Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-29
The EXTINCT COWBOY.
What He Was When al Tho Z3nith
Of Fame.
A Race which Hike the Indians Has
DwIndied Doforo Uiv,li-
zatIon.

sPRINGERvILLE, Arizona, Jan. Is,
1887. When American settlers found
their way into the state OF Texss, then
the property OF old Mexico, they iound
the country well adapted to extensive
cattle raising. Not the kind Of cattle
raising that had been followed In the
states from which they came, nor yet
the kind that We finJ carried on in
Utah. The stockman OF Utah IL also
u farmer and dairyman, but the cattle
raiser Of Texas often bought condensed
milk for his coffee, and had no use for
the lame granger who titled the soil
aud cold the products to the
knight OF Gait led0m. In winter
this hero etockman whose life
has been portrayed in many a
novel anu whose hardy career 30
fascinated the hey OF the dull town or
uncha nging city that be lett 1t and
ought adventure on the grassy plains
of the southwest, was q man OF leisure,
Tor his cattle then needed no attentou.
THE COWBOY IN SPRING.
IL was In the spring, when most OF
the COWS hat calves that the BOY
was to be seen at his work and ms
worked hard, too. The Ground up"
began early II the cattle were in good
hesD, each Of the large cattle com.
panies for miles around sent mess
wagon arranged with u cupboard al
the back, while the smaller COM
panies threw in" on the eX.
pense. On tue trout Of
the wagon were piled rolls
Of bedding while the COOK was also
the uriver Each OF the companies
hired all the extra hands within reach
and gave to each one q mount OF from
four 10 seven hoTses. These hursus as
pictured In the navel were powerful
sieeus, but the hores were In reality
be httle why Mexican ponies. Tae
cowboy or "punohei" was supplied
with broad Dflmmed hat, with great
leather band, IA lair OF leather breecuee
called "chaps,' an oilcloth coat OF
"oleeHer" leather coat, a Collie re-
volver, with belt OF cartridges, "per.
suader," and nign.heeled boots
with pair Of spurs strapped
on. Often the company furnished
saddle anu briule tut the
"puncbeT" usually furnished his
own. y ten the cowboys outfit WIS
very plain bTi lie win moDsirous
Spanish bit, a plain saddle and two
dollar pair Of spurs. Others had
gorgeous briudlss woven OF colOred
horse hair costing ae much as a hun.
ureu dollars, while his saddle would
be ornamented with silver and fufs.
His spurs, often plated with silver,
wOult coat MIN as much as his bride,
his revolver was 0rnamenled with
silver, while silver bultons often
glittered on his mOnstrous hat band.
such was the crowd that left the
"hOme ranches" OF the various com.
pa MES to Join the rounu-up at
an appointed place. Wagon alter
wagon came up TO toe Rlsrt.
ing place anu pitchei camp. SOM
prominent member was selected as
foreman, while one or two OF the men
were selected TO drive anu herd the
horsea and were known az the "horse
wIaDgiers.' The fret uay's work was
to ride over all the county for some
ten miles around anu drive In the
cattle. Before night enough would
Oe gathered TO begin branding the
calves. N matter whose calf IL WAS
IL was branded and marked property,
even II the owner was unknown, the
came brand that was on tue COW went
on TO the calf. Tue cattle belonging
on the range being marked were left
while the others were driven on toward
tue owners fancneR. Thus day after
day the rCund-up worked on I'LL tne
IRnges Tor miles around had been well
worked. The season Of rush was then
over and the cowboys returned to the
home ranches. The steer caves that
had been uranded would be driven
back NEAR the owners ranch II no
should chance to wander away during
the year, but otherwise he was never
paid any attention TO until grown lat,
anu ready for the market. Ne is tben
found 10y the "steer roundup" shipped
10 eastern markets aud cold.
The typical cowboy originated in
Texas, though his haoits OF lie were
much the same in the ranches o.
Wyoming, Idaho and Monlans.
But the farming settlers OF
eastern Texas soon drove the COW boy
element 10 the west o! the Lone Star
state and the cowboys IN turn sought
lle lt W pastures VI AEILDuh anu NEW
Mexico. 1t was In the early eighties
that the cowboys fljurished in All.
zona, but the country was coon over
stocked. Many years OF drought came
n, grass became scarce and the plaius
OF New Mexico and ARE inA were
stGewa with the bones OF me starving
cattle. In the early uinetiss thtrs was
no feed at sll. Towus, once ihs cen.
tiers Of trade for many ranches, were
becoming uepopulate1. The STOCK
yards OF Springer, New Mexico, losIed
u hundred thousand steers in 1856,
but not tarlCad wts shipped |
from that station IA 1892, anu the uays |
OF the cowboy were past. Many OF
them low turned their attention to |
farming; others went into busineas In |
the neighboring cities; others still |
returned TO their homes IN the soutn |
and east, while many sought employ.
ment on the sage brush ranges OF |
Montana and Wyoming. But the
typical cowboy Is extinct. The great
cattle kings have sunk many thou
sands OF dollars and the few small |
holders who remain farm Ia connec.
lion with the sleek raieing.
COWBOY SLANG.
The vocabulary oil the cowboy was
one strangely his own. Stunning,
as he was wont to do, the