The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-07-21
FIRE IN THE TALL GRASS
HOW TIE WESTERN COWBOYS
FIGHT PRAIRIE FLAMES.


pons to Beat Back Conflagration-
The Firemen of the Plains.
The "fremen 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. says the Fort Worth
(Tex) Record.
We will take. for illustration, the
great Espuela or "spur" ranch in the
lower Panhandle country Of northwest
Texas, and go back dozen years,
when destructive fires were more fire.
quent than they are now. Hundreds
Of cowboys were employed ON that
ranch, living In camps widely separ-
ated, covering the unsettled counties
of Dickens, Crosby, Cara and Kent.
Great and very destructive prairie
fires often occurred, and systematic
plans were adopted to fight successful
~ the devouring element, which not
only involved a great loss of grass
but of stock also. One Of the most
successful plans was the following: 1t
was understood among the men at the
various camps that when smoke was
discovered ascending from the prairie
each and every, cowboy must saddle
his horse and gallop away toward the
fire straight out in a line from the
camp.
This had to be done at night also,
the fire then being detected by it's
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 squad together.
If it was at night the scene would
be one of wild and weird grandeur.
The great line of fre, the galloping
horses as the cowboys approached it,
some from camps on opposite sides;
their forms and those Of their horses
standing in relief in the bright glare
of the burning grass. Herds of bel
lowing, frightened, stampeding cattle
made the scene more terrible and eX-
citing as they ran before the pursu-
ing, cracking. roaring flames. Above
the din could be heard loud shouts Of
command from leaders of the assem-
bling men which would remind SOL
diers OF a battlefield. The resemblance
became more realistic when rapid pis-
tol shots were heard far out on the
prairie in the midst Of the running cat
tie.
The men were not standing still
on their horses; the fire was trav-
cling, and they were going with it I'M
til 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 were at work, and in less
time than it takes to tell the slain
animal 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 be-
ing around the pommel of a cowboys
saddle. They dashed away to the line
Of fire, dragging the several parts after
them.
When they have reached this, two
nlen would cross-plunge through the
blaze. Tom tried it, but his horse
wheeled and turned away from the
blaze. snorting loudly and in terror.
"Givc me your end Of the rope
Tom, one Of the other men said; 81
can go over; Black Duncan will face
it, and with a great plunge he
cleared the line Of fire.
One Of the other two also crossed,
and without q moments halt and with
scorched faces they wheeled their
horses and ran parallel with the fire,
dragging the bloody half OF the beef
over il. smother Ing the fire out as fast
as their horses could run and drag
the weight. One man was then one
one side of the fire and the other on
the opposite, each with his rope to
the foot Of beef. straddling the
blaze and beating out the greater part
of it.
They wore slick duck jackets and
le&gings upon which the fire could not
easily take hold. 1t was hot work
however. They could get only the
length of their ropes from the fire.
The two men with the other half OF
tie beef were going in the opposite
direction, taking the other end Of the
line of fire. Suppose the fire was tray
cling south and the line extending
east and west; two d'.Gscl east and
two dragged west, last receding from
each other, and every moment the
black streak would mark the trail CT
the smothered flames.
While these four mcl were getting
ready to do this WORK other Cowboys
were sitting on their horses nearby,
their faces lit up by the burning grass.
and cheering their companions, who
were crossing the fire line to fight the
main battle.
Those, however. who were idle had
their work to do. Each held a rolled