Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-02
Sued for Damages.
COWBOYS FINERY EXPENSIVE.
Practically No Limit to What He
MAY Paw for an Outfit.
FROM the KANSAS CITY Star.

From the Kansas City Star
When the city man gets his bills for HIS
new fall suit. his fussy topcoat with the
latest style stock collar his velvet hat.
spats and gloves he is apt to think with
some complacency that he has done all
that money can do to cIothe the outer
man. His tailor is the most expensive
he can find, his fabrics are all imported.
and he contemplates his fancy waistcoat
with the awe that comes with a realiza-
ton that the buttons alone cost 81 each.
The same man would be considerably
surprised if any one told him that there
was an establishment in the West Bot
toms that deals exclusively with stock
men and cowboys where a hat costs any
where from S12 to $40 and q pair Of
trousers from $l5 up to almost any
figure. A cowboy with roll and prop
er sense Of the fitness of things can safely
match tailors' bills with the most fastidi-
Gus city dresser.
Several skilled workmen will spend
weeks making a saddle, hand carving it
with artistic designs and mounting 1t
with as much silver and other precious
metals as the purchaser desires to pay
for. And when stockman or cowboy
wants a saddle he wants 1t right. 1t not
infrequentiy happens that his saddle costs
more than the horse under It, Regular
stock saddles. not made to order, cost as
high as $75, and IL the purchaser wants to
go in for something fancy they take the
lid clear off.
Take spurs. for instance. A good. every
day, knoc. about pair of spurs can be had
for SIS, but. of course, 1t is not contended
that they are anything more than a rough
and ready article for heavy roadwork.
silver spur. such as would set on
stamped patent leather boot. with a mon
ogram on will come higher. of course. In
making an estimate on a complete outfit.
1t would be we'll to play safe and put
spurs down at $40.
Chaps is something every cowboy has
to have. Chaps is the trade name for
those wide affairs that go on like pair
of overalls which are seen in all faithful
portrayals of life in the wild. horsy west.
Sometimes they are of leather with a long
fringe, or if the rider wants to look par
ticularly devilish they are of goat skin
with the hair unbarbered. Chaps" cost
anywhere from $15 to $25.
But the two articles that the cowboy
who wants to shine really turns himself
loose on are hats and saddles. A hat can
be made a wondrous thing when price Is
not a discouragtng consideration. Or hand
leather with silver filigree ana
buckle it can be made to weigh several
pounds and cost several dollars pound.
1t seems that no cowboy would consider
himself dressed up without at least f1Vo
pounds Of hat. AS to what a cowboy
way: When he starts in to buy an outfit
he buys the saddle first and gets just
what he wants. and then if he has any
money left he buys the other things ne
needs.
There are fifty pounds Of leather in a
real cowboy saddle, fifty pounds OF leather
carved, stamped and be-
fringed. 1t is as big as a hammock with
a pommel like the Ornamental! sternpost
of q ship and a back like rocking chair.
There are more rings, straps. thongs and
holsters depending from 1t than a layman
could count without trying to learn their
various uses. This saddle is a five-roont
fat full of furniture to the cowboy: he
eats, works. loafs and sleeps In it.