the nation. What
was once a bowling wilderness has
been converted into ranches fo1 stock
raising, followed by growing wheat
fields, dotted by farm houses. villages,
factories; even cites are springing up
like mushrooms. The barbed wire
fence has and is destined to play an
important part in inclosing and pro-
tecting the wealth thus created and en-
couraged by the opening up of new
sections of the country. Concentration
OF capital viii follow. More attention
will then be given toward solving the
question of how to produce greater
number of bushels to the acre. how to
add one CT two hundred poua ads of beef
to each head of stock and correspond
ing increase in wool, pork and provis-
ions. This concentrat on of capital in
cattle and ayr couture will compel the
owners to fence the farms and ranches
for self-protection. Barbed wire will
be preferred to lumber, because it is
cheaper and stronger. The tanners.
instead of obtaining relief in this d.
rection, are nursing the child in its in
fancy The evil is daily increasing
through is general Adoption.
The damage to hides from this source
is nearly as great as that of branding.
As an Illustration / will improvise
pack of cowhIdes and carry through
the tannery. gointo the hide market
to purchase lot of hides suitable for
pebble and glove grain leather. They
must be number one hides, free from
brands, Srubs. hair slips upon the
grain side, and of cuts and scores upon
the flesh. All these defects are distin-
guishable, and when put up have every