Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-08-09

ever pointed forward for inspection as
soon as one attracts the animals atten-
ton. This enables rider rs he moves
through herd searching for the cattle
Of certain brand, to find his animals
with ease.
Branding goes on all the year round
and as often rs an unbranded calf is
found. Every rider carries rs part Of
his outfit curved iron, not over large or
long, which he calls his ''running-iron,"
and at any time II he discovers an un-
marked calf he ties 1t down, builds
fire and brands 1t.
The latter spring and earlier summer
months is the epoch for the general
roundup for tho purpose Of branding
calves. This spring roundup Is en-
gagged In by all owners on q certain
range In concert They form among
themselves an association, the books Of
which point to the number Of calves the
owner brands each year, and in making
up these roundup outfits and In furnish
ing men, the proportion OF each owner
is determined by the number Of calves
he last branded. The number of men
and ergo the outfits necessary to round
up, handle and brand the cattle and
calves on certain range, is determined
by the number OF cattle and calves
shown By the association books. The
number OF men fixed on. they are broken
up into outfits, each in charge Of
range boss and accompanied by q cook
and chuck-wagon, which serves the dual
purpose OF purveying the grub and
packing the blankets. Generally there
are from eight to twelve men in each
outfit, not all representing the same
brand, but all taking their orders from
the raEge boss of that outfit. Each rider
has seven horses, and rs these form
quite bunch, two Of the men are de-
tailed as "hoss-hustlers," and one OF
the two has charge of the bunch night
and day, holding it near and carrying ii
along with the grub wagon as the cook
moves camp.
The number OF men and outfits being
determined and the quota to be fur
nished by each brand being fixed, on a
certain day they all start for the south
side of the range. Each outfit takes an
assigned post and all together making
line along the southern border of the
range, reaching from its eastern to its
western limits-sometime q distance
of one hundred and fifty miles. Then
the roundup begins, all moving to the
north, covering the entire country, and
bringing the cattle along much on the
same principle that room Is swept.
Every man save cook and hoss-hustlers
ride to the right and left of his chuck
wagon, so far as to touch the work OF
the outfits next in hand, and the cattle
as fast as found are driven into herd
one herd with each outfit. Two or
three men are then detailed to hold and
bring on the cattle thus collected, while
the rest of the men still scour the range
for more, every hour in the day seeing
fresh additions to the general herd.
This is hard work on horses, and cow
boy generally saddles three of his seven
ponies each day, reserving the best one
for hard and unusual work during dark |
and stormy nights.
The object of the roundup at this |
time is to brand, but as it first starts |
out it sweeps northward with all the |
cattle it can find; steers, bulls, COWS and
calves alike. When bunch grows so
large as to handle with difficulty, o
stop is made to cut out all except the
cows and calves, the cattle thus elimi-
mated being turned loose on the range
again. The work then proceeds as be-
lore, and this cutting out process is re-
sorted to as fast as the size of herd
makes it necessary.
The purpose of bringing all the cat
lie as far northward as possible Is to
Keep them on the proper range. Cattle
n any voluntary movement of their
own never work north and but seldom
Ind slightly to the east or west Every
storm, however, coming as storms do
rom the north, sends the cattle to the
iouth and unless turned back yearly to
lrift over the same range again the cat
lie of the entire Western country, from
he Yellowstone south, would in time
,ack themselves into the southern eX-
remity of Texas between the Rio
irande and the Gulf.
An outfit from che commencement
POINTS to some corral or branding pen.
IN its arrival there the marking of the
alves begins. A branding pen proper
md constructed for the purpose is cir
ular in form and made OF twelve foot
'alisades stuck endwise in the ground
nd flaring outward towards the top
Ike the sides of funnel. The fare is
o keep the cattle as they charge
round in the pen from hurting them !
elves against the sides thereof.
There is one opening through which
he cattle are driven, and the center Of
he corral is marked by large snub-
ing post two feet in diameter. A &
outfit on coming to the pen
lay meet some other outfit similarly