The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-08-30
THE ROUND UP,


this wonderful industry, with its hun
dreds Of millions of invested capitalP an
industry that feeds the standing armies
of the Old World and whose shipments
areEmade to great continents and islands
of the seas?
The origin of the range cattle growing
industry in the United States dates back
to about the 18th century, when horned
cattle were introduced from Spain by
way of Mexico among the Pueblo In
dians residing along the east bank of the
Rio Grande. Later on the early colonists
to the Republic of Texas took with them
herds of horned cattle, and in this way
Texas became the mother Of the ra ge
cattle industry in the United States.
Here it was almost wholly confined until
after the rebellion. Prior to the late war
nearly the whole of Texas was given up
to cattle growing After the war the
disbanding of the great armies lessened
the demand and Texas swarmed with
great herds in excess of the market de-
mand and local consumption. Cattle
We're of little value and yet these herds
were rapidly increasing. What was to
be doneP The more enterprising ranch
men of Texas began to look for new
ranges and markets that would consume
the enormous surplus. California then
had but few cattle The states of Kan
sas and Nebraska, and the territories
west of the Missouri River were sparsely
populated. The vast region of magnii-
cent grazing area to be found there and
upon which the buffalo roamed, readily
hn fpp 6al nf
pertinent.
If the wild bison could subsist on these
plains and in the valleys and parks of the
Rocky Mountain Country, why could not
cattleS Winter and summer the buffalo
found sufficient grass and hence the
more enterprising Texas cattlemen came
to the conclusion that domestic cattle
bred and raised upon the prairie grass of
Texas and left to their own exertions for
subsistence, would be adapted to the fine
grasses of the plains of the west and
northwest States and territories, and
where at that time only the buffalo grazed.
Thus the study of the life and habits of
the buffalo led to the idea which has
made this the greatest range and cattle
growing country in the world. Not a
few Texas men came and some from Cal
irornia, and all drove their herds into
this newer country. Theirsuccess caused
others to follow, and eastern spectators
were attracted by the fine opportunities
for investment. Thus sprang up this
wonderful industry, for soon the unoccu-
pied territory of the plains country of the
West was filled with great herds of grass
raised cattle-cattle that knew not home
or master and to which grain would have
been almost scarecrow. And with all
this there came u cowboy, sui generls,
about whom there clusters so much of ro-
nance.
But all this is rapidly changing. The
great cnttle kings will soon be
thing of the past. The business formerly
known rs "Cattle ranching on the west
arm plains Of America" will only be
known In history, or aJ least the Gay On
large herds upon free ranges is soon to
be thing Of the past. Rec-ntly while
talking with e. G. Head, ex-President of
the International Range Association,
and one of the best informed men on this
subject in the West, he said, "There is a
changed condition brought about by the
constant tide of home seekers in the new
West. The cattle will be divided and
subdivided into comparatively small
herds for few years, yet many large
herds will continue to be met wAth upon
the open range country. Then again
where ownership is now exercised over
large grazing land holdings, as is the case
in Texas, New Mexico and Old Mexico,
large herds of cattle will continue there
IN ha o,ro1ad t1ntil auph landa baoOrna tho
valuable for grazing and are rendered
adaptable for other uses. The present
condition of the cattle interests is quite