Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-08-29
Mounts a Pony and Goes
Among the Cowboys.
Doesn't Finch at 3O-mile Ride
Meets Old Friends.
Greeted by . Tremendous Crowd
Saturday At Cheyenne.

COW ponies, Theodore Roosevelt rode
80 mites today across the plains of wy
oming. He wanted to get back once
more among the cowboys in their own
country and mingle with them as he
did in the old days. q years ago. when
the lure of the West brought him out
here. He visited the sheep ranch OF
Senator Warren and returned to Chey-
enne tonight, more enthusiastic than
ever about the wonders of the West.
Colonel Roosevelt began today by at
tending the First Congregational
church After the service was over the
people crowded around him and he
shook hands with everybody.
There was a wide difference of opin-
ion around town as to whether the col
onel would be good for the whole ride.
and some bets were made that he
would not. He had relay of three
horses and rode them like cavalry
man. When the ride was over he said
he had enjoyed every minute of it and
was not a bit stiff or sore. His mounts
We're spirited ones. which gave him a
little trouble, but he never lost con-
troll.
Lieut.. Thompkins of Fort D. A. Rus
sell, R. S. Van Teasle. who owns
ranch near Cheyenne, and Nat Baker.
a ranchman, accompanied him
They cantered across the plains, stop
ping now and then while the colonel
talked with some COW punchers asking
them how things are nowadays in the
cattle countries. AS it began to grow
dusk they came to the ranch of Sen
ator Warren. where they stopped for
supper.
Senator Warren's ranch is Is miles from
Cheyenne. The senator has $4,000 acres
of semi-arid land, some of which he de-
voted to dry farming In the middle Of
the ranch there is little settlement of
long, low buildings. of which the ranch
house, where Senator Warren lives part
of the time, is the chief. There are sheds
under which the cattle are driven in hard
weather. corralS, d blacksmith shop, the
house of the major domo, and the shacks
in which the cowboys and rangers sleep.
Everybody in the little village turned
out to welcome Colonel Roosevelt with
cowboy yell and the colonel shook hands
all around.
The cowboys and sheep herders were
dressed in their Sunday best. They wore
silk shirts of flaming colors. with scarfs
around their necks and chaps of red.
green or yellow.
Colonel Roosevelt spent two hours
there He said he was able to ride back
to Cheyenne on horseback. but as it was
dark he decided to make the return trip
by automobile.
Il really am very much impressed by
what I have seen here. I was sorry l did
not see Joe La Force yesterday" the col
oned went on. When | was out here
seven years ago l rode from Laramie,
Wyo.. to Cheyenne, 81 miles. on relay
of horses. Marshall Harbell and Joe La
Force rode with me-
La Force is man about ) feet,
inches tall. smiling and pleasant, with
long and varied career of justifable hon.
icide. | like both Harbell and him.
saw Harbell yesterday and he told m"
Joe was in town and | tried to find him
but could not
Another old friend 1 saw yesterday i
a man whom I knew only as Ed l wa
riding across the country IS years ago
and crossed the Missouri river at Cleare
Ford when l ran across Ed He was
driving string of horses and l helped
him drive them for half a day. Yes
terday he came up to me and asked if I
remembered him.
Colonel Roosevelt will leave Cheyenne
at 735 o'clock tomorrow morning for
Denver. He is to spend the day there
and to speak to the Spanish War veter-
ans. the Legislature and the Live Stock
Association