The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-05
THE CATTLE INDUSTRY.
PAST AND PRESENT METHODS OF
THE IRREPRESSleLE COWBOY.
Texas Runs and Round Ups Now
Being Rapidly Narrowed Down Into
Observation-Disclosures Of the Good Old
TImes-Ios-es Of "A Hard Winter.


Times-Los.es of n Hard Winter.
The progress and success Of the cattle
Industry in the west has been marvellous
For many years the business was con
Quoted almost entirely by individuals,
and so wdened and prosPered that in a
few years the cattle kings were almost
as numerous and opulent rs the famous
"bonanza kings They had personal
supervision over their range and stock,
and as the circle of their dominion
broadened the round up" and the line
riders found here and there fields OF
all the game animals which in former
times swarmed over the country. Indian
tradition told them that away back IN the
| forties a certain winter had left no living
creature for spring TO make glad with her
balny air and green grass. 30 the idea
was born 10 them that IL would be well to
] take in partners while the business was
vet in its glory. So friends in the east
were written 10 concerning the profits and
small costs of cattle raising individuals
purchased half, third or fourth interests
| in the ranges or herds, as the case might
! be. and then came about the formation OF
syndicates and companies For several
years the increase was simply immense,
and the trail from Texas became one con
tinuous stream of animal life. emptyine
itself upon the plains OF wyoming,
| Montana and Dakota. ~
The profits were large. Each success
siye beef round up brought 70 the east
ern market thousands Of head Of cattle,
comparing fayorably with the pampered
corn fed" stock Of Nebraska aud Illinois.
| Newspaper writers set forth the business
i'm the most glowing colOrS, magazines
| gave facts and figures with elaborate care;
| money flowed in from the great CONNER
| cial centers, new companies were formed
| every day. aud the festive cowboy grew
apace and hourished hi, six shooter with
J impunity. while his employers sat by their
warm fires in ease Did not the cowboys
! look after their interests OBJ the stormy
range So they must not be curbed, even
| if they did sometimes make things lively
| in these little western towns I'm those
/ DAYS the owners Of small herds had no
rights these reckless fellows were bound
to respect. \ regularly recorded brand
was the only thin. that insured anything
| like safety To the flocks Indeed, it was
! mo- unusual thing 10 SEQ during the spring
round up haif dozen men, mounted on
! brouchos. ride mp tou farmers gate open
| u and galIop peIl NELL across the pasture
and round up his whole herd Of tame
| cows II there was amy doubt i'm their
| minds about the brand OH creature the
| h.soc- were taken from their places on
| the saddle there were few le&trOu, ilings
| If m, rope In the air and then the animal
! was stretched upon the ground. May He
! J. was the chldrou's pet hciier, but for
! fear of hurting Ter the hot iron I'm the
tnnii hand had pressed too lightly. and
and there was DO mark Oh thc hide. So
sligo was maverick aud regardless of
! trp.t- and pcrsuasious she was driven
away 10 etarvc TO death the next winter
| on bare range
But the day of retrbutiOn was coming.
| The spring Of 1856 opened up clear and
BRIGHT. with but little rain 10 call forth
| the grass from the whole earth. During
the whole summer there was terrible
| drought. and the hot winds swept over
the parchcd plains, shriyclng up and kill
| inc all sorts Of vegetation The grass
was as dry and brown i'm June as if the
| frosts Of autumn had already come and
! locked up a goodly supply ot nourishment
! tie during the long winter months. But
the old frontier men knew that there
were too many cattle on the range, and
that. even if the grass was good enough
! 10 keep them during the summer and fall,
a great many must die m the cold storms
OF winter Ia September and October
there was = larger drive from the south
than ever before Cold weather set in
early in November and continued until
| 500 600 cattle had persisted from starva-
| ton. In every little gulch might have
| been seen cattle staggering from weak
ness as they yaInly tried 70 nlbble the
/ short grass 10 prolong their tortured eX-
| istence few hours longer Bnt at last
| they lay down M the snow, and soon the
stupor came on which took their value
| from the Cattlemen's pockets.
Now. however the order OF things has
| changed and it IS the man Of small herds
who has the advantage. It Is acknowl-
| edged by men who ought 10 know that in
! the future the only way 10 raise cattle
| successfully will be 20 feed and shelter
! them we'll in winter, and either close herd
or pasture them during the warm seasons.
| The ranges are fast becoming settled by
! industrious men, and the land which
few years since formed part OF valuable
ranges now produces good crops Of wheat,
| oats and corn.
In regard 10 this, cattle man well
| known throughout the west said to your
correspondent few days since: The day
Of the round up is practically over; from
| this time on we will either have to watch
| our cattle or lose 'em. ~
Another prominent member Of the stock
association said Yes il will not be many
years before large herds will be thing Of
| the past One or two years will put an
end to the round up, and the business will
be in the hands Of local men"
On being told that your correspondent
had questioned one man about the loss
last winter he laughed and voluntarily
said: We'll, don't know that blame
any one interested in the matter for not
wanting TO talk about il, but there IS no
use I'm trying to keep il secret any longer.
| Seventy-hve per cent. Of al the cattle is
somewhere near it, though 80 may be
nearer. One firm made a drive Of 2O.OOO
in the fall. and in the spring found
scarce | 800: another ot 1000 num-
bered but 800 after the round up
| The greatest loss was in cows that had
| been. or were, sucking calves. The calf
round up was very small, because the
cows were nearly all dead. No, 1t