The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-21
A CASCADE OF CATTLE.

81 Louis Globe Democrat; one OF the
most desperate stampedes OF cattle eV-
., witnessed by Texas cowboy, says
rev. ]. r. CranalI, OF Waco, Texas
occurred In 1876, on the prairie in the
centre OF which now stands the town OF
Metiregor. Fifteen thousand cattle ant
,veuty-five cowboys participated In the
exciting event, Mr.. Cranhll was not a
participant, but he tells the story, as he
cot it from an eyewitness, in the In
dependent,
Late in the afternoon OF July 4, there
mad been a lively thunder storm, that
made the cattle nervous. AT 10 o'clock
at night, however they seemed to be
sleeping profoundly. Then the narrative
proceeds as follows;
THE stars were all shining, and
there was no cause at all for the arous-'
,ng Of the herd, They appeared 10 get
nm all at once, with single purpose,
and the roar that was heard seemed to
come from single throat. The Wilson
trothors and their cowboys, who We're
sleeping in their camp, rushed 60 their
Monies, who we're grazing with the sad
Nos and brides on. and, as fast as tho
Mis- could be replaced in their mouths,
,bev mounted and galloped to the TANKS
NJ tho now disappearing mass, headed
In the direction OF the BRACES river
The usual course on such occasions Is
IN get In front of the herd-a risky
niece Of work-and start II to running
in circle. This attempt was made in
this case;
some cattle can outrun others. and
in this case there was bunch OF
about fifty fully twenty yards In adj
vance. and toward this leading group
the two rescuers rode. OF the leading
group. also, some were faster than 9th,
ers. and this group ran In diamond
shape with two immense steers leading
all When Mr.. Wilson and his compan-
ion reached the two leading steers they
began shooting their revolvers close to
them, aud In that way the bunch was
made to ahlique, and as the leading
bunch Of cattle obllqued. the main STAN
pede oblqued, and the first step In
milling had been taken. Nearly I'VE
miles had been covered. and the breath
Of the leaders was coming short ana
PAINFULLY. but they were rushing on be-
cause the front cattle at this time
knew as n matter of fact their only
safety was In keeping up the run Those
behind were coming. and they were In
the majority and the leaders were
compelled tosrun. There was real dan
ser for the forward members of the
stampede.
IN the invoice OF articles contained
IN the regulation outfit there Is al
WAYS some kind of stimulants, and but
FOR the stimulants contained In MI
Wilson'S outfit. Il is possible that the
stampede would have been halted with
ont disaster. He had Mexican along,
one OF the best cowboys in the south
west. This Mexican and his horse al
WAYS reminded those who saw MN rue
Of the tabled Centaur. He rode iar lot
ward and bent over, so that he and ms
horse appeared to be one animal. No
horse. however, rugged, wild and wool
w.. had ever been able to unseat him.
This Aztec had been 10 the little bran
dy runlet too often. and had filled and
emptied his tin cup with surreptitious
iatoxlcants. so that his usual excellent
Judgment went awry. When he sue
cceded in getting mounted, after having
fumbled with his bride good deal, ne
was far In the rear, and the stampede
had gone past him, so that when he oV-
crtook the rear ne passed TO the
front on the other side and rode on
the wrong flank. When he reached the
head OF the herd he was Just In time 10
defeat the maneuver then under eXecu-
ton OF bending the moving mass from
"a straight line to seml-circle. Revolt
yer in hand. disregarding the other
mon. he began shooting In the faces OF
the wild steers and the effect OF TINS
was to stralghtcn the run and bring
the advance straight toward n preciplce'
This preciplce was wash In the prair-
10. forming deep ravine. fully thiftS
yards wide. and In shorter time than
II takes TO tell OF this contretemps the
head OF the column was pouring over q
horrible cascade of beef. plunGing mad
" into destruction. while fleeing from
an imaginary danger
When Mr.. Wilson and his lieuten-
nnts saw that It was impossible to save
their cattle they saved themselves by
doxterouslg turning Mt right angles at
full speed and riding out OF the way.
They next returned to the flank and
held council of war. a few seconds
decided them. and all hands commence
cd shooting into the he-d, the object
now being to build breastwocl; Of cay
cases and save the rear end rom the
destruction that had oVertaken the
front The gulley was nearly full o;
cattle BIZ this time They were snortinG
and believing. crashing and tearlng,and
ytlll hoaplnu up. and when the firing
began tho wounded ones tumbled over
m tho others. and In a short tine the
gullev. like the sunkcn road at water.
loo was hridged BY caTcaGses The her.
surged up In pillows, like m ocean. and
hrnt now, because Il could not 20 9TH
crwlsc The semi-clrcle was formed
and Wilson and his men crossed the
gullcy below and rode ar0und the OPP
rngl,c side and re-crosse1. and IN a
short time they had the cattle halted.
forming m incomplete letter o. ana
thorc they stood. blowing, believing.
shivoring. All hands remained on
watch all night. and In the morning
when a count was made. II was ascer-
tanned that 200 head were missing
There vcro afterward 200 pairs OF
horns taken from that guileN, IL was
called stampede Gulley for manB
years aftcrward. and perhaps VIII al
ways. with some people, be remember
cd BY that name"