Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-11

| err Cattle and the Grass.
The .'iremen of the plains work
with 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 so 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, Cara 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 I'M
derstOod among the men at the various
|
cred ascending from the prairie each
and every cowboy must saddle his
horse and gallop away toward the fire
straight out in line from las 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 ii 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 il, 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 were 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
rope was fastened, the other end being
around the pommel Of n 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, snortlng loudly and in terror.
Give me your end of the rope,
Tom" one of the other men said. II
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 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 drag
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 beef, straddllng the blaze and
10 to-
They wore slick duck jackets and
leggings 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 hre
The two men with the other half or
the beef were going in the opposite d.
rection, taking the other end or the
line of fire. Suppose the fire was trav-
cling south and the line extending east
and west. two dragged east and two
west, fast receding from each other
and every moment widening the black
streak which marked the trail OF the
smothered flames.
While these four men were getting
ready to do this work other cowboys
were sitting on their horses near by,
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
slicker in his right hand, and when the
breach was made in the fire line they
divided their forces and followed tho
boys who were sweeping the flames I'm
order to extfnguish effectuaIly any
which might be left.
Before the plan described was put in
practice wagons loaded with water and
tow sacks were run to a fire, and the
boys had to dismount and fight the
flames with wet sacks. They were
supplied with these by men gaIlOping
back and forth between the wagons
and fire fighters. The dry, hot sacks