East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-06-14
A SHATTERED EMPIRE.

The announcement that 100 home
steads have been filed in Harvey
county in the past three months, re-
calls an empire which only a few
years ago was claimed exclusively by
Lux and Miller. the cattle kings of
California, and which extended from
Malheur city, Oregon, to Fresno, CAL,
III an almost unbroken line.
As boy, 20 years ago, the editor
of the East Oregonian rode over that
cattle empire. Beginning at Cow val
ley, Malheur county, a few miles
south of Malheur city, you began to
see IL. F." cattle on the hills. That
was the signet of this vast empire.
Everything belonging to LUX and Mil
Ter was branded ''L. F."
From Cow valley southwark, to Bull
ly creek, Malheur agency, Malheur
lakes, Silvies river, Diamond valley,
STEMS mountain, McDermitt, Warner
lakes, and on into Nevada and Cali
fornia, Lux and Miller reigned su-
preme.
They claimed the watering places,
owned the cattle corrals, occupied the
ranges, built roads, fenced meadows,
erected cabins and camping places for
their hundreds of cowboys, kept out
settlers, discouraged farming and
ruled the entire country from Malheur
city south with a somewhat despotic
hand
The clouds of dust raised by their
thousands of head of cattle being
driven to the railroad at Winnemucca
could be seen for so miles. Train
load after trainload of fat steers were
shipped out each year from that vas
empire, but there not a solitary home
in its borders, except the temporary
homes of the cowboys or at the Luz
and Miller ranches, where hay was
put up for the COW ponies and were
grub was stored to supply the scatter
ing camps in that lonely wilderness:
OF grass and cattle.
There was a tiresome monotony
about this empire. The saddle horses
the cattle on the hills, the mules OF
the mess wagons, even the dogs were
branded with that inslstent 81. F.
which met your eyes everywhere.
The brand was burned into the doors
of the cabin, on the wagon boxes, or
the gates of the cattle corrals on the
horse collars, on the pitchforks, or
the saddles of the riders, on the hats
they wore. on the bacon they ate.
In all that vast empire there was
not a garden patch, not meadow not
owned at one time, by the IL. F." out
fit. Cowboys located at all the best
springs and claimed all the meadows.
The army of men moved over the en-
pire from season to season, herring
branding and shipping out the pro-
duct Of the ranges. There was nc
permanent settlement. In the spring
there would be 100 men at one ranch
and then for II months It would be
deserted and the entire force would
ride southwark to trail the fat steers
t.. the railroad for shipment.
It was an ideal cattle empire and
Lux and Miller made the most of it.
But the empire is shattered. Set
tiers have crowded into the very heart
OF the domain. Homes are made
now upon the "alkali licks" of 20 years
ago and gardens are smiling at the
springs once claimed by the wild cow
boys OF the sagebrush plains.
Railroads are being surveyed, irri-
eating bitches are being constructed
and the tents of the homesteader
mark the horizon as far as eye can
see In the vicinity Of the "Narrows,"
once the great gathering place Of the
'L. F." clans.
Harney and southern Malheur coun-