Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-01-06

. NNNAfNM W-AAIA $500 49, - -
cowboys for marketing and branding
| the annual increase; for, with The
exception Of isolated instances, wher
stock could be exchanged for dry
goods and groceries at extremely low
rating Of prices for the cattle, and
at extremely high prices for goods
there was absolutely no sale at any
price for livestock for cash. O
course the stock upon the ranges
continued to multiply and increase
fully up to the Adarhic command.
The war closed II 1855, too late
to attempt driving North. but in 80
2S2, 900 head, mostly grown cattle
crossed Red RiAsr. proposing 10
reach shipment at Sedalia, Missouri
| to st. Louis, but the Inhabitants Of
southwestern Missouri and southeast
Iern,K Kansas, being more or less 1awiess
| in sentiment, organized to prevent
| the cattle being driven into either
state, compelling the drover to hold
his stock in northeastern Indian Ter
ritory. The grass upon the prairie
was Of the blue-stem variety, and
September frosts destroyed IT for
nourishlng food, and fires soon swept
large areas OF the avilable ranges.
The time prescribed by the Missouri
ians and Kansans Tor the herds to be
allowed to proceed to the shipping
point, Sedalia, was December first.
Ruin, and often personal outrage,
even death, befell the unfortunate
drover, that aimed to steal around
by circuitous route, thinking to evade
thu watchful obstructionist. His
fate was always financially ruinous,
for he was stripped of his stock, often
tied to some convenient tree, and
dashed with hickory withes, vigor-
ously laid on by muscular enemies.
II life was not exunguished, the
drover became only too willing to
mount his wretchedly poor, sore
backed pony, and ride direct to Texas
and home, leaving his cattle to the
avaricious mob. The pnetext for the
opposition Of the settlers was q pre-
tended fear Of disease being commu-
nicated to the native stock. But
It was noticeable when by outraging
and robbing, II needs be, by murder
ing the unfortunate drover, they be-
came possessed of his stock, all fear
Of diseade subsidized.
So the attempt in '66 to market
Texas cattle resulted in complete dis
aster, and loss to the Texas drover'
although his herd cost him on the
ranges Of Texas only six or seven dol
lars per head, for grown steers weigh
ing, when in the flesh thirteen to
fourteen hundred each. For when
permitted to pass up to and ship at
sedalia, to st. Louis, they were SO
moor in flesh that an Illinois feeder
would not buy them, for he felt sure
they would freeze to death In the
cold winter, which fear was wei
founded. The butcher would not buy
them for they we're scarce more than
skin and bones. The returning
drover had only story Of disaster
and utter loss to tell his fellow
ranchmen at home. And the black
ness Of a starless midnight settled
over the Texas ranchman and his
industry. Certain very Intelligent
reliable Texas drovers told their
neighbors that a present Of one or
two thousand head Of the largest ana
finest steers that the country al
forded would not be accepted as 2
gift to be driven north to market
This was the condition Of affairs In
the livestock industry, in Texas at
the close Of 1856.
In the then so-called northwestern
states. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michi-
gan, wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa
the war had so exhausted the supply
of livestock by feeding the northern
population, and the great Union arm
lea that the prices on all classes OF
stock rose to an almost prohibitive
figure, and so continued for several
years, after the close Of the war
Common beef sold at forty and fifty
cents per pound at retail butcher
shops in eastern large cities, and was
correspondlnsIy high in the north
west. where five to six cents per
pound gross weight was paid os
Feeders and grazers for stockers 70
be matured on pastures and grain
and when SO matured we're bought
By eastern shippers at seven % ten
cents per pound gross weight at the
n.