Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-30
LAST OF FAMOUS TRAIL.
Old Route Over Which Cattle We're
Driven North From Texas.

Driven North From IeSas.
The last vestiges of the old nation
al cow trail, stretching up through
Texas and Cimarron counties toward
the northwest, will probably be obli-
terated by the march Of a few years
more of civilization, but now in spite
of the fact that the tread Of cattle has
not been heard over this historic
trail since 1890 the old trails are
still marked by we'll defined paths,
running parallel, where the cattle
walked single file one behind the 9TH
er. There are usually from dozen
to twenty-five such paths, silent land
marks of the days when thousands OF
cattle were trailed northward from
Southern Texas and Mexico to north
Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.
For many years the Texas cattle
the country, all of II unfenced and
uncutivated, but as soon as there be-
gan to be any settlers at all In the
Oklahoma Panhandle" they entered
serious protests against that method
Of transporting the herds because
the southern cattle communicated 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 Har-
desty war" Hardesty and his associ-
ates hired a number of armed fight
ing men and placed them along the
route usually traversed, with instruc-
tions to stop all southern cattle. or
course the blockade was Of only tenn
porary 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 settlers became
more numerous they effected an or
ganization known as the League"
for the purpose of compelling the
Cdllle W uIlNCll oIOho
one well defined trail, thus minimiz-
ing the danger of infection to cattle
on other parts of the range. A sort
of patrol was established, one men,
ber being delegated to keep the herds
on the trail and 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 regulation they were visited by
committee from the league and in
formed that they could either follow
the trail as other herds had done or
the entire outfit of cattle, horses and
men would be escorted back to the
Texas line.
It has now been something like
fifteen or sixteen years since driving
cattle overland from the south to the
northern ranges was abandoned, and
few of 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 we'll 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 generally furnished with
mount of horses ranging from five to
seven head.
At night the herds were rounded up
on the open prairie, and guards, con-
ssting usually Of two men, would ride
around them all night, the riders
singing continually through the 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 move the cattle
from the bed ground to grass, little
further along the trail.
The "punchers" who composed these
outfits were generally men whose ages
ranged from 80 to 90 years, weather.
beaten, stormtried and big hearted fell
lows. When quarrels arose the cool
er heads usually prevented gun plays,
and the boys fought it out with their
fists. They enjoyed a game of "one
come along two," and considered two
deuces good enough to stay on until
the raise came. Their manners were
often rough, but they were big heart
ed men, who would give their last
cent to a 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.
Moslem Architecture.