The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-27
COWBOY OF THE PRESENT.


New Orleans Times-Democrat.
Frontier life seems TO appeal to college
men more strongly than to any other one
class of men. Why. is beyond explanation.
so far as the men themselves are con-
cerned. and generally they begin life on the
plains as a ''cow puncher." or, more poet
ically speaking, a cowboy.
Years ago one could visit some one OF the
big cattle ranches of the West and was al
ways sure he would meet some frat man
TO break him into the ways of the camp.
OF recent years the cowboy has not been
so conspicuous a figure, because of the in
PRODUCTION of the barbed wire fence. OF
course, he exists, but he is not the Wild
light-hearted daredevil of the early eight
les. There has been a marked change in
his conduct of late years. The cowboy OF
the past was wont to go to the nearest
''grog shop" imbibe freely OF "frewater"
of unknown quality in very large ouanti-
ties, and, with half dozen or more, take
charge of the town. But in this day and
time. the typical cowboy is only read
about-never seen. The present product OF
the plains is a very sedate business chap,
with the same broad-rimmed. light brown
hat, who can assume his place In the ball.
room with avidity, as he is usually within
telephone distance OF a dress suit and the
conventional high hat. He has discarded
the red paint outfit. and the town no longer
assumes a vermillion hue when he arrives.
There is in New Orleans to-day a cowboy,
one who has but recently left the cattle
ranch, a quiet, unassuming young man OF
education n refinement. such a man as
one expects to meet anywhere except on
the plains, chasing a cow with a lariat- He
is w. M. Kerns, and he Is registered al the
ST Charles Hotel. He is a graduate OF
Stamford University Of the class Of 1899.
and after spending a year in Europe went
to New Mexico and began life as a COW
puncher near Carlsbad. He now owns a
small herd and is fascinated with the life
He Is different from the cowboy Of old in
He Is well posted as TO the conditions or
the Territory and talks Interestingly of the
country. Speaking of the conditions there.
There has been a great rush to the cop
per mines to the west of Eddy county. They
made a very rich strike there a few months
ago and several large deals were made, but
of recent date the excitement seems TO
have abated somewhat. The country is
flooded with prcspectors. but the transpor-
tation facilities. or rather lack OF them, pre-
vents the rapid development OF the copper
mining interests Of the country, the miners
have to haul their ore fifty or sixty miles
by wagon. 1 think New Mexico has a
bright future. A few years ago cattle was
the only industry in the Territory. but now.
while cattle is the chief product, we raise
some of the finest fruit in the world there
peaches and apples-while the copper mines
promise to be a great source of wealth.
1.-The cattle are in better condition this
year than for many years previous. We
had good rains in July and the grazing is
fine. We also have politics in the Terri
tory. The issue i'm the recent election was
statehood. Sentiment is about divided on
the question, but Roddey. the Democratic
candidate. was elected delegate to Congress
on a statehood platform. / am not the
only Stamford man I'm New Mexico. / nave
heard of about a half a dozen of them
down there rprRntlV. hnt II think i am fha
only ~cowpuncher in the lot. 1 don't know
why 1 went TO Carlsbad. / had never heard
of the place until about two years ago,
when / brought UP in the town about dark
one afternoon. But l like the country and
the life, and I guess I'll stay there for a
while"