Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-02-14

dropped into a crater.
For months the ranchmen have had
nightly patrols. Capt. w. S. Seavey,
of the Thiel detective agency, has
been at work on the matter. but the
thieves are too clever to be caught by
ordinary means. Tracking is almost
an impossbility, for it has frequent
ly been suspected that as soon as
horse is stolen he is fixed up with
"mittens," padded shoes that are fire.
quently changed so as to elude pur-
suers.
Early in the spring when the night
riders were first put on the range it
was thought the problem had been
solved. But the trick only lasted long
enough to give the robbers time to
plan, for they set out pickets to watch
the riders and then got into the cir
Gle and picked out the choicest steers
and sleekest horses in the bunch.
During the summer there was a
horse race at Craig in which very
valuable animal belonging to ranch
man living about ten miles from town
was entered. The horse came from
good stock, but looked seedy and
rusty from two seasons on the range.
The gamy animal won the most eXcit-
ing. race of the day by long odds and
was a popular favorite among the
cowboys and ranchmen.
For two years the horse had escaped
the eyes of the robbers, or, possibly,
looked too ragged to be of value. But
that night she was stolen from the
corral within a hundred yards of her
owners cabin. She was probably
driven north into Wyoming and
clipped. after which the brands were
changed, the animal finally reaching
the market thoroughly disguised.
A few days ago the annual roundup
meeting was held near Craig, and the
most important matter discussed was
the reign of robbery that was ruling
the ranches in Routt county. ]. Dud-
lev Morton. who has an interest in
one Of the large ranches in the yicin-
ity. but whose home is in California,
was present. and he suggested a plan
that met with instant favor and has
already gone through the preliminary
stages.
On Big Beaver creek. just about the
geographical center Of the robber-in-
vested community, is a waterfall of
nearly 200 feet. The stream is never
dry, winter or summer, and it is pro-
posed to install a turbine wheel and
dynamo and furnish currents for
searchlights to be installed on watch
towers on the four little hills that are
within a mile or two of the falls.
The SUBMITS of these hills command
unobstructed views of practically all
the grazing land most tapped by the
thieves, and it is proposed to keep
the beams of dazzling light sweeping
over the focks all night to detect at
once any connection in the herds or
the presence of unwelcOme visitors.
1t has been shown that five men will
supplant the 20 or 30 who now ride
the range at night, and the cost will
be practically nothing in comparison.
Saving so head of horses in two
years will pay for the entire plant,
and the security from theft of other
animals will more than pay operating
expenses, making the saving on the
present range riders. at $35 a month
and board, quite respectable item.
1t is proposed to have one man at the
generating station and =. another on
each of the four tS@Vers. These in
turn will be connected by telephone,
which will also be extended to as
many of the ranches as possible, so
that, should anything suspicious oc-
cur even at the outer edge of the
lighted area, some persons can be
aroused to Immediately investigate.
The men on the towers will. Of
course. be armed with the new long
distance rifles that will be effective
at least for soaring purposes up to a
mile. A few sticks of giant powder
can be used for bombs to arouse the
entire community in case of necessity,
while the man at the generating sta
ton will have his pony saddled and
bridled, ready to start out on the war
path as soon as needed.
When the robbers are caught it is
proposed to electrocute them with the
electric current instead of lynching
them the old-fashioned way.