Arizona weekly citizen., 1889-06-22
IN NEW MEXICO.
4 APicTUREsoUE FEATURE OF SOUTH.
 WESTERN SHEEP RAISING.

Lambing time being safely past. the spring shearing follows at once. The Eavajos shear but once . year, but May and September The shearing is the most picturesque feature of southwestern sheep raising It would fairly paralyzs an eastern wool grower. whose men lay their subjects on table and shear thirty to forty head a day per man, to watch the operation In New Mexico It is ligH- ming thrice fabricated Each man shears from 75 to 150 head day, and 1t is of record that in a contest a single man has sbeared over 200 5heep between sunrise and sunset. The shearing point is chosen usually as near the railroad as possible to save carriage. 1t being much cheaper end easier to transport wool on the hoof high is built of railroad ties or cedar posts, the army of shearers comes trudg Ing in from all quarters of the compass Nexicans, Pueblos and a few Navajos: the first flock is brought down from the hills. and the fun commences. With shouts and carajoes and flying sticks, ths flock is turned in toward the corral. the little band of goats serving as an advance . they jam into the corral. from which they are to emerge in few hours the shorn and shabby shadow of their former selves. and likely patched with many crimson uick Within the inclosure are from fifty to eighty shearers, each with his own par ticular station at the inside of the fence And now the 2.5OO sheep are in. the gap is closed and the ball opens.
 rto nf ho Nf hn is one dense mass of huddled wool IL seems impossible that living creatures can be packed so tight A rat tossed ubon their backs would have to ron on wool to the other side of the corral before be could reach the ground Unable to move more than their heads. with inglo rious unanimity of tail turned toward the common foe. trembling and breathless. the timid creatures await their fate. There Is grand rush of the shearers. Each man grabs sheep by the hind legs or by the wool-if he be ambitious he takes one in each hand-and runs to his place dragging his reluctant victim back ward behind him Then he throws the ,heep upon it's side. gathers it's four little feet into bunch and ties them with . soft. coarse cord or thong Then he is
 
 so on until he has as big row of captives as be can lay out without crowding his neighbors on either hand Then, grasping . bunch of legs in his left hand and the keen sheep shears in his right. he wadea in It Is pretty sight to see an exper. shearer ct work With lightning rapidity and marvellous dexterity he drives the heavy shears down through the dense and matted wool. rolling it down from the sides as If It were a solid fabric which one might pick up entire; sliding the razor like blades unhesitatingly over the angles and into the hollows. hidden by their thick coat. but seldom nicking the skin The current wages for shearers are two cents per head for common sheep. three cents for improved sheep. and board 4 good shearer, therefore, makes good money for this country. as he will shear l25 sheep day.
 Slowly around the corral paces the scorer. In his right hand is pencil; in his left Is piece of cardboard, with mum. bers from one up to the aggregate of the shearers running down its left hand edge, and each number commanding a line of its own across the card Every few sec- onds comes cry from some part of the corral "Viente- uno" "Cuarante-seisr "Numero cinco" as the case may be. each yell delivered with that emphatic unction which seems indigenous here. Each man receives a number at the commencement Df the shearing season. and 1t serves him IS a name until its close The yell, there fore. means merely that Jesus Romero temporarily dubbed No 2l-has finished ,hearing a sheep. and the scorer talliss ,ne 10 his credit accordingly.
 Saving wood-an occupation which in the east has some notor:sty as a spine sprainer-is simple nap as compared to tue New Mexican fashion of sheep shear. lng which Is. perhaps. the most fstiguing work In the world The sheep is on the ground. the sbearer Is on his feet, bent :ill his hands are within three inches to . foot from the ground. and in this attituds working twelve hours. with half an hours .ntermission for dinner.
 In an incredibly short time the shearer aas done with his six or eight first victims and untiea them all They go skipping back to their companions. looking and possibly feeling something like Q boy stose clothes have been stolen while be vas swimming It Is pretty safe prop ,sition that the world doesn't contain . sorrier. forlorner specimen than 6 shorn sheep. And at our New Mexican attitudes from 5000 to 5000 feet above the seq .evcl-the dwindled wool wearers gre doubtless anxious for that proverbial tenn pering of the wind
 Having sharpene6 his shears on c fat sandstone. the shearer collars another batch of recalcitrant victims and goes on with his breakback job. Meanwhile . laborer gathers up the Heeces in . big piece of burlap and carries his bundle to the corral Here. upon four tall. strong posts. set firmly in the ground and framed in with boards at the top. hangs a huge ourlap sack from whose neck project the head and shoulders of a man, who Is busy tramping the wool down with his feet. lis companion. perched upon the boards above. takes the feeces from the gatherer and dumps them into the bag. When the sack is full It Is sewed up and rolled aside. It's place on the hooks being taken by an empty one. All day long two little pais- amos are trotttng about inside the corral. armed with wisps of greasewood. with which they sweep into the corners each stray lock of wool. which would otherwise Oe lost.
 Meanwhile the sacks have been weighed, and upon each has been marked It's weight averaging 225 pounds-with the initials or brand marks of the owner, and bloodier but equally important work has been going CD little way from the corral. at a stout post The shearers must eat, and there Is nothing 50 cheap as mutton So while the multitudinous click of the shears fills the rare. bright air. two strap ping fellows are busy all day killing and dressing fat wethera Close by are the smouldering camp fires and greasy kettles ,f the men. who eat like sin
 When the sun sinks behind the long nesas the shears are instantly still and lhe men crowd to supper. A little later sees them rolled in their blankets upon the ground. snoring away their fatigue ill peep O day again renews the bustls New Mexico Cor Globe Democrat
 In the case of Stevens vs Wise, an suit for 5000 growing out | 'f claim for a share in the proceeds l 'f mining sale, which was partially |