New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-10-24
A Wonderful Cattle Pen.

Indian tradition as well as white
lore tells that seyenty-fve miles
northwest of Meeker, Col, is the
most wonderful cattle ranch in the
world. Within a space OF five miles
IN length and a half mile in width
roam a herd upon whose sides the
branding iron has never been placed,
and around whose horns the lariat
has never frightened.
But a score or even fewer of them
have ever seen a man or horse or
other animal of their kind, and, in
truth, their kin, except at distance
ofnearly 600 feet high above them.
The Ute Indians call them "p'chek-
up" or red buffalo. And yet if an
indian who had seen them should be
asked about it he would laugh and
shake his head, and all the inforna-
ton obtainable would be "P'chek-
up; EN- 'em red no ketch 'em," There
are more than 600 of this herd, and
yet no man owns them; nor is there
any man, white or black or copper
colored, who has ever been able to
possess a hoof of these fat and
tempting beeves.
The cattle are in a prison. Out of
it there is one method of escape, but
to travel that road means death to
the adventurous one. There is no
way to get in except it be by use of a
rope thousand feet in length. AS
the Indians say, Cheap see EN-; no
ketchum; no come away" On the
two sides of the oblong space in
which these cattle roam, rise pre-
cipitous and even concaved rocks for
500 and 600 feet. At either end
seethes and rushes the Yampa or
Bear Biver.
For miles above and for miles be-
low it plunges ON in its headlong
haste to reach the arms of it's par
ent, the scarcely less tunultuous but
deeper Green River. Like the won
derful fat-top mountains of Colo
RADIO, this home of the imprisoned
herd has no likeness in the world. 1t
recalls, in it's inaccessibility the
marvellous stories of the valley of
verdure into which Mayne Reid's ad-
venturers only found their way by
the assistance of the-balloon.
The story OF the way IN which these
cattle came there is as strange as
their existence is curious. Fifteen
years ago, when the government
troops were pursuing the Mormon
murderers of the innocent victims of
the Mountain Meadow Massacre, the
Danites, or Avenging Angels of the
Mormons, fled into what was then
literally the wilderness. A few OF
those who had been the blindest fol-
lowers of Lee, the Mormon fend in
carnate, whose hands were red with
blood of women and children, found
in their wandering a pretty valley on
a stream which flows from the Was
atch range into the Green River.
They stuck their stakes, built their
sagacious leaders had a vision which
told them where to stay. They could
scarcely have chosen in all Utah a
more fertile Or more isolated spot.
They called it Ashley, and about
them have since gathered more of
their sect, until where the refugees
posted the picket of guards on the
lonely nights of the first summer has
grown a thriving village.
lit is 14O miles from the Union Pa
cific Railroad south and 145 miles
north of the Rio Grande Western.
Until within five years it has been
isolated entirely but now it is
thirty-fve miles from the Utah Reser-
walton, and furnishing supplies for
the agency forms quite a business
for the community.
1t is tenet of the Danites that
robbing or theft from a Gentle is no
crime. So it was thought to be only
cunning trick when Joe Wyclifffe,
one of the Mormon settlers of the
new town, and his three sons made a.
night sortie on Henry's Ford in
Wyoming, and carried away 500
head Of cattle ranging there. This
was in 1876. The owners of the cat
tie discovered the loss of the stock a
few days after they were gone and
started in pursuit.
TheWyclifes had their friends along
the trail, and were warned by signals
OF the gang of the pursuing party,
Accordingly they drove the cattle as
fast as they could travel on eastward,
across Green River and up along the
Bear, with the intention of reaching
the Elk Mountain country in North
western Colorado, where they would
be practically safe from detection,
and their stock, also could secure the
most succulent of feed.
The thieves and the stolen herd
had reached 81 mesa of inviting grass
,at sundowh one day and halted to
camp for the might. A terrific storm
arose The four mem desperately
held the terrorism icken cattle by rid
ing about them constantly. But the