The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-02-23
THE STOCK INTEREST
A Brighter Day Ahead for Lone
Star Cattlemen.
The Prlckly Pear Forging TO the
Front - Interesting Local
Stock Dots.

A STATESMAN reporter browsed around
among the long and shorthorn fellows
yesterday and picked up the following
items, which will be found of interest:
Here in the CITY the livestock business,
Mr.. j. @. Duncan says, has been brisker
during the week than at any time this
been readily disposed of at advanced
prices.
Captain Gaines, from Llano county,
brought in some first-class butcher cat
tie and sold then at a good
price to Joe Lucksinger.
Mr.. Goasley, of Mason county, came in
with lot of very fine COWS and calves,
which Ed Haigler snapped up at big
price.
Mr.. Wilson, of Llano county, is in the
city, and has fine bunch of COWS Oh
the market.
Captain Mathews is also here with a
lot of fat COWS, and the genial captain
don't care cent who knows it.
Captain Jones, of Hot Springs,
is here after some fancy sad
die horses and ponies, and you
fellows who have them should trot 'em
out.
The Coopwood brothers, of Arkansas,
and live stock men too, they are, are here
wanting to buy three or four car loads of
good horses.
Colonel Jet yesterday shipped car
load of fine mares to Mississippi and, he
is anxious to secure more, and word left
with Mr.. ]. @. Duncan will reach him.
INTERESTING INTERVIEW.
| A CIR IN, A
with Mr.. @. s. Knott, who has had much
experience in the stock business, asked
him what he thought of the outlook.
"Well sir, just now the stock interest ia
little down in the mouth, but am con-
fident there is brighte day ahead"
"What has caused the present depres-
sionH"
"Many things have combined to depress
the business, and among them the pro-
longed drouth has cut a very important
figure; but, to tell you the truth, feel as
if the dry years have been benefit"
"Iu what way?"
"Why, it has caused US to do some
thinking, and, instead of letting the bust
ness run at loose ends and the stock shift
for themselves, we have had to rustic, and,
in consequence, we have developed new
resources heretofore unknown or little
thought Of"
evil you mention some of the new re-
sources?"
"Possibly the most important has been
the digging of artesian and other wells in
the great stock district, and the putting
up of hay by many ranchmen for winter
use. Then, great many small stockmen
now plant sugar cane for feed, and many
have discovered that the prickly pear is a
valuablelfood for stock. Last year, as dry
as it was, raised two good crops OF
sugar cane, and 1 tell you that
small stockmen, or for that matter
large stock men, who try it and feed their
cattle during the winter, will find the add
tional cost is nothing compared with what
will be gained"
GLOW long have you been in the bust
nessP"
81 have been in the business in Texas
several years, and have bad no loss worth
speaking of. During this winter, and at
this time, have one man who is caring
for 500 head of horses and lie, and
with the exception of ten head, very poor
in the beginning of the winter,
l lost none. They were chilled to death
during that intense cold spell. have
never lost single horse during the win
ter, Notwithstanding they had nothing
but what they got on the range"
"What do you think of the future9"
"Well, sir, beef is bound to be in de-
mand, and think no state in the union
can equal Texas in natural advantages
for raising it. The poorest need
only little feed during the
winters, for, say, some six or eight weeks
to tide them through the worst. 1 think
we make mistake driving off our year
lings and young cattle. We should keep
them at home and raise the beeves to 3
and years old. If we do this the world
will soon learn that Texas can raise the
very finest and best of beef. would say,
and 1 advise that the small stock growers
hold on to their yearlings and feed sugar
cane and prickly pears few winters, and
make them the finest and cheapest beeves
in the world. We can sell them at home
or to the refrigerators in our own state.'