Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1904-07-08
COWBOYS AS FIREMEN
THEwAYThEY6ATTLE WiTHFLAMES
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Horses and Men Plunge Through the.
Line OF Fire to Their stations-Cat..
tie Must he sacriaced 70 Save 9th
er Cattle and the Grass. rF
The "nremen of the plains'' work
with a system, each man knowing
what 10 expected of him and bravely
executing it like firemen OF the city.
Cowboys are the fire fighters Of the.
plains" and burning grass ist the ma
terial consumed. 80
We will take, for illustration, the
great Espuela or spur ranch in the
lower Panhandle country Of northwest
Texas and 60 back 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
" the devouring element, which not
only involved a great loss Of grass, but
Of stock also. One Of the most success
ful 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
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. II 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 q squad together.
II it wac at night the scene would be
one Of wild and weird grandeur-the.
great line Of fire, the galloping horses:
AZ 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.
tho scene more terrible and exciting
as they ran before the pursuing,
cracking, roaring flames. Above the.
din could he 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 al 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 80 as to lay nat upon the.
ground, and to each hoof the end Of
rope was fastened, the other end being.
around the pommel OF a cowboys sad
die. They dashed away to the line"
ef fire. dragging the severed parts aft
q them.
When the cowboys reached this, two.
men would cross plunge through the
blaze. Tom tried 1t, 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. II
can 60 over. Black Duncan will face
It." And with 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 1t, amothering the fire out as fast
40 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, straddling the blaze and
beating out the greater part Of 1t.
They wore slick duck jackets and
leggings, upon which the fire could not
easily take hold. 1t was hot work,
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length Of their ropes from the fire.
The two men with the other half Of
the beef were going In the opposite d.
rection, taking the other end Of the
line of fire. Suppose the fire was rav-
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. s-.-.,1 rgs. i
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 are line to fight the
main battle. ss