Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-18
A CASCADE OF CATTLE
A Memorable Stampede in Herd of Many
Thousands.
The Wild Frenzy of 5000 Cattle, OF
Which One-Fifth Plunged to.
Their Death.
From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat.

From the st. Louis Globe Democrat.
One of the most desperate stamDedes Of
cattle ever witnessed by a Texas cowboy,
says Rev. J. B. Cranfill Of Waco, Texas,
occurred in 1876 on the prairie in the center
of which now stands the town of McGregor.
Fifteen thousand cattle and twenty-five
cowboys participated in the exciting event.
Mr.. Cranfill was not participant, but he
tells the story, as he got it from an eye
witness, In the Independent.
Late in the afternoon of July there had
been lively thunder storm, that made the
ever, they seemed to be sleeping profound
ly. Then the narrative proceeds as follows:
THE stars were all shining, and there
was no cause at all for the arousing of the
herd. They appeared to get up all at once,
with a single purpose and the roar that
was heard seemed to come from single
| throat. The Wilson brothers and their cow
boys, who were sleeping in their camp,
| rushed to their ponies, who were grazing
| with the saddles and brides on, and. as
fast the bits could be replaced in their
mouths. they mounted and galloped to the
TANKS of the now disappearing mass, head
ed in the direction of the BraZos river"
The usual course on such occasions is 20
get in front of the herd-a risky piece Of
work-and start 1t 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 advance, and toward
this leading group the two reScuerS rode.
OF the leading group, also, some We're fast
er than others. and this group ran in a
diamond shape. with two immense steers
leading ALL When Mr.. Wilson and his
companion reached the two leading steers
they began shooting their revolverS close
to them. and in that way the bunch was
made to obique, and as the leading bunch
of ,Ilf %h~
obliqued and the first step in milling had
been taken. By this time the cattle were
getting tired. Nearly five miles had been
covered, and the breath of the leaders was
coming short and painfully, but they were
rushing on because the front cattle at this
| time knew a 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
to run. There was real danger for the for
ward members of the stampede.
In the invoice of articles contained in
the regulation outfit there is always some
kind of stimulants, and but for the stimu-
| lants contained in Mr.. Wilson's outfit, it is
possible that the stampede would have been
halted without disaster. He had a Mexican
along one of the best cowboys in the south
west. This Mexican and his horse always
reminded those who saw him ride of the
tabled Centaur. He rode far forward and
bent over, so that he and his horse ap-
peared to be one animal. No horse how
| ever rugged, wild and woolly,' had ever
been able to unseat him. This Aztec had
! been to the little brandy runlet too often.
and had filled and emptied his tin cup with
surreptitiouS fEtoXicants. so that his usual
| excellent judgment went awry. When he
succeeded In getting mounted. after having
fumbled with his bride a good deal, he was
far in the rear. and the stampede had gone
past him, so that when he overlook the
rear end he 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 to defeat the maneuver then
under execution of bending the moving
mass from a straight line to a sem-circe
Revolver in hand disregardng the other
men. he began shooting in the faces of the
wild steers. and the effect of this was TO
straighten the run and bring the advance
straight toward pIecipice. This precipice
was a wash in the prairie, forming a deep
| ravine fully thirty yards wide, and in a
shorter time than it takes to tell of this
contretempts, the head of the column was
pouring over. horrible cascade of beef,
plunging madly into destruction, while flee
ing from an imaginary danger.
When Mr.. Wilson and his lieutenants saw
| that 1t was impossible to save their cattle
they saved themselves by dexterously turn
| ing at right angles at full speed and riding
out of the way. They next returned to the
| flank and held a council of war. A few
seconds decided them. and all hands COM
menced shooting into the herd. the object
now being to build a breastwork of car
cases and save the rear end from the de-
Struction that had overtaken the front. The
guIley was nearly 1ull or cattle by this time
They were snCrtirg and believing, crash
| ing and tearing. and still heaping up. and
when the firing began the wounded ones
| tumbled over on the others, and in a short
| time the gulley. like the sunken road at
Waterloo, was bridged by carcasses. The
herd surged up in pillows, like an ocean, and
bent now. because it could not do other
wise. The semi-circle was formed, and
Wilson and his men crossed the guley be-
| low and rode around the opposite side and
recrossed, and in a short time they had
| the cattle halted, forming an incomplete
| letter o. and there they stood, blowing.
| on watch all Eight, and In the morning.
when count was made. it was ascertained
| that 2. 100 head were missing. There were
afterward 200 pairs Of horns taken from
! that gulley. 1t called Stampede Gull
| ley for many years afterward, and perhaps
| will always. with some people. be remem-
bered by that name"
KESCIES