Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-04

ans Parad1Se-HoW the Cat. tie Associations Do Business.
 UPPER CAMP, Bell Range, July 17. To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 New Mexico is so far away, and so little comparatively is known of it by most Con- l necticut people, that shall trespass on your valuable space and devote a half hour to writing few lines some of the many ob- jects which interest an eastern man. As am at present on cattle ranch, and one of the finest in the territory, this letter and one or two to follow will be devoted particularly to the cattle industry and ranch life, but in some future communication I hopo to give your readers some idea of Las Vegas, it's hot springs and of Santa Fe, the capital of the territory, said to be the oldest town in the Union.
 The ranch at which am stopping is known as the Bell Ranch" on account of the fig ure of a bell being the brand of it's owner, and is situated seventy miles due east from Las Vegas on the Red river. As there is no rail road the journey to it must be done by pri vate conveyance, by which the best part of two days is usually consumed the traveller preferring, unless he is 8 native, to camp out over night rather than to partake of the doubtful hospitality which he would receive
 
 summit of the Guion Hill just midway on the journey. The climate, however, in sum- mer is so delightful that sleeping with only the vault of heaven canopy is not an un- pleasant experience, although the sight of twinkling stars has tendency to keep one not used to it awake. No one who has ever lived long in this country ever thinks of sleeping in house except during a storm The proprietor of the hotel above referred to is somewhat of character. He is Mexi- can, who, somehow or other, has lost one eye, and as he came out to meet us as we drove up, with his feet encased in bandages of cotton cloth over which he had drawn white cotton socks, he presented ludicrous appearance not soon to be forgotten For keeping the road down the Guion Hill in order the county commissioners have all lowed him to collect toll of all passers, and for shooting with his Winchester rifle at come one who refused to pay some two weeks since, the poor man is now languishing in the County jail, having been bound over to await action by the grand jury charged with assault with intent to kill. It is common rumor among the Mexican people that he will not be indicted, as his son is on the grand jury, but that those at whom he shot will be-
 The home station on nearly all ranches is built of adobe or sun-dried brick, at the mak- ing of which the Mexicans are exceedingly expert. These houses are one story in height and remarkably cool in summer and warm in
 winter. Around them are grouped stables, corrals, wagon yards, etc. The houses are not built with particular regard for comfort
 IS large part of the time only one man is
 there to look after things, the main part of the
 ''outfi." being with the wagon looking after the stock, and the climate is so perfect that
 but little is needed for protection from the inclemency of the weather.
 No one, unless he has spent several weeks in the country, can appreciate the climate with which New Mexico is blessed Every morning, except few in the rainy season.
 the sun rises clear in the horizon and by noon it would be exceedingly warm were it not that gentle breeze springs up which cools the heated air In the evening and at night it is always cool, so much so that even at this season every one sleeps under 6 blanket at feast. In the day time the mercury rarely rises above 900, while at night it falls to about 650, but the air is 80 pure and dry, the ranch being some 4,000 feet above the sea levsl that the heat in the warmest part of the day is not at all oppressive.
 As we sat in frent of our adobe house few evenings since, and gazed at the full moon which was shining brightly in the cloudless sky, Illuminating the mountain tops in the far distance, and casting sil- very sheen over the almost boundless prairie, our party could not but be struck with the tranquil beauty of the scene, while at the
  cinated us. Our only regret was that some of our New Haven friends could not be with to enjoy it also.
 This portion of New Mexico is preeminent- ly stock country, and large part of the capital of it's people is invested in the raising of beef for the market. It may, in fact, be called stockman's paradise, as the winters are not cold enough to do any damage, while the summers sufficiently warm to make the young cattle grow quickly. In the not distant future but few beeves will be raised in it for market, ,as it will be the great breed ing center where calves will be raised until they are yearlings, when they will be shipped to Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana and fattened for the market. In the colder coun- tries not over fifty per cent. of the COWS of @ bearing age have calves which arrive at maturity, while here the average is at least ninety per cent: Animals bred in northern countries weigh more than their southern neighbors, which will be the margin of profit which the ranchmen of the north will in the future realize.
 So much capital, not only of it's citizens but of foreign corporations, being invested in cattle, the legislature of the territory has passed very stringent laws for its protection. These laws when supplemented by the action of the various cattle associations, (the work ings of which I will describe 1ater), make @ steer or COW when once branded and turned loose on a range as secure from loss as cattle in our own State which are kept in pasture all day and locked in the stable at night. For example, every individual or company before branding stock is compelled to select some brand, fac smile of which must be recorded in the office of the county clerk where the range is located. The brand must be different from .ny previously recorded, for if it is the same all animals branded with it will belong to the person who originally recorded it. For killing stock not belonging to you the penal sy is imprisonment from one to five years, and for altering or counterfeiting brand imprisonment for from five to fifteen years. All butchers and others are compelled to keep the hides of any slaughtered animals for thirty days, which hides are examined by regularly appointed inspectors and memo randum is taken of all brands. The books of those inspectors are open for examination by the public.
 The associations were originally started to protect their interests by the larger breeders as secret organizations, but they are now thrown open so that any person interested in cattle can join them. The whole territory is divided into districts of such size may be convenient, and in each district such ranch owners as join meet and elect officers and an executive committee. The executive committee appoint inspectors at Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Fort Dodge, Denver, and at all large receiving points, and three or
 
 speetors have list of all persons or com panies belonging to the association which they represent and description of their brands. Every day all trains which arrive at their respective cities and the stock yards are visited and the brands of all cattle in spected. The inspectors on the railroad lines examine every car of cattle which pass es, and if your cattle are mixed with those of any other person, the agent in charge of the cars and the inspector at the point of destina- tion are notified, and when the cars are un- loaded they are claimed for the rightful own CTS. For instance, if in shipping Bell cattle, one or two head of FxB steers had become mixed with them and had gone forward to, say Kansas City, the inspector at that point on finding them at once notifies the commits sion merchant to whom the Bell beeves are consigned The FxB beeves would be taken out of the pen and sold, as it would be too expensive to return them, and the proceeds of the sale minus expenses is remitted by the association to the owners of the FxB brand.
 In addition to the inspectors, the associa- tions employ detectives who are disguised as