Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-03
BOLD TEXAN RANGERS
A Unique and Formidable Band
of Frontier Fighters.
TERROR TO OUTLAWS AND INDIANS

0rsaai.ed By Sam Houston In 1885, They
Have Had IN Active and Picturesqus
Existence Ever Since Ce.ssrv.tors Of
There is no police force or militia on
earth quite like tho Texas rangers The
organization has been famous for 60 years,
but at length with changing conditions it
seems likely soon to disappear. 1t is still
enormously popular in Texas, and its
members and veterans enjoy peculiar privi-
legcs throughout the state.
The original rangers were organized in
1886 by Sam Houston. They helped to
bring about Texan independence and SUBJ
sequently to defend the frontier against
the assaults of Indians and Mexicans
From that time to this the Texas rangers
have existed in one form or another A
company of so former rangers is now
fighting for the freedom Of Cuba, and an
organized force of rangers under the pay
Of the state helps to maintain order in tho
wilder parts Of Texas.
When the civil war broke out, Con
Terry, an old ranger, organized the IA
nous body of men known as Terry Texas
rangers, composed almost entirely of
former rangers and frontiersmen. They
fought from Bull Run to Appomattox and
lost 75 per cent of their original muster
roll.
Soon after the close of the civil war the
Texas legislature provided for calling out
900 rangers to protect the frontiers
against hostile Indians. 1t was formid-
able little army thus provided, and for
| some years thereafter the rangers formed
. strong body of troops
The various state troops of Texas from
1865 to 1883 effectually followed 1873 par
ties of Indian marautlcrs, had 81 fights
| with Indians and Mexicans, killed 81 In
dians, wounded 50 and captured q, killed
81. Mexicans and wounded 5 and recovered
nearly 5000 stolen horses, mules and cat
tie and 3 citizens carried off by Indians
and desperaGocs. During those years 3g6
citizens were killed and 81 carried off by
Indians or AIexicans 13 rangers were killed
and 81 900 horses and mules, 43, 400 cattle
and 400 sheep and goats We're stolen.
There were in addition many minor out
RACES which the rangers were called upon
to redress.
Conditions had so far changed in Texas
by the year 1889 that the rangers were no
longer needed for defense against hostile
Indians, as Indian raids had ceased. But
the force, now reduced in numbers, was
still active in the suppression of despera-
docs along the border, some of them raid
ing Mexicans, others native products, and
all more troublesome from the fact that
increased vigilance on the Mexican side of
the Rio Grande tended to confine the Oper-
atoms of such persons to Texas. The ran
gers made in the years lSS9-90 $40 arrests,
mostly of desperate criminals, among them
as murSlerers, 100 cattle thieves and %
robbers and burglars. Although Mexican
outragcs had decreased in numbers and
the Indians had utterly disappeared from
the state, the rangers from December, 1892,
to Nov. 80, 1894, made more than 900 ar
rests
The Texas rangers Of today and Of re.
cent years have been officially designated
the frontier battalion. The present organ.
ization was cut down last year from Ia
men in each company to z, "a mere
handful" says an old ranger, ''but they
are all aces The whole battalion now
musters only 100 men. This dwindline
body of heroic and adventurous tradition:
is held in vast respect throughout all the
border counties Of Texas, and every border
youth of mettle wishes to serve in thu
rangers. An old ranger may have almos
anything that the border counties have t.
, bestow, and it is from among the retired
rangers that sheriffs and other county
officers are usually chosen.
Any unmarried man over 10 years of ag'
is eligible rs a ranger, but it is an exceed
ingly difficult matter to get into the or
ganization. Courage, physical soundness
first rate Workmanship, precision with fire
! arms and steady habits are the requisite
for membership. The term of enlistmcn
is one year. The ranger furnishes hi
horse, accoutermcnts and arms, while tn
state furnishes food for the men, forage
ammunition, medicines and medical at
tendance. The pay of captains is 800
month"; Of sergeants $50 month and O
privates $50 Il month. The force is mad
up of young men, sober. well ordered and
, as n rule, fairly well educated. The ran
gers of today attend to business in tn
same thorough fashion as their prcd6
cessors, and in small bands of six or eigh
men they pursue and capture the wors
dcspcradoes of the border counties.
"Wc live in the saddle, and the sky !
our roof," say the rangers, and this is a