The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-13
The Cattle Industry in the West.


(FTom Harpers Wcekly)
1t is within two or three years that
the industry has taken the form it now
has. Briefly stated, that form is the
embodiment Of the following facts:
The best breeding places for cattle are
probably Texas. New Mexico. Arizona
Oklahoma, and the Indian Territory
where the climate is mild; the best
grazing places for cattle are Montana.
Wyoming, Western Kansas, and West
ern Nebraska. the home Of the native
grasses on which the great herds of
buffalo used to Craze; the best feeding
or fattening places for cattle are East
eTn Kansas, Eastern Nebraska, Mis-
souri,. and Iowa, where the corn that
ripens them is grown; the best killing
places for cattle are nearest the feed
ing places, where the finishing process
in food preparation is put on, proyid-
ing freight facilities are adequate.
In a broad way this movement in the
cattle industry is now followed. Vast
herds are produced in the warmer re-
gi0ns to the south OF the Middle West.
After reaching a suitable age they are
sent to the great grazing grounds in the
Middle West-grounds apparently de-
signed by nature for this purpose.
When they reach the age for killing
they are forwarded again to feeding
stations, most OF which are within 200
miles Of the packing houses, and after
a stay there TO acquire flavor, weight,
and fat, they are slaughtered near the
StOCkyards. The great trains Of cattle
that follow the disuse Of the cattle trail
are being duplicated today, but in
different way. They are used TO trans
port the cattle to the grazing grounds.
| met a stock man in Kansas who had
made in 1897 no less than six round trips
to Oregon, where he purchased native
cattle, and, in special trains, had sent
them into Wyoming on the range.
! Hundreds of such special trains went
| speeding over plain and mountain in
1897. as they had been doing for several
! years, and as they Will continue TO do
! for many years to come.
| The statistics Of the year show that
! 295, 900 cattle We're brought into this
! country from old Mexico in response TO
| this movement. and an estimate has
| been made by the cattle experts at
! Kansas city that in the same year,
! 1891 no less than $4,000 cattle were
! brought into Kansas 10 go upon the
| grazing grounds or to be fed for killing.
! A Dodge City correspondent Of the New
| York Evening Post told, in an article
published in the middle of December
last. Of the trip Of a wealthy young
Kansan to Texas to buy cattle to place
lUpon the range He took a cowboy
! band TO Fort Worth in a special Pull
man car decorated with cattle horns
and banners He bought $1,000 cattle.
His band paraded the streets and made
music typical Of the good times. The
correspondent added:
Ten trains brought the first install
ment Of the herd northWard, and the
animals are now eating Kansas grass.
This movement takes place in great
magnitude when the national quaran-
tine is lifted One Of the officials Of the
Sante Fe Railroad in Topeka told me
that in the first seven days after the
quarantine was lifted that railroad
alone brought into Kansas no less thar
81. coo head Of cattle, and that the Other
railroads brought in about the same
number. These cattle We're distributed
in all parts Of the State.