Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1885-06-18
RANGE AND RANCH CATTLE.
The Magnitude of the Business of
Keeping Cattle on Land Not En-
braCed in Farms.
History Of Its Introduction on the Great
Plalns-Prospects Of Future Expansion.


III COIn nplldncb WIN u resolution
passed by the national house of rep.
Sentatives, the bureau of statistics Of
the treasury department has prepared
an exhaustive report IN regard to the
range and ranch cattle business Of the
United States. The report oc Ipics Il
volume Of two hundred pages. and is
accompanied with four large coorcd
maps. 1t contains Il large amount Of
useful information in relation TO the
raising of cattle on land not embraced
in farms. Attention is first directed
in the report to the extent of country
that is devoted or which can be dcyo.
ted TO this industry, and which is ap-
parently adapted to no other useful
purpose. 1t states this territory cm-
braces about 100000 square miles
and constitutes approximately Il per
cent. Of the entire area of the United
States exclusive of Alaska. 1t is as
large as all that portion of the cOun-
try situated cast of the Mississippi
river, Arkansas, and Louisiana. It's
area is equal to that of Great Britain,
Ireland, France, Germany, Denmark,
Holland, Belgium, Austria, Hungary,
Italy, Spain, and Portugal, and one
fifth of European Russia. A large
portion OF this vast territory has a
very deficient rainfall, while compar-
| atiYely little water is afforded to
springs and streams, still no portion
of it is entitled to be called u desert
as it was by the early travellers.
The expression range and ranch
cattle in the report applies to cattle
which, from the time they are drop
ped until they are shipped to market,
seek their own food, water, and shell
| ter, as did the buffalo, the deer, and
the elk before them, and which are
subject only TO the restraints OF herd
ing. The distinction between the
range and the ranch cattle busi-
ness herein observed, is that the for
mcr designation applies TO the raising
and tatlculng Of cattle upon public
lands, or upon unfcnccd lands gcncr-
| ally, where the herds OF different pro-
prctorS frccl Y range and intrrminglc
whereas the 'ranrh cattle business is
carried on within Enclosures belonging
to Cattlcmcn, on which only their own
cattle craze. The very fact that the
range. cattle business is most prOlita-
bly, carried on in large way, aud that
its successful prosecution involves or
ganHation and cooperative work, ap-
pears to have suggested at an early
day the conduct OF the business under
corporate ownership and management
Accordingly this has been one of the
marked features Of the enterprise al
most from the beginning. lnCorpora.
ted companies, chartered under the
laws of this country aS well rs I'm Ter
the laws Of foreign countries are now
extensively engaged in the cattle bust
ness from southern Texas to the north
crn border line Of the United States.
The raising OF cattle in Texas had
its origin long before the admission of
that state into the union. The origin.
al or native cattle of Texas are Of
Spanish and Mexican origin. Their
most distinctive physical characteristics
are long horns, large and vigorous
lungs, small intestinal organization,
and small bones. THESE characteristics
appear to be the result Of the condi,
tions which for three hundred years
have constituted their environment.
Texas cattle exhibit some OF the mark.
ed Sclf-rcliant traits OF the wild ami
NAL, being strong in the instinct OF
seeking food and water, and of sell
protection against the inclcmcncv of
the weather. In the language OF the
hcrdsman, they are good "rustlcrs, "
which means that they know how and
where to find food and water, and
have the alcrtnc.S and spirit to seek
them upon the vast plains and in val
lcys and mountain Businesses where
they roam, and even beneath tho
SHOWS, which in the winter at times,
in the more norlhcriy regions, cover
their tccding-grOunds.
Thirty years ago almost the entire
area of Texas was one vast feeding
ground for cattle, horses and sheep.
Almost all the cattle of the state were,
according to the popular phrase, ION
the range The cattle belonging to
different persons were then as now
known by brands upon their sides,
large enough to be distinguished by a
hOrScman ut some distance. This
method of designating different owner
ships still prevails throughout the en-
tire range and range cattle area of the
United States. A general supervision
of cattle within certain extensive dis.
tricts is had by hOrsemen, commonly
known rs cowboys" Twice veal
the cattle of the different owners and
associated owners are rounded up
i. G., gathered together in close herds;
when the calves are branded and cat.
tie for slaughter selected out, the rest
being allowed TO wander of again
upon the range. During the last
twenty years II great change has takcr
place in the cattle business OF Texas
About half the area of the state, in.
cluding the eastern portion, not en-
braccd in the range and range cattle
area, has been taken up, and is now
being cultivated as farms. In thi,
part of the state cattle are raised rs
domestic animals, being generally
provided with food and shelter in the
winter. The range and range portion
is also to Il considerable extent settled
up by farmers, especially the eastern
and southern portions of the state
Upon her admission into the union,
Texas retained the ownership of hei
public lands. These lands have been
surveyed and divided into townships
sections, and quarter.sections in {
manner quite similar to that in which
the public lands OF the United States
have been laid out. Texas has, how
ever, pursued less conservative
policy in regard to the disposition oI
her public lands than has the United
States, and the result is that tine
ownership of vast areas has been free
ly acquired for ranch purposes by in
divduals and corporations. In few
instances single individuals have ac
quired the ownership of upward o.
$50, 900 acres. The result of this IL
that with the exception of the extreme
western and extreme northern portions
of the state, where herds range on thu
public domain, the cattle business o.
Texas has become largely rancl
business. In other words, cattle are
10 considerable extent, confined t.
the lands of the different owners o
associated owners
AS recently as twenty-five years age
Texas cattle were slaughtered in i'm
monse numbers for their hides anC
iallow, as they now are in various
parts of South America. The average
price of S-year-old steers was from
$3.50 to $4.50 per head. Since mean