The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-08
AN AUTOMOBILES on A RANCH.
Pulling to Cowboys and Cattle, But
Believed To he success.

From the New York sun.
Austin. Tex March lit IS predicted
that the automobile will come into practi-
cal use on many Texas ranches within
the next few years John G. Kennedy,
proprietor Of La PARA ranch in Nueces
county. Is giving one of these vehicles
test and is 80 far wen pleased with the
results. II is of the runabout variety, but
is much stronger and more substantially
constructed than the ordinary road We
hicle. Il is run by a gasoline motor.
The day after its arrival Mr.. Kennedy
and the foreman Of the ranch started out
to make a run to a distant part of the
ranch Their course was through a large
pasture in which "a bout fifteen hundred
head of cattle were grazing. These cat
tie had no fear of men on horseback, but
when they caught sight of the hOrse.ess
machine making toward them they STAN
peded and tore across the pasture in
solid body When they reached the wire
fence on the opposite side of the pasture
they went right through 1t. Many OF them
wFre cut and injured by the barbed wires.
Mr.. Kennedy and the foreman returned TO
the ranch headquarters as fast as the au-
tomobile could carry them and the whole
force of cowboys was ordered out to
round up the excited cattle and return
them to the pasture. The stampeded herd
was overtaken several miles away and af-
ter hard work was again placed in the
pasture. This experience taught Mr..
Kennedy that ne must allow the cattle to
become acquainted with the automobile
by degrees. For several days he has been
running the vehicle about the place with
horses driven Immediately in front of It.
The cattle are gradually becoming used
to the conveyance.
Ever since the arrival of the automobile
the cowboys have had a strong desire to
try their hand at roping cattle from its
seat. Mr.. kennedy was prevailed upon to
give them a trial al this sport and a num-
Der of 3year-old steers were turned into
a large corral where the roping contest
was to occur. John Fisher and Harry
Towles, two of the most expert ropers on
the ranch, were 10 have the first trial
Fisher was TO run the vehicle while
Towles was to do the roping Fisher re-
ceived careful instructions as to the man
aeement Of the propellng lever and brake.
When Towles landed the rope over the
steers horns Fisher was 10 bring the au-
tomobile 10 a quick stop. The horse end
of the rope was to be thrown around the
front axle. The vehicle entered the corral
at Q ten-mile clip and when the steers
saw it coming toward them they struck
for the far side of the enclosure at full
speed. The vehicles followed close in their
wake and when the animals saw that
they We're about to be cornered they
turned tail and made a break to get by
the terrorizlng object. Here was Towles's
opportunity. He gave Fisher word to be
ready and then threw the rope at one of
the steers. The coil settled down over the
animals horns and the horse end was
quickly wound around the front axle.
The vehicle, however was not brought to
a standstil, but continued right on toward
the highfence that bounded the corral.
Fisher was Juggling desperately at the
throttle but something was wrong with
the machinery and he could not stop the
vehicle TOwles grabbed hold of the steer
ing lever and managed to turn the thing
Just in time to escape colliding with the
fence The wild automobile then started
toward the other side of the corral. drag
ging the roped steer in its wake. An exit
was made from the corral by careful
steering and the wild automobile started
on a trip across the big pasture. As soon
al the other cowboys who were watching
the roping proceedings understood what
the trouble was about they overlook the
runaway and cut the rope to which the
unfortunate steer was attached. The two
cowboys stuck manfully to their post, and
after the machine had run about fifteen
miles they managed 10 get the propelling
lever working again and it was brought to
a standstill. No further attempts will be
made to use the automobile for roping
cattle until the cowboys understand better
how to manage it.