The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1907-01-05
FAMOUS CATTLE TRAILS
The Ssil6iaq n eAivsyS nts rsi a fat
h Gresi la1sStry.

Wichita, kas, Jan s,"T am
nearing thra,-seora years aud ten.
and soon ~ill 60 over iha long trail.
said Joseph G MeCoy. tha founder
al tn. famous Texas Kansas cattle
trails, as he sas on the porch of his
pf.asan, home here. II often think
over the old dass~-~ihe greatest days
the cattle trade ever knew
Mr. Mccoy Is vigorous and hale
even tn his old age, and though not
uow engaged in business expects To
resume his work as cattle inspector
for the government in "A few months
IL II probable that no single agent
did more In short time to revoln-
tionize the cattle industry In the
West than the Kansas and Texas cat
tie trails. whose usefulness liz nov
ended and which Mr.. Mccoy started
In business. The opening OF Oklaho-
ma and the building of Texas rail
ways have put an end to a great IN
dustry. aud the last struggling herd
has been driven from the plains OF
the Lone Star State TO the shipping
stations in Kansas
The long paths stretching over
Hill and valley, across rivers and
through prairie forests are crossed
by barb wire fences and railroad
tracks and so closed forever The
man who originated them is resi-
dent OF the newest state, Oklahoma,
r..ts,, ~. lar pt.S 4,
neering in upbulding that promised
land.
Joseph G. Mccoy was born in Hi
nois. and was one of three brothers,
all of adventurous spirit. In 1866 at
the close of the war he came West,
determined to enter the business or
cattle raising.
At that time the Texas cattle had
but two ways of getting to market,
One was via st. Louis, then down
the Mississippi or by railroad to
New York. the other via New Or
leans. Both drives were long ana
dangerous because of the warm re-
gions through which they extended.
Mccoy, upon reaching Kansas,
noted that the Kansas Pacific rail-
way now the Union Pacific, was
built about half way across the stat'
| westward and decided to form eat
tie station thereon.
He selected Abilene, u station 10
miles west. of Kansas City, consis'
ing of a log house or two and So
loon. Making arrangements VIII
the railroad company for the con
struction of yards, ETC., he star1e
off alone across Southern kansa
into the Indian Territory. stopping
the long herds bound eastward AM
turning them to the Kansas shippln'
point BY telling them OF the flci
nastures and excellent shipping IA
cilities.
The first herd sent northward be
Ionged to some CalifornianS, ana !
was followed by several more ina
season. The long and expensive drive
through the Ozark mountains re
cion was gladly eyaded and th'
nromise of quick sales and big prof
| its at the comparatively near poin
tempted the cattle kings
The disparity between the TeAa
supply and the Northern prices wa
eoualized BY the close connection
and in 1867 $4,000 head of cattl'
sought the new station, When sever
al trainloads of the fat beeves ha'
been shipped TO Chicago in bette
condition than any had ever beel
received before. a special excursion
! train brought large company q
stoekmen frnm Chicago and spring
field. IN. 10 see the new shippini
place. now grown To rambling VII
ilage of board shauties and tents
and known as the wickedest city II
the west
Hut the suffouding country wa
we'll watcrrd and had plenty OF nu
tritious grass. and the inhabitant
of tn. town rather gloricd In It's II
tie. designation which afterwar'
vas applied 40 t.oadvillc and Dodg
city. In 1855 there we're 1900" eat
tie shipped
In 1863 IA. number Increased q
au.Vuub and ~ lNs" 10 A""s""'' "
per cent of an m" cattle In TEXAS
Two os three principal trails ha'
been laid oat and were ~"ll woF'
by passing hcofs
OF these the beet kuoen Was Ia
Chisholm trail. so called after a part
Is civilized indian Who first guide
herds aiouE ", Then there wss "a
shawnee trail. IN. taNorii" II W"s
tern TeSAS
I.asing the Red stFvF "a Fan east
wasd crossing the Arkansas rive
u..ar Fort Gibson thencN u fosio~
"a the Arkansas yailet aufi u camN
into Kansas. when lf @as pnly ns%7
ssssaars tn tFassra- fhr lightly mili
atvid. bstwssn ghe Nrhans@s AH'
smoky fgils yaile1s iu fhs latter +"
ahlsh Aailenv la iusa't3. Their