Smyrna times., 1904-06-15
COWBOYS AS FIRENEN
THE WAY THEY BATTLE WITH FLAMES
ON THE PRAlRlES.


er Cattle and the Grass.
The "firemen of the plains work
with a system, each man knowing |
what is expected of him and bravely |
executing it like firemen of the city. |
Cowboys are the fire fighters of the |
plains and burning grass is the ma
terial consumed.
We will take, for illustration, the |
great Espuela or "spur" ranch in the |
lower Panhandle country of northwest |
Texas and go back a number of years,
when destructive fires were more fire.
quent than they are now. Hundreds Of
cowboys were employed on that ranch,
living in camps widely separated, COW
ering the unsettled counties of Dick
ems, Crosby, Garza and Kent.
Great and very destructive prairie
fires often occurred, and systematic
plans were adopted to fight successful
ly the devouring element, which not
only involved a great loss of grass, but
of stock also. One of the most success
full plans was the following: 1t was un-
derstOOd among the men at the various
camps that when smoke was discov-
cred ascending from the prairie each
and every cowboy must saddle his
horse and gallOp away toward the fire
straight out in line from his camp.
This had to be done at night also, the
fire then being detected by its light,
and the boys would come from every
direction, striking the line of fire at
many different points almost at the
same time. If the fire had spread much,
the men from the different camps
would sometimes be many miles from
each other, those from the same station
going in a squad together.
If it was at night the scene would be
one of wild and weird grandeur-the
great line of fire, the galloping horses
as the cowboys approached it, some
from camps on opposite sides, their
forms and those of their horses stand
ing in relief in the bright glare of the
burning grass. Herds of believing,
frightened, stampeding cattle made
the scene more terrible and exciting
as they ran before the pursuing,
cracking, roaring flames Above the
din could be heard loud shouts Of COM
mand from leaders Of the assembling
men.
The men were not standing still on
their horses. The fire was travelling,
and they were going with it until
ready to begin their attack. Cattle
must be sacrificed to save cattle. AS
soon as an animal fell four cowboys
dismounted. and sharp knives and
hatchets We're at work, and in less
time than it takes to tell the slain ami
NAL was cut in twain. The halves
were split so as to lay fiat upon the
ground, and to each hoof the end Of a
rope was fastened, the other end being
around the pommel of a cowboys sad
die. They dashed away to the line
of fire. dragging the severed parts aft
er them.
When the cowboys reached this, two
men would cross plunge through the
blaze. Tom tried it, but his horse
wheeled and turned away from the
blaze, snorting loudly and in terror.
"Give me your end of the rope,
Tom" one Of the other men said. Il
can go over. Black Duncan will face
It," And with a great plunge he clear
ed the line of fire.
One of the other two also crossed
and without a moments halt and with
scorched faces they wheeled their
horses and ran parallel with the fire
dragging the bloody half Of the beef
over it, smothering the fire out as fast
as their horses could run and dras
the weight. One man was then on one
side of the fire and the other on the
opposite, each with his rope to the
foot of a beef, straddling the blaze anC
beating out the greater part Of it.
They wore slick duck jackets ant
Ieggings, upon which the fire could no
easily take hold. 1t was hot work
however. They could get only thu
length of their ropes from the fire
The two NJ N with the other half Oi
the beef were going in the opposite di
rectiOn, taking the other end of th'
line of fire. Suppose the fire was trav
cling south and the line extending eas
and west, two dragged east and tw'
and every moment widening the blacl
streak which marked the trail of tn
smothered flames.
While these four men were gettin
ready to do this work other cowboy
were sitting on their horses near by
their faces lit up by the burning grass
and cheering their companions VIII
We're crossing the fire line to fight tn
main battle.
Those. however. who were idle ha
their work to do. Each held role
slicker in his right hand, and when til
breach was made in the fire line the
divided their forces and followed tn
boys who were sweeping the flames
order to extinguish effectually an
which might be left
Before the plan described was put
practice wagons loaded with water an
tow sacks were run to a fire, and IL
boys had to dlsmount and fight IL
f1..xr rrrar