Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-22
BARBED WIRE ~ THE BEST
What the Introduction OF Wire Fences Has
Meant 20 Man and Feast

Meant 10 MAN ana fehsI
In the Century magazine for Feb
rusry. E. Hough, author OF THE
Story OF the Cowboy tells Of the
introduction OF that "fourfold abomi
nation which marked out the path OF
civilization in the far West:
A few years ago yilager down in
Illinois bent lit of iron about a
strand of fence wire, and noticed that
his cattle avoided il. Out of this idea
grew system Of fencing which has
preserved our pine forests few de-
cades longer, but which brought to an
end many decades earlier the glorious
free days of the open and upfenced
West. The great cattle ranges, over
which roamed one of the most in
dependent populations ever seen on
earth, could never have been fenced by
rails, or stone walls, or boards OF pine.
Ii was difficult enough for the spider
like genius OF advancing civilization to
keep them fenced with the ever-ronewed
web Of the fatal wire against which the
wild men of the early days rebelled so
strenuously. Yet mile by mile, thou
sands OF miles after thousands of nj les,
tine cheap and easily spun web crawled
out across the West and held it hard
and firm. Ycu can never uncoil the
deadly web, neither can you iepiace tho
victim which it strangled.
Little more than dozen years ago
the writer was with a party hur ting
for buffalo calves in the upper part of
the Panhandle of Texas, where we
knew Of little herd still remaining of
those great animals, even then con-
sidered virtually extinct. 1t was a
weary and degolate land, where between
water hole and water. bole lay GO or 20
miles Of absolute desert. Not q tree
broke the endless monotony OF the
plains. The soil was like fiint. The
sky had for months been guiltless of a
| drop OF rain. 1t was region SO utterly
unsuited for the hahitation Of mankind
that these last few representatives OF a
| passing lace CT great American animals
had chosen it as their final place al
refuge, thinking that perhaps there
they would never again hear the sound
oil ritiesbot OF see again the face OF
man. let one morning, as we faced
the sun OF another waterless day, we
came upon line Of strong wire fence,
| coming from where no man could tell,
and running in one unhroken line to
the uttermost limits OF our vision II
was no delusion, no miracle, no wonder
OF the Wild mirage. 1t was an accursed
fact, 1t had no right there, on that
free land, where even the wind had
swept for ages uniettered by SO much
as leaf or stem Of struggling tree. As
We marveled and muttered at this
thing, we saw, in tho red light OF the
east, a little moving band of great
forms which We knew to be these OF
| the buffalo. They saw US also, and
with the instinct of generation OF
persecution swept away at once in
hight. Across their line lay this four.
fold Accumulation, this corded barrier,
this new thing, this infamy never
before dreamed of on these free claims,
| Close punched, the buffalo struck ii
with the force of heavy locomotive,
and crushed through and over il as
though they Eassed SO many strays.
An, there was q thing dramatic, ad.
miracle, out there on that far-away
desert! 1t was the old West rendinS
the net OF the retiarius, casting aside
the strands set for its undoinp, and
standing on nnhindered, free! Seeing
the beauty II this spectacle, our hest
roper, COW puncher born on the old
range, rose in his stirrups and TOOK ofI
his hat TO cheer the buffalo as tbey
numbered on. For 90 panels the fence
lay nat, and We rode across it. ALONG
its inner side was path worn inches
deep hy the feet of countless antelope,
cut on by this fence from their anciepi
way TO some unknown water-hole. Nc
man OF our party felt glad at this eyi
oencs OF approaching civilization, tbi:
fence thrusting out into the wild land.
Every man was partizan for the buffalo
and the antelope, and exulted at tbi.
prostration OF their enemy, though
showing with sorrow how Grief mus,
be their little victory.