The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-07-13
MISCELLANY.
Ruined Texas Ranges.

culture. lie says that they are practi-
cally exhausted. Ranchmen who have
for years permitted their cattle to roam
at large over vast tracts of land, paving
no attention to the possible exhaustion
OF their ranges, are now realizing that
something must be done or the greatest
cattle-producing region of the United
States will soon cease to fill the de-
mands made upon it, To the uniform
ed the idea that the great stretches of
country which have sent to the mar
kets of the world 30 many millions of
cattle in the past twenty I've years
could ever become exhausted may
seem almost incredible. Cattle king
has been term synonymous with un-
limited wealth since the civil war; but
Mr.. Bentley shows that the term has
been deceptive and that in many in
stances the more cattle possessed the
poorer the possessor.
With the development of the south
western country that followed the close
OF the civil war came the great rise of
the cattlemen. The cattle ranges of
Texas include all the counties of Stone.
wall, Haskell, Throckmorton, Fisher,
Jones, Shackleford, Nolan, Taylor,
Callahan, Runnels, Coleman, Tom
Green, Concho and McCulloch and
parts Of the counties of Kent, Mitchell,
Coke, San Saba, Brown, Eastland,
Stephens and Young. The region
embraces territory about 100 miles in
length from east to west and 200 miles
from north TO south. In 1865 this
plain was largely covered with herds
of buffalo. They ranged at will un.
disturbed except by the hunter who
killed for food. In ten years from this
time they had almost disappeared and
their place was taken by the wide
horned cattle. The cattle men entered
the country about 1865. The ranges
were unguarded and they were at lib
erty TO help themselves. The owners
regarded the land as so much waste,
little farming was carried on aud there
seemed to be small possibilities of de-
velopment. Therefore they did not
concern themselves regarding the en-
croachments of the cattle men. The
ranchmen found the black fertile plains
covered with long growth of the
richest grasses. The luxuriance of
the growths has never been equalled
in this country. In some portions of
the plains the grass grew to height
OF three feet. The region was watered
by sweet streams and had rainfall of
thirty inches year and an elevation
OF from l 1900 to 1900 feet. 1t was a
paradise for stockmen and they were
not slow TO take advantage of their OPP
portunities. In the later seventies the
ranches were few and the cattle roam
ed at will over hundreds of thousands
OF acres attached to the ranches. When
newcomer arrived and took up a
range the older settler drew line and
the rights of each were respected.
The cattle kings, backed by their cow
boys, were the undisputed masters of
the ranges. They knew not the man
with the hoe, who was to prove a factor
in the undoing of the cattle men.
At this time it was estimated that
500 cattle could be supported on GAO
acres of grass. Absolutely no care was
taken for the preservation of the
ranges, no rent was paid and il was be-
lleved that they were inexhaustible.
The stockmen in the goodness of their
hearts tolerated the presence of the
sheepmen, whose hocks began to cover
the edges of the ranges, where the
grass was shorter. But still all might
have been well had not the great year
of prosperity which made them so
much money proved their undoing,
The country was opened for settlement
by the Texas and Pacific railroad in
1888. Owners of tracts of land in
Texas took advantage of the oppor-
tunities thus offered to visit their prop.
erty and finding the cattlemen in pos
session took steps either to secure the
ground or get rental for it. About
the railroad stations little settlements
sprung up, and the "nester," or the
man with the hoe, made his appear
ance. The latter cared nothing for the
succulent grasses, but preferred to turn
up the sod and plant cotton. The
"nester" demanded the privilege of To-
eating where he pleased, and the ranch
men resented his intrusion. They
adopted fencing as method of restrict.
ing him, as well as providing some pro-
lection to their ranges. The chester"
resented this and cut the fences. This
led to disturbances, and many fights
took place between the cattlemen and
the "nesters." The great evil, though,
was overlooking. In 1882 the ranch.
ers began to realize that the days of
free grass and water were drawing to
an end. Railroads were about to be
built, and the counties opened for set
Element. In order to make the most
money in the shortest time they began
TO stock their ranges with cows. The
desire to obtain more stock sent the
price up. This, coupled with sudden
increase in the demand for meat, caus-
ed the price of cattle to soar until the
fever of speculation spread to all parts
of this country and even to Europe.
Those who had stock on hand and sold
it realized enormous profits. Old men,
men, and young men, rep
resenting every sphere of life, were
eager to give up enterprises with
which they were familiar to go into the
cow business. Every State in the
United States WAS represented in the
single State of Texas; and into every
county in the State recognized as stock
country Englishmen, Scotchmen, and,
indeed, men from most of the countries
of Europe were rushing to get foot
4. Il II. 4