La Junta tribune., 1910-07-09

-Four hundred miles or more TO the
westward stretches a vast arid do
main, still filled with herds Of cattle
and sheep. where the cowboy sim
holds dominion in all his ancient
grandeur, with chaps, broad brimmed
sombrcro. high heeled boots, spurs.
and the cartridge belt and revolver
at his waist To this point hither-
ward. the farmer. the conqueror Of
the earth has slowly and steadily
marched, daring to new .couquests,
the pioneer with his yoke OF oxen. a
couple OF COWS. were he so rich, a
hen coop aud his dog. followed later
with the white pra RE schooner.
drawn ty horses or mules aud still
later. In the emigrant car, for now
the railroad Is here, too. Twenty
seven ars ago. rode into this town
on a pony II then vas the outpost
Of civilization. the nearest railroad
ninety miles distant, and consisted
Of three 70 a half dozen general mer.
Chandlsc and small stores almost as
many saloons and two or three dance
halls. the places OF amusemcnt-thr
picture show Of those days There
was no church in the town. Fort
Coucho. government post. was Just
across the river and near the post
was then a little adobe town, Ben
FiCku. the county scat Of Tom
Green county Tom Green county
vas larger than the slate ot Massa-
chuscils but is now divided into
four or five counties A year Dr sn
after was hero. q great flood came
down one II fhu couchos, said tp
have been thirty feet deep. aud swept
the adobe village. with its two-story
adobe court house. completely on th"
map II was caused hy rloudburst
and the Er,at avalanche OF water
rushed down With wall twenty or
thirty feet high. carrying destruction
and devastation everywhere In It's
track A round up was oycr'akcn, at
dead OF night camped on the banks
Of the coucho aud wagons aud tents
and cooking outfits. saddles and
horses and several men were swept
along by the sudden flood, towards
the sea and into destruction, There
was no telephone In those days and
no one to call had there been one.
The first warning was given by the
cattle night guards, who heard the
distant murmur and roar of tho
flood. although ~ vas not distant
long, nor did the night watch, as he
circlod the bydded herd and sang
his song to keep from starting and
stampcdinE the herd, take note Of
the first waft OF IA, sound made by
the oncoming flood. nor. for a min
ute or two, realize what that distant
roar meant The herd Wss not put
to sleep In the bottom. by the riycr,
but out upon the prairie The camp.
however. Was, as Is usual, In the
bottom near the river when the
real situation was realized. COW.
boy left the herd. at full speed. yell.
ing with that peculiar voice and tone
and shout, which tn. cowboy In sc-
customcd To use when he wants TO
call .hc attention of his fellows. The
camp was aroused. but not In time
10 save g. for the teams were out
In the caylard. herded by the night
~ranglcr or rustler: still, the warn
ing came Ia time to enable most Of
the boys t. save Themselves, while
their tents and beds and blankets
and few personal effects were aban.
doncd to the flood Pand.monium
reign"d At that round up that dire
full night. for there VAS soon the
thund.rous roar Of IN. flood. the
shouting. the confusion and the hur.
rying and skurryinr of the camp and
IN. stampcding OF the herd. which
also had taken fright \ stampede
itself. OF a thousand cattle. OF n dark
night ~ a terrible and exciting thing.
Any sudden noise viii. of dark
night. stampede a herd Of range cat
ale and. when badly sffright.d. they
becom. madd.ncd and Wild. and the
cowboy must plac. himself In tn"
van. right NJ the front. and ride long
and hard. sometimes almost for his
life. to keep with and bring under
control the frcnricd herd The cow
boy does not Try TO stop the cattle
TO a sudden halt but he rides along
side OF IN. leaders. IN his efforts to
turn them. untii he forces them to
eide IN q circle. II he succeeds. the
circle grows smaller and smaller.
until the herd IL made to mill. as Il
ia called and may then be auistpd