The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-12-02
i 4ROUS1Ur or CATTL E
A PpcUrdAn FALL CEREMONY ON
WEDTBnN RANCHES.


tHc GNOrt2WtSt. ~ - INC toit'-
when the stock is driven to the ''home
ranch" or headquarters for ''cuttiDg
out" the marketable steers and branding
any animals that may have escaped the
iron In their days OF calfhood. Long
days of riding on the part of the ranch
assistants precede the gathering, and
when the thousand or more head OF cat
tie that have been feeding all summer on
the plains are collected in the big corral
it is a splendid sight.
On the hip oil every grown animal
there is series OF scars, showing their
healed surfaces through the sleek hair.
1t is the trademark of the prsries. By
its perfect system the cattle can be iden
tilted as il by name, and the buyer in
Chicago, Omaha or Kansas City knows
ex:ctly as lie sends mixed carload off
to the packing houses from whica ranca
each came.
Branding requires one or two men
with lariats aud one man with the brand
ing iron. With skilled hands the
lassos arc thrown, catching the steer or
cow by horns aud hind foot. Perhaps
the victim is tuHbled on its back, per-
haps not. At any rate, IN moment the
assistant has run from the fire with the
cd-hot iron in his hand, pressed it a
moment on tho shrinking faux; there is
little puff of smoke, a smell OF burn.
ing flesh, aud beneath is mark that
will remain until the creatures death.
II seems cruel, but it is necessary plau
Of identification.
Hard as it is to capture and hold the
animal it is almost equally difficult to let
90. At the instant the ropes are loosened
The frightened beast, never before touched
by human hands, leaps to his feet eager
for an object upon which to wreck ven-
geance. For a man on horseback the
steer has the utmost respect, but for
man or horse separately absolutely no
tear. Either is helpless in herd of
Texas steers.
The marking system is based upon
registration of brands. Every man who
owns stock on the great prairies where
fences are unknown must select brand
letter, figure, fauciful design or com.
bination - and register it with the
county and State officers as well as with
cattle associations. His brand must be
that has straycd during the summer
from Southern Wyoming over into Ne
braska or Northern Kansas is quickly
identified at the annual roundup. In-
spectors arc stationed at the shipping
points to intercept aud seize for the ben
eft of the cattle associations any animal
not described in the bill Of sale.
The old-timc brands are note for
their intricacy and fancifulness. Some
of them almost cover the flank Of the
cattle and make the hide worthless.
Letter brands are common, many stock
men using their own initials. The diff
Guilty of securing brand not previously
%sa hsy ea to hsss cysS Sad SesE 3
similar devices. Flying letters are
written with red hot pokels aud continue
the letter proper into long, Struggling
brands have become the faVorites. Out
lines of axes, shears, boots, eggs, arrows,
etc., arc likely to be found on the stock
of small owners, though the brand Of
the Sidney Dillon ranches is rude nit
ten. The thousands of cattle owned by
the Earl of Freund are marked "76,'
and tho brand is almost as familiar in
Europe among cattle owners as on the
ranges Of Nebraska and Wyoming. Sen
ator Carey brands his herds &C. Y"
The Oelrich ranches have the "bar Ii,
or this, I'll" Occasionally o man
with short name will put it in full on
his stock, but it is needless cruelty.
A few years ago 1T was not uncommon
for poor, but energetic, young men to
start in life on the pla:ns, with no capital
fixed in the worlds goods. BY patiently
lassooing one unmarked animal after
another and leaving trademark on its
flank, a respectable herd was soon ac'
ouired. A violent attack of hemp lever
was also acquired il the 'rustler' was
caught.
Changing brands was also a favorite
pursuit with the ruStler. Adding let.
ter, figure or device, or by some means
obltcratiug the mark already on was
common. The story is still told in Ne
braska OF the Napoleon Of Cattlcdom,
who invented the spade brand, formed
by heating spade red hot and slappng
it on the creatures TANKS, oblitcrating
all previous brands. He was invited to
nccktc party and never returned.
Changing 0 G cattle into o G
was reported by the papers last year, and
the Three Ones Rancho found that its
brand oil" was being transformed by
some unknown dcprcdator into "H L."
The only method by With i brand can
be legally wiped out is by "ventlng" it,
which means placing the original brand
upside down under the one first burned.
A steer that has changed hands several
times thus often comes to presents crazy
patchwork appearance.
At the fall roundup there are found
inyry cattle withOuta mark. They were
missed when calves or were born after
tic sprinE branding aud arc termed
'maycriclS." The word is one peculiar
to the West and has come to mean any
loncsn ne individual owned by nobody
and claimed by nouc. The mavericks
! are gat lcrcl by themselves and sold Mt
| auction. the proceeds going to the cattle
for tNru