Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-01-05
MIDLAND.
County overrun with Cattle
Roaming at Large Miles Of
Fine Pasture Ruined.
hy Animals Trampled to Death in the
Struggle to Get to the Springs
A Fight with Cowboys

,rtespondeAce OF the Gazette,
MlpIAND, TEX, Jan. 3.-This
hole country is alive with cattle. a
~ weeks ago, by common under
ding, the cattle kings withdrew
their herders and left their cattle TO
An at will. Asa consequence, a sue
Sion OF shifting winds has whirled
"a cattle in every direction. Denied
b. care by their owners, they natu.
IN sought the fine pastures, springs
nd wells Of class OF stookmen
no believe In paying for
ae land they occupy aud caring
ecently for the comfort Of the dumb
ahts In which they deal. Thousands
sauare miles of fine private pastur-
ane have been trampled 10y these
Wandering herds 10 the hardness of n
nrnpike. Fine, private wells, tanks
md springs In great numbers are taken
ossession of by the rushing mass OF
uffering brutee and left only when
atroyed and useless to the owners.
At Bairi's Sprlnga, twenty-five miles
0rthwest flrthre weeks past therehas
cen great, roaring, fighting herd,
omprising every Imaginable brand,
nd varying In number from twenty
I've to fifty thousand. The ground
round the springs il covered with the
bodies of animals trampled TO death in
he struggle for water, and the lawful
1rDprietors OF the springs must be at
reat expense 70 restore them for the
~ Of their own herds.
Thirty or forty miles east great herds
fthb poor brutes, insane with thirst,
are rushing into the salt lakes, and
eoVe their poor, blORted bodies TO cry
ont against the heartless cruelty of the
attic kings.
From every direction comes the same
lfeadful story, and two months OF the
normity are still before us. lam asked
who are the owners of these cattle, and
what are they doing2 ] answer, as
Weil as can, that these are the men
no fought the Indians who were
laundering the Panhandle, and for
his som wha spOc yphal service they
claim tne Whole public domain
without the trouble of purchase, and
heright to plundrr private pastures
wi ihout a hint at compensation
That these men have grown immense
NJ rich needs neither assertion nor
proof. Why should they not be when
q mail calf is worth more to-day than
COW and calf were a few years ago,
and they have never bought nor
leased AN acre Of land or blade OF
grass. We are getting at the key to
the whole mystery. IL Ia cheaper 10
let the cattle wander. Most of them
viii come back, aud with them many
Of other brands that will be sppropri-
ated for nothing or purchased at their
own figures. My picture is neither
new, pleasant nor finished, but II will
40 It's share TO keep the subject alive
1ntil the meeting Of the legislature.
Ne had quite an exciting little cpl
sode at the passenger station yesterday
-Four of Col. Slaughter's cowboys
while enjoying the vacation, decided
70 take charge of matters at Big
springs. After painting that small
town red, and pining for more worlds
% conquer, they mounted their fiery
teeds and came to Midland. Orders
came TO the rangers to arrest them, and
at brain time our quiet people weri
treated TO the spectacle of four COW
boys on one side with forty
,ives in hand and defyinl
arrest, and on the othei
sid four rangers with Winchetters.
am soTry to say that in the midst o
100 much parleying the worst two o
Akhe gang escaped, while the other tw,
Were arrested and chained. Thes
-four gentlemen have been playing
pethr engagements in the farce Q
Dfifting," or 1.-The Crazy Steers
This Is a great time for hunters, ant
almost any man who Is not afraid 4
fIe oil q gun returns from the hun
with AN antelope. The express com
panles are shipping great numbers {
all parts of the country, and forty O
fifty on the platform tagged for ship
nment Is no uncommon sight.
II understand thai our ambassador
n tho court OF 5 IN Angelo were yer,
Jnhndsomely received. and were givei
= great deal Of excellent advice in r.
gard to the formation OF the ne'
esluunty and that the promise of sucees
~ very tlatering. My authority f.
9hese statements Is John M. Moody
EGG. the recognized head of th
ncsement. Midland Is, of eours'
1uanlmous for county-seat, 9
Whist village would not
county seat? but many believe Thu
tle outside work should have bee
CLIQUE iiTst.
Our merchants are doing themselv
sad Midland honor by giving MS II
Reputation of selling goods as cheap
abilene and Colorado and chesp
than Big Springs