The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-04-08
4 TERRIBLE STAMPEDE.
HUNDREDS OF BEASTS DRIVEN TO
DEATH BY HUNGER AND COLO.

Grapi &c Description of :. Most Terribl 6
Sceue- Saved by Saperiuman Efforts
stary;I :: Cattle Make Desperate Efforts
to Gcr something 20 Eat.
SAN FRANCISCO, March 2S.-Recent
estimates oi the loss OF cattle last win
ter run he number up 10 100000, and
examples are numerous where out OF 4
| herd OF 1000, three score OF less We're
alive III the spring. This was l.. NJ
Strawbridge'S experience. while e. W.
Crumbs saved but LEO out of 10000
). c. Daosou and Frank Miller, OF Sac
ramento lost between G,0OO and 1909,
valued at 100000, while others lost so
mauy hreeGlag animals that this sum-
mer some r&ncherS branded l,UOO to
1900 calves where for several seasons
past they We're in the habit Of branding
from 20O~0 to $4,000.
John Bradley was another heavy
loser ard had an experience with some
of his cattle that be will never forget.
One night in January last 5000 Of his
choicest, which had been driven in
close 70 the headQ uarterS Of the ranch,
where there were between 500 and l,OOO
| bales OF hay stacked together In one
huge pile, and encloSe'; by 4 high and
strong board fence, made Il wild STAN
pede, AID took complete possessIonsof
the haE. During the day they were
given a small quantity OF 1t, the Idea
being to keep them from utter star7a-
ton and make the hay last as long as
possible. Men armed With sticks :and
Ditchforks were stationed alongside OF
the fence to more completely guard the
provender, it being anticipated that ID
their hunger the animals would. make
an onslaught on the fence to get az the
cove.s;. too&.
DarHncss came ol, an,i ii was bitter
cold. The night was clear and the
snow deep on the ground, ana ever and
anon sharp. piercing winds would mer-
ciieSslv laSa the poor dumb beasts, who
IN soLd pha,anx on all four sides of the
fenced hay stood short distance away,
shivering in their plight, looking al
the hay and watching tne men on
guard.
Two hours before midnight the wind
increased in fury. II became hurrl-
cane, with the thermometer below zero:
The men on guard IN their bundle of
clothes were painfully cold; the cattle
presented grim aspects, II one great
shiTrri.!g mass, SuTging TO and FRO,
restless with pain and hunger, but
| with :heir eyes sul; iiXeG o. the big pie
OF hay.
Their restiasSnesS increased, the
Swaylng movement OF the big mass be-
cane more noticeable. TllH cattle IN
the rear, ii a vain attempt 80 get away
from the cruel wind, struggled wildly,
rushing forward and fighting TO ouSI
those 10 front, until the Whole nero
tool; aiarrn and began moving toward
the hay. Suddenly with enc accord
they beloved loud and long, as If In.
stlnct told them death Was near, and
then in mad career rushed bNudly
and furiously toward the fence.
The guards, having no avenue or es-
cape but on top of the pile o: hay,
swiftly climbed the fence and scram.
| Dled on top just as the hungry herd
made its mad charge.
Il was a grand and terrible scene as
the cattle rushed up to the fence, tnoSe
in the front having their brains dashed
out and others being trampled to death
by those charging on behind. The
fence gave way, and around and up the
pile Of hay the herd moved on, so close,
~ packed together that some behind
were forced upon the backs OF those IN
front, while here and there were large
piles Of dead animals, from the top OF
which cattle stood frantically grabbing
their food, only the next moment to be
savagely attacked by others for a taV-
ored place.
For an hour the guards on top, with
bated breath and frightened looks
watched this weird sight, and then
yeI.s for i,elv. as the c2uJte pusned oEe
another close up to the top. made BRAD
ley and others, who had run out CT the
house when the cattle beloved tnlnh,
ing that the guards were being mangled
beneath the hoofs Of the enraged beasts
For two hours tney labored to drive
the cattle back to rescue the guards ano
finally succeeded in getting an opening
for them to escape, but the cattle no.
ished the hay pile, and q week later all
were dead from cold and hunger.