The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-07
AUTO BUSTING
BY COWBOYS
Unwritten Rules Which Are Rig
idly Enforced in the Ranch
Region of Texas
JOY WAGONS IN GENERAL USE
The Range Riders Do not Permit Any
Undue Liberties to Be Taken in
Running the Machines Shooting
Up Of Automobiles Common.

There are cciean unwritten rules
that must be rgidly observed by au.
tomobilsts in the ranch region of
Western Texas The JOY rider soon
comes to grief in this part Of the
country
The automobile is in general use in
the range territory. but the cowboys
do not permit any undue liberties to
be taken in running the machines.
The shooting up OF automobiles by
cowboys is q common practice. This
method of bringing an automobile to
a stop is not used unless the cowboy
thinks that he has not been treated
with proper consideration.
An instance occurred near Brady
few days ago Dick Davis started
from there on thirty mile trip to his
ranch in Concho county. He was driv-
ing his automobile himself and had
no passenger He was in a hurry to
reach the ranch and did not observe
! the rules of the road as laid down in
this part of the country.
| He was spinning along at a high
speed when he came upon a drove of
mules in charge of man on horse
back who carried rifle in sCabbard
/ Instead of bringing the automobile to
! stop when he came upon the mules
Mr.. Davis sped right past them, caus-
! ing stampede. 4 moment later
three quick reports Of rifle were
heard and the automobiles two rear
tires collapsed,
The bullets knocked the machine
completely out OF commission" Mr..
Davis said in telling of the affair THE
man with the mules got his stray ami
mails together and continued with
them down the road. | knew that he
was right, so | didn't try to round
him up"
4 man from Ohio opened a real es.
tate office at Sweetwater recently and
bought a big automobile in which to
convey customers over the country.
He had an experience on his first trip
that taught him a lesson.
He had four Missouri land prospec-
tors in his automobile and was on the
way to look at some land about forty
miles south of Sweetwater. In order
to make short cut to the property
he was crossing a big pasture. In the
distance could be seen large numbers
Of cattle which were being driven by
cowboys.
None of you men ever saw a cat
tie roundup. did you?" inquired the
real estate dealer.
There was chorus of answers in
the negative.
well, that's what's going on over
there. I'll just run you over to the
place and wen watch 'em a while"
The automobile was headed in the
direction of the gathering herd of cat
tie and soon attracted the attention
Of the cowboys. They gesticulated at
the auto, but the signs were not un-
decstood by those at whom they were
directed The cattle were beginning
to snort and We're on the verge of a
stampede when two of the cowboys
pulled their six shooters and began
to fire at the automobile. The bull
lets whizzed around the wheels
"Here!" yelled one of the land
prospectors to the real estate dealer,
get us out of here Quick!"
The real estate man wanted to get
away from the scene as badly as his
companions and he lost no time in
turning the automobile around and
, spinning away as fast as the machine
could go.
Many of the ranch broncoes are not
used to automobiles, and when one OF
these animals is being ridden by a
cowboy and comes upon an automo
bile in the road the chauffeur who
knows the customs OF the region stops
and keeps the machine quiet until the
horse and rider have gone by and are