Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-08-26
SHOOTING UP AUTOS.
UnWritten Rules Which Texas
Cowboys Rigidly Enforce.
PERMIT NO UNDUE LIBERTIES

How Automobiles Are Stopped In .
Hurry When Cowboys Think They
Have Been Unfairly Treated-Ex-
citing Experience of Real Estate
Dealer.
There are certain unwritten rules
that must be rigidly observed by auto
mobilists in the ranch region of west
ern Texas in the vicinity of Brady.
The Joy rider soon comes to grief In
that part of the United States.
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 a commin practice. This method of
bringing an automobile + q stop is
not used unless the cowboy thinks that
he has not been treated with proper
consideration.
An instance occurred near Brady,
Tex, a few days ago. Dick Davis
started from Brady on Il thirty mile
trip to his ranch in Coucho county. He
was driving his automibile 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
that part of the country.
Stopped by Three Quick Shots.
He was spinning along at a high
speed when he came upon a drove OF
mules in charge of man on horsebacB
who carried rifle in scabbard. In
stead of bringing the automobile to 8
stop when he came upon the mules
Mr.. Davis sped right past them, caus
Ing stampede, A moment later three
quick reports OF rife were heard, anC
the automobiles two rear tires col
lapsed.
"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
animals together and continued Will
them down the road. I knew that ht
was right, so didn't try to rount
him up" s' i'...s.
A man from Ohio opened real es
tate Office at Sweetwater recently anC
bought a big automobile in which t
convey customers over the country
He had an experience on his first triJ
that taught him a lesson.
He had four Missouri land pros
pectors In his automobile and was OF
the way TO look at some land abou
forty miles south of Sweetwater. II
order to make a short cut to the prop
erty he was crossing a big pasture
In the distance could be seen larg
numbers of cattle which were bein,
driven by cowboys.
None of YOU men ever saw a cattl
roundup, did you?" inquired the rea
estate dealer.
There was a chorus of answers il
the negative.
We'll, that's what's going on owe
there. I'll just run you over to tn
place and Wen watch 'em awhile"
Bullets Whizzed Around the Wheels.
The automobile was headed in tn
direction of the gathering herd of cat
tie and soon attracted the attention o
the cowboys. They gesticulated a
the auto. but the signs were not un
derstood by those at whom they wer,
directed The cattle were beginning
to snort and We're on the verge of
stampede when two OF the cowboy.
pulled their six shooters and began t
fire at the automobile. The bullet.
whiZZed around the wheels.
Here" yelled one of the land pros
pectors to the real estate dealer. "Ge
us out Of here qulck.'
The real estate man wanted to ge
away from the scene as badly as his
companions. and he lost no time IL
turning the automobile around anC
spinning away as fast as the machine
could go.
Many of the ranch bronchos are not
used to automobiles, and when one oi
these animals is being ridden by Q
cowboy and comes upon an automo
bile in the road the chauffeur whc
knows the customs of the region stops
and keeps the machine quiet until the
horse and rider have gone by and are
a safe distance on the other side
New York Sun.