Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-30
WOOL DAY IN A TEXAS TOWN
Burnet Sees a Revival of An Old
Custom.
An Even Hundred wagons Arrive nj
the Same Time with More Than
FIFTY Tons of WOoI--SuppIy of
Free Drinks Soon Exhausted.

tine other day. 1t marked the reestab-
lishment of an annual wool sales day.
1t had been twenty years since Burnet
lost her supremacy AS the chief wool
market for the 1000 square miles of
Limo country. On the occasion OF the
recent wool sales day an even hundred
waxonioads of WOOL aggregating 10000
pounds. were driven, Into town and TN.
loaded at the railroad station. The wool
was ell shipped to Boston, Mass.
Tho revival Of the old custom of wagon
Ing the wool to Burnet and making II kkitl
OF woolfest out Of The occasion was a
thought OF Dug Ralnet, a New Jersey
man. who is one of tho largest wool
growers and buyers In this part of Texas
Mr.. Rainer is popular with the ranchmen
and knows all OF them personally. When
ne visited them at the opening of the
present wool season and made known
his plan of having all the wool which he
had bought concentrated at Buruet on a
particular day they readily agreed. To
some of these ranchmen it meant that
they would have to haul their wool over
land for IS to 100 miles The building of
a railroad to Llano many years ago had
done away with the old time custom
of long wagon hauls and had created
new shipping points for their products.
1t was this railroad which caused the
downfall of Burnet as a wool market.
The wool growers throughout the Lano
territory took to Mr. Raincrs scheme and
1T was decided to make the day gala
occasion. The business men and citizens
of the town welcomed the commercial
awakening. For days before the time ar
rived for the big event the retired ranch
men and old frontiersmen living In Bur
net sat around and discussed the subject
in all of its possible phases. They re-
lated "reminiscences OF the early days
when the sheep industry In western Tex
as was in the height of its prosperity.
In those days the wool wagons were
hauled by oxen. 1t sometimes took a
week or more to make trip of 100 miles
to Burnet and back home There was
life and plenty Of amusement In the
town during the wool season. The prod
uct brought high prices and money was
spent freely.
The saloons were wiped out OF Burnet
and the whole county several years ago,
but it was decided that in order to give
the wool sales day tnge of the old
times an ample supply of red top
should be provided for the ranchmen and
wagon uiNe's WI" O'''''o ~ WIN N
The rounder of the early days Is not able
to distinguish any resemblance between
1.-The tarantula juice whiskey with which
he was wont to dose his system upon
visits to Burnet in those days and the
red top" drink which is now served in
the prohibition towns of western Texas
in lieu OF beer 1t is asserted by some
prohibtionists that ''red top Will pro-
duce intoX'cation II enough Oh IL IL oru'A'
At any rate red top was the next pest
thing to beer and wh'skey tha' 'he COM
mittee on arrangements for the WOOL
sales day could mink or In laying IN
the supply howeFsf' 'he 'Ni'a' VI '"e
wagon drivers Vas non taken mo co''-
sheraton IT Wan arranged l!t't 're Nisi-
tors should h'Ap ihtnA&iNes to Inc hqu'o
rofreshment, ana me ifu V"P wa" "a
posed at convenient place IN town
The people or bufhet Were "S'f e"i !!
on the morning that the wool was 10 nc
brought in. Inc hfs' wagons 'VH"" ~
arrive shortly after sunup' An h"ur or
SO later they were streaming IN" 'h'
town from all directions Upon eac"
wagon were from wv" To NV ""s' VI
wool Each wagon was hau'eu 's o'4'
horses.
Most of the wagons We're co'''Pa'"u'e
new, and everything ABOUT 'He ou''''s 'c-
Elected lhe prosperity OF 'He'' 'ospeo'''
owners II was 49,,
sheep ranchmen Men or "ea''h WHO i'au
not flddeh of '"''" $50
sat upon the hish spring seats ana uroNe
their wagons OF wool through we 80 'o's
and up TO TIE upIoau'he p'"'o' ia '''
grins overspread the'r hapPS co"i''o'a''.
Ces. From as iar west as Ju"c'''A' Avn
miles, and from frederlcRSpuIh' scNe"t9
five miles to the southwest WOOL iauei'
wagons had come. Inc streets were n''-
ed with them pS noon
the red top. The bountiful supply OF
that non-intoX 1catihs beverage was kep'
on ice, the wool men We're not from 'hc4'
ride through The beating sun Inc "'S'
wagon that arrived received war" greet
ings from the populace' VINO were ea'ne'-
ed upon the street, Why not invite the
driver to take drink OF red TOP II
was In the cool of the early morning
then and 1t was not to be supposed that
the man would be very thirsty.
Get down and come in and nave
drink" said one OF the members or the
local reception committee to the driver
| II thought THIS town was prohlp'tion'
said the driver as he clambered down
from the wagon seat you amt got any
beer. l reckon"
committeeman.
OIL or