The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-07-30
LAST OF FAMOUS TRAIL.
Old Route Over Which Cattle Were
Driven North From Texas.

The last vesti . of the old Ma
tional COW trail stretching up
through Texas ant Cimarron coun-
ties toward the northwest, will prob
ably be obliterated by the march OF
few years more of civilization, but
now in spite of the fact that the
tread cattle has not been heard
over this historic trail since 1890
the old trails are still marked by
well defined paths. running parallel.
where the cattle walked single file.
one behind the other. There are us
ually from a dozen to twenty such
paths, silent landmarks of the days
when thousands of cattle were trail
ed northward from southern Texas
and Mexico to North Colorado, Mon
tana and Wyoming.
For many years the Texas cattle
men took their herds at will across
the country, all of 1t unfenced and
uncultivated, but as soon as there
began to be any settlers at all in
the Oklahoma Panhandle" they en-
tered serious protests against that
method OF transporting the herds
because the southern cattle COM
municated the Texas fever to their
own herds. At first an attempt was
made by Col. Jack Hardesty and
other pioneer cowmen to prevent
the passage OF the southern cattle
entirely, bringing on what was
known as the Jack Hardesty war"
Hardesty and his associates hired
number of armed fighting men and
placed them along the routes usual
ly traversed with instructions to
stop all southern cattle. or course
the blockade was of only temporary
duration, as the Texans took the
matter up with the authorities at
Washington and the Hardesty forces
disbanded when they found them
selves likely to have to face Federal
troops.
AS soon as the settler became
more numerous they effected an or
ganization known as the League
for the purpose of compelling the
southern cattle to be driven along
one we'll defined trail. thus minimiz-
Ing the danger of infection to cattle
on other parts OF the range. A sort
OF patrol was established, one mem
Der being delegated to keep the
herds on the trail and to go with
them part Of the way through
specified territory. In the one or
two cases where the Texans were
unwilling to comply with this regu-
latfon. they were visited by a COM
mittee from the league and inform
ed that they cold either follow the
trail as other herds had done or the
entire outfit Of horses, cattle and
men, would be escorted back to the
Texas line.
1t has now been something like
fifteen or sixteen years since driving
cattle overland from the South to
the Northern ranges was abandoned,
and few II the present residents
along the line Of the old trail have
any idea OF the number of cattle
that formerly passed over it. They
began coming early In May, and
herd after herd passed until well up
to July, the herds numbering from
1900 to $500 head of cattle, and
with from seven to twelve men with
each outfit. Each man was gener-
ously furnished with a mount Of
horses ranging from five to seven
head.
At night the herds were rounded
up on the open prairies, and guards.
consisting usually of two men,
would ride around them all night.
The guard was changed three times
during the night. and the fourth
guard. going on at daybreak, was
known as the cocktail" the duty
of this guard being to remove tho
cattle from the be-, ground to grass.
little further along the trail.
The "punchers" who composed
these outfits were generally men
who ages ranged from 80 to so
years. weatherbeaten- storm-trieu
and big hearteu fellows. When
Quarrels arose the cooler heads US
ually prevented gun plays, and the
boys fought 1t out with their fists.
They enjoyed a game of ''one come
along two," and considered two
deuces good enough to stay on un-
til the raise came. Their manners
were often rough. but they were big
hearted men, who would give their
last cent to needy friend.
Some Of them who settled down
and became owners themselves, are
still living in the country across
which they drove cattle years ago,
and look back sometimes almost
with sigh of regret to the old days.
Kansas City Journal