Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-07-23
THE TRAIL TROUBLES.

I66 NAIL IHOO6I6S.
The Conflict of Interests between the Tex
as Cattle Men and Their Brethen Further
North-The Attempt of the Latter to
Keep the Public Trails Closed Resulting
in Serious Loss to the Texans.
ST Louis, Mo-, July 1.-THE dispute
between the holders of lands in the neu-
trail strip district of Indian Territory and
the cattlemen of Northern Texas over
the right of way through the neutral
strip has assumed new phase, and, I'M
less the neutral strip men withdraw their
opposition to the use of the trail adopted
by the Dallas convention held in Texas
several months ago, the Texans threaten
to make q personal matter of the fight,
Mr.. A. L. Mercer, editor of the North
,cestern Liue Stock Journal, at Cheyenne,
Wyoming, who passed through the city
en- route for Washington, speaking on
the subject at the ST. James Hotel, said:
''TnE RIGHT OF WAY
through the Cherokee strip is not the
question at present. The trail through
it leads directly into Kansas, through
which State Texas cattle can not pass,
owing to the laws passed BY the last
Kansas Legislature, and the trail is prac-
tically worthless. What the Texas men
want is the trail through the neutral
strip, which is public domain. That
leads into Colorado Once in that State
they can get north or east, as they de-
sire. The Secretary of State, Attorney
General and Commissioner of Agricul.
ture have been furnished the facts in
the matter, and are thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with all of the details"
The following telegram was sent from
Texas to Commissioner Colman at Wash
ington, yesterday:
"The trails sought to be travelled by the
Texan drovers are well established by use
on by the Dallas meeting is the only
practicable one to Colorado. Great in
justice and injury has been done the live
stock interest of our State by the stOppage
of the cattle. There is no doubt of the facts
as stated by Governor Ireland and Con-
gresham Savers. secretary Lamar's course
Is highly commended by all, as an act of
simple justice.
ISignedl JOHN n. SIMPSON,
president Texas Live Stock Association"
On the 18th inst. Messrs. w. 4. Towers
and Thomas A. Lee, signing themselves
as representatives of Colorado, Kansas,
Northern Texas, Missouri and Indian
Territory Cattle Growers and Live Stock
Association, telegraphed their version of
the difficulty to Secretary Lamar to the
effect that the right of trail through the
neutral strip be denied the Texans.
Subsequent investigation develops that
Towers and Lee are interested In the cat
tie business in the neutral strip terri
tory, and, while they may represent the
Kansas and Indian Territory assOcia.
tions, since the stand they take in their
telegram is identical with the interests
of those States, they do not represent
nor voice the sentiments of COlora do,
Texas and Missouri associations. This
discovery is the new phase referred to
above and will doubtless be urged against
them by the Texans as ground for disre-
garding their statements. 1t is claimed
that the "Northern Texas Live Stock AS
ISOLATION does not exist, and that should
the men belong to the
COLORADO AND MISSOURI ASSOCIATIONS,
they were not authorized by them tc
make any statement TO the Secretary as
coming from them. At a meeting of the
Colorado Association at Denver reso-
luton was unanimously adopted expires.
sive of the sense of that Association, that
owners of healthy cattle had the right to
drive them over public domain. This
resolution is in direct opposition to tn
position taken by Towers and Lee in OBJ
structing the drive through the neutral
strip. All of the Texas cattle associa-
lions had representatives at the Dallas
meeting and concurred in the adoption OF
what Is known as the Dallas trail, which
traverses the neutral strip and leads into
Colorado, and it is safe to assume that
Towers and Lee have been selected
by them to rescind their action
in the matter, and undo all of their
work at that meeting. Messrs. Hunter
and Evans and a large ajOrity of the
cattlemen of this State are In sympathy
with the action of the Dallas Convention
and no one has been authoriz ID by them
to represent TO the contrary. The law
prohibiting the passage of Texas cattle
with certain restrictions, through Kan
sas, it is alleged, was passed through the
influence of Kansas and Cherokee and
neutral strip cattlemen for the purpose
of njuring the cattle interests of Texas
and benefiting their own. The repre-.
sensations contained in the Towers Lee
telegram, that the Texas cattle are in.
fected, are denied in letter to Commits
sioner Colman from Hon. Joseph NJ
Wilson, Treasurer of the Colorado Cattle
Growers Association and Director OF
the German National Bank of Denver,
who says that Towers and Lee are seek
ing to stop cattle from Crockett, Ed. |
wards, Nolan and Mitchell Counties in |
Texas, which are perfectly healthy. John
N. Lyttle, a member of the Executive
Committee of the National Cattle and
Horse Growers Association, has tele.
graphed saying that the cattle are healthy, |
and asking that an inspector be sent to
Texas to establish the fact. DR.. George
J. Faville, veterinarian of the Colorado |
State Sanitary Board examined the cattle |
and issued bills Of health for them.
Towers and Lee state that there is nc |
objection to Texas cattle being driven |
over the old trail which leads into Kan.
sas. Kansas being impossible, however,
the old trail is therefore useless to the |
Texans. Their expressed desire to leave |
the question of the right of passage over |
The neutral strip to the courts for deci. |
sion is objected to by the Texans for the
reason that the time which won be oc.
cupied in its adjudication would inter
fere seriously with their business, and
prevent the driving of their cattle until
too late to reach Northern ranges this
season. The Texans claim to have
suffered loss already by depreciation in
values of their stock to the extent of
e4O, 900, 900, and a speedy solution Of the
difficulty is asked for. The land occu.
pied by the Neutral Strip Association is
public domain and they say that no one
has right to obstruct its passage.
The above facts have been placed be-
lore Commissioner Colman and Secre-
AIRY Lamar, and it is thought they will
lid materially in bringing about a settle
nent and have considerable weight in
|avor of the Texans.
A MOthers' Home Burned.