Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-28
COWBOYS AS FIREMEN
THE WAY THEY BATTLE WITH FLAMES
ON THE PRAiRlES.


Line Of FIRE to Their Stntions--Cat-
tic siust lie Sacrificed to save 9TH
err cattle and the Grass.
The "firemcn of the plains work
what is expected of him and bravely
executing It like hremen 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 Espucla or spur" ranch in the
| lower Panhandle country of northwest
Texas and go back n number of years.
when destructive fires were more frc-
quent than they are now. Hundreds Of
cowboys were employed on TINT ranch,
living in camps widely separated, GOV
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 great loss Of grass. but
of stock MISC. 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
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 It's light.
and the boys would come from every
direction, striking the line Of fire Mt
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 a squad together.
If it was at night the scene would be
one of wild and weird grand eur-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, stnmpcding 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 thcy were going with It until
ready to begin their attack. Cattle
must be sacrificed to save cattle. AZ
soon as mn animal foil four cowboys
dismounted. and sharp knives and
hatchets were at wHk 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 n
rope was fastened. the other end being
around the polnmcl Of a cowboys snd-
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 20 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 ana with
scorched faces they wheeled their
horses and ran parallel with the fire,
dragging the bloody half OF the beef
over it, smothcring 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. straddling the blaze and
beating out the greater part Of 1t.
They wore slick duck jackets and
ieggings 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
the beef were going in the opposite di
rcction, taking the other end of 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 recedlng 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
. We're sitting on their horses near by
their faces Iii 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
Flcl1er w his right hand, and when the
breach was made In the fire line they
divided their forces and followed tn,
boys who we're sweeping the flames II
order to extinGuish effectually any
which might be left.
Before the plan described was put II
practice wagons loaded with water anC
tow sacks were run to a fire and thu
, boys had TO diSmount and fight tn,
flames with wet sacks They were
supplied with these by men gallopint
back and forth between the wagons
and fire fighters. The dry hot sack!
/. were carried back az fast as wet one
were furnished.