Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-06-09
QM- or MzEHDFRS 90

One day a stockman who had come
into South Omaha with a train Of
sheep dropped in at Union Pacific
headquarters to see General Superin-
tendent w L. Park on business, and
in the course of his conversation be-
a telling of the trip down from
Idaho. He had had lots of trouble
loading and unloading, he said, until
he reached North Platte, Neb.
But there | saw the funniest thing
in my life" he laughed. "The station
agent there has a boy and that boy
has a goat-just a plain old billy goat.
And that billy goat has learned to-
chew tobacco.
When we got ready to load III
sheep, that kid took a plug of to-
bacco in his hand and started. Billy
started after the tobacco. The kid
walked through the sheep and old
Billy followed him. And blamed if all
those sheep didn't walk right after
that old goat. They thought he was
n of them, and you know a sheep.
will follow where another one leads.
"The boy walked up the chute into
n of the cars. Billy was right be-
hind him and sheep were simply fall
ing owe themselves to. get in. The
boys and Billy, remained near the door.
and when the car was filed with
sheep they got out and the door was.
closed.
"That freckle-faced kid and that old
billy goat did in five minutes what
half a dozen men could not have done.
In ten"
The stockman saw only a funny oc--
currence in the work of the goat, but
Park saw the solution of a big prob
lem.
Two hours later a special train car
rying the general superintendent left
the Omaha yards, its destination be-
ing North Platte. On arriving there,
the boy proudly made Billy show off.
Within a month every feeding sta
tion OF the Union Pacific system was
equipped with a couple of billy goats
and their training was begun.
Today, when a long line of stock
cars, each filled with sheep, draws up
at a feeding yard, one of these goats
is sent up the chutes and into the car
among the sheep. He quickly makes
the acquaintance of the newly arrived
animals and then calmly walks out
the door. True to the idea of follow
ing a leader, the sheep fall in line and
march out behind old Bill.
This action is repeated until all the.
cars are emptied-and then Bill gets
his reward-a chew of tobacco.
The goats have learned to chew to-
bacco from the train men who pet and
tease them whenever they have the
opportunity, and the "chew" is usu-
ally given them as a reward when
their task Of unloading a train Of
sheep Is completed. The railroad COM
pany makes a regular allowance to-
pay for tobacco for these goats.
When ready to reload, the goats are
again sent among the sheep, with
whom they frolic a few minutes, and
then they start for the cars, followed
by the sheep. When all cars are load
ed the goats receive another chew Of
tobacco.
The feeding yards are all equipped
with electric lights so that cars may
be loaded and unloaded at night, thus,
saving much time. And when a train
arrives at night, especially are the.
goats necessary. AT such times they
enter the cars where the sheep are ly-
ing On the floor and butt the sleeping
animals around until they are thor
oughly awakened-and then they lead
them out into the feeding pens.
These goats are great ~favorites Of
the railroad men and seem to know
every brakeman and train employee
on their division. But not a single
n Of the railroaders is more neces-
sary to the economical operation of
the line than is one Of the Bills, and
none OF them do more work for their
salaries than the goats for their feed
and tobacco.
The facility Of the goat for this.
work has long been known at the.
packing houses, where they are
to lead animals to slaughter.