Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-12-09
THE STORY OF
=. A STAMPEDE.
BY J. q. cRAhFILL-

was very different from what II is
to-day. Then the big ranches were
unknown and the cattle were raised In
the open prairies. and the maverick"
had not become extinct. II was in
the years just preceding the incident
here related that / saw service rs cow
boy and was thoroughly familiar with
life on the trails. OF the incident itself
1 was not IN eyewitness, but II was
told TO me by my friend. Mr.. NJ. B.
Davis. an old Texas ranger and cow
boy, who is 10 the early life OF Texas
what Joaquin Miller is to California.
I give the story as nearly as can re-
member it just as 1t came from his
lips. 1t chronicles one of the most
desperate stampedes ever witnessed by
Texas cowboy.
In 1876 the Wilson brothers, of Kan
sas City. having purchased over $4,000
head of cattle In Hamilton, Comanche,
Coryell and Bell counties. and having
arranged TO centralize the herd near
Comanche Springs. In McLennan coun-
ty. drove to the Bennett hills and went
into camp TO await the carrying out of
their orders. These cattle were driven
across the Leon at various suitable
fords and coD~erged on that beautiful
prairie, In the center of which now
stands the town of McGregor. On the
Fourth of July Of that year the en-
tire herd was under way, headed for
n magnificent army Of steers, In su-
perb condition. kept together by a
corps of rs cowboys, mounted on bron-
chos-men experienced in the business.
The herd was not pressed. the object
being to let them Craze on the rich
herbage, with a view to keeping them
In good condition and reaching the
In the fall of the year. At four o'clock
In the afternoon there were signs of
an electric storm. A black cloud
showed above the foothills, and the
sun shining against 1t painted a rain
bow which appeared to touch the earth
Mt both ends. The entire herd became
nervous and showed their fear by those
low bellowingx, ominous to the expert
enced cattleman as the muttering thun-
der. The cowboys were experienced
men. and they kept the moving mass
well In hand, so that when the sun set
all was well, and the cattle were bedded
on the plains near the South Bosque.
and night settled in with the promise
Of q safe crossing mt the Brazos the
next day. A detail Of four cowboys
was made for the first watch. and these
A.l IL l. 1.t- 81
and rode silently around the sleeping
squadron OF long-horns. The first
watch ended Mt nine o'clock. and the
second watch went on duty. II was
during the second watch that the
memorable Wilson stampede occurred.
At ten o'clock the cattle appeared TO
be sleeping profoundly. The cowboys
say that cattle dream and see ghosts;
IL IN certain that this drove of $4,000
was nervous, made 10. perhaps, by the
thunderstorm Of the previous afternoon
and the rainbow which they had eyed
with suspicion. II Is likely that O great
many cattle in that vast accumulation
had never seen such rainbow. II was
distinct throughout the arch and very
broad; the lightning. too. was very
vivid, and the thunderclapx that fol-
lowed were like sharp artillery. The
cowboys insisted long afterward that
II wAs tho thunderstorm and the rain
bow Of the afternoon that caused the
stampede that night. BE that m II
mny, II was n stampede that the cattle
men who witnessed II have never for
gotten. and are still telling of 10 pos
terity.
The stars were,all shining, and there
was no cnuse Mt all for the nrousing of
the herd. They appeared TO get up all
st once. with a single purpose, and the
roar that was heard seemed to come
from n single throat. The Wilson
brothers ar their cowboys who were
sleeping In their camp rushed 10 their
ponies who were grazing with the sad
dies and brides on. and as fast M the
bits couM be replaced In their mouths
they mounted and galloped to the
tanks Of the now disappearing masA.
headed in the direction of the Brazos
river.
The cowboys on guard took the usual
course In such cases; they kept out of
the way Of the charging mass. and gal
loped on the fankH, moving toward
the head Of the column, hoping TO
point them or" as they cali II, and
start them moving In n circle. The
boys who formed the guard, In gal
Looping along the front OF the STAN
pedc, saw the eyes OF the terrified
beeves emitting fire and their tongues
protrudinR. They uttered those low
notes OF terror 40 familiar on the
plains. and galloped madly along. suf.
fering from n panic for which no real
cause existed on earth.
whats the matter with the cattle?"
asked n tendcrfoot, as he galloped be.
side an old cowboy.
They've seen the devil, expect"
the cowboy replied; "and we will catch
1t before we get through with ths
thing"
Az the herd rushed on their. horns
ratified together. and all the horns OF
1900 head OF cattle rattling together
sounded like an immense concert OF
Cattle are not able to sustain long
run. and this the cowboys know. For
Instance, mad speed Of five miles Ia
enough to break down almost any
steer; and the cattlcmen knew how the
lay beyond them. and In this
respect they had an advantage.
The Reinforcement OF the cowboys
who were OF duty, and who had hastily |
mounted and joined those on watch at
the time. gave them u strong sdvan-
tsge in the efforts being made 20 stop /,
the stampede. The plan was to get J
the cattle to milling" or running I'm
q circle. The elder OF the Wilson broth. !