Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1897-08-19
LIKE OLD CATTLE DAYS.
EAST DICKINSON HAS HERDS
COUNTING TO THOUSANDS.
Something About'the Prosperity That
Has Come to the Men Who Have
Gone Into Feeding Stock Instead Of
Farming G. Gillett's Strides as
a Cattle Dealer.

Not for thirty years have there been
seen in this county the SAME exhibit
ton Of cattle Of all kinds and ages as
now. In the eastern part of the
county in the vicinity Of Woodbine
and over the line in Morris, are hun
dreds and even thousands of head of
cattle that have been brought up from
the ranges of the far southwest for
feeding on the abundant crops Of corn
and "roughness" that are such a
marked feature of the lands Of that
section. The crops in the east part
of Dickinson and over in Morris were
never better, and it is the best thing
that ever happened for these two
counties that there have been brought
here the cattle to turn the feed into
beef. There is only small profit in
raising feed at the present prices for
sale, but by turning it into beef, a
handsome profit is realized by all who
have entered upon it during the past
six months. Not one of the farmers
who have gone into the cattle feeding
business has failed, and they all have
made an advance of from five to eight
dollars head on their holdings. 1t
is a mistake to think that they have
all made it out Of simply bringing
into the county Colorado and Texas
steers to feed short time and then
turn them off, though this has been
done with great profit in many in
stances. The only way to handle the
stock with profit is by feeding them
over one summer or winter and then
putting them on full feed. This is
the course that the best informed
managers are following. They are
it count and are making
money more rapidly than are those
who are following the old routine
of farming. With the land
scape showing cane twelve feet high,
corn until one grows tired of counting
the fields, and with all the prairie
grass that can be fed to the herds
that come from the southwest, there
is no lack of supplies for the feeders.
Among the successful and largest
handlers of cattle may be named:
S. G. Cooke and Leroy st. Armand,
of Herington, who have 1,200 head
that are worth SO to IS head more
than they paid for them. They are
also handling great many cattle on
commission and for themselves.
M. D. Harrington, 800 head
j. S. Baum baugh, of Hayes, 500
head. Mr. Baumbaugh sold 265 head
recently on which he made $500 clear
of all expenses.
W. H. Hollinger, 500 head.
Charles, A. l.. and Joseph Hollinger
have about 900 head.
j. W. Gillett, l,200 head.
L. B. Curtis, living across the line
in Morris county, has 800 head that
he bought last spring, for which he
has been offered IS advance. He has
900 head in all. He is one of the
leading cattle men of that section and
in the past two years has made about
Sl2, 600 in cattle. He has an abund-
ance of pasture and 500 acres in
millet, cane and sorghum.
The man who has however done
more than them all is Grant &. Gil
lett. Mr.. Gillett has made business
of shipping in cattle from the south
west and has at Woodbine the finest
feed lots in the state They will ac-
commodate 5000 head Of cattle and it
is sight to see the trainloads of the
"long horns" being handled by the
cowboys at the lots. There are on
hi. rancho 10 of the best COW ponies
in tie state with handsome saddles
and complete outfits throughout. He
is using 10000 acres for pasture,
keeps full set of books as II he were
running store and every detail is in
perfect order. There are "a work
mules and half as many horses en-
ployed on the rancho and plenty of
men to keep everything in good
order. Mr.. Gillett has about 5000
head Of cattle on hand at present,
among them 1000 natives. There
are 800 fine shorthorns and Hereford
heifers with a sufficient number Of
IA. fuxol hula fnr braaJ,n,. ..,,r