Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-02
FROM Cattle RANGES
70 TURKEY RANCHES
FARMERS IN ONE SECTION OF
TEXAS TAKE UP NEW AND
NOVEL INDUSTRY.
RAISE FOWLS az THOUSANDS
FOR EASTERN MARKETS
Ranches Of Hundreds Of Acres Being
Devoted to Turkey Raisins-Dr'vsn
to Market in Big FIeeks, ~ Steers
Formerly Were Driven in Herds -
Packing Plants Being Established.

Packing Plants Being Established.
Cuero Tex, Jan. Turkeys have
come to mean to this section of Texas
all that cattle ever did. Nearly every
farmer hereabouts has his flock of
turkeys and more than 100000 Of the
birds have been driven here for sale
since the marketing season opened
Nov. /.
The season will continue until Jan.
l and turkeys are arriving at the rate
of 5000 TO 10000 daily and the arrivals
on several days have equaled in num-
Der the 10000 birds that participated
in the reca mt parade that brought fame
to the town, as it was planned to do
The two poultry packing plants here
have an aggregate capacity of 5000
turkeys daily. Besides the many car
loads of dressed fowls that are shipped
from Cuero, thousands of live turkeys
are also sent from here During the
periods beginning about ten days be-
fore Christmas and New Years the
turkey shipments are the heaviest.
Orders recently have been filled for
several thousand Cuero turkeys to be
served for Christmas and New Years
dinners upon the boats of two OF the
largest transatlantic steamship lines
One large consignment of these dresse d
fowls was sent to London.
Has Become Great Industry.
The turkey industry has had re-
markable growth in this part Of Texas
during :he ias: few years. The birds
require comparatively little attention
They forage chiefly upon the insect
poets that are found in the cotton fields
and in this way are really OF much
benefit TO the farmers.
The industry has contributed SO
much to the growth and prosperity OF
Cuero that it was decided to give It
official recognition by grand celebra-
ton that was held just before Thanks
giving. Governor o. B. Colquitt was
one of the guests Of honor on that oc-
casion. Accompanying him were sew
eral members Of his military staff and
other state officials. The United States
Third Cavalry Military band came
down from Fort Sam Houston and this
thousands of turkeys In the parade
There vas speechmaking by the gov
ernor and others. In which the turkey
was the chief topic. At night turkey
turkey trot dance was given, the gov
ernor leading the grand march. More
than $4,000 visitors came 10 Cuero to
witness the parade and participate in
the other features OF the celebration.
Turkey drives have taken the place
T. l.: -
In some respects the drivers Of turkeys
are beset by difficulties similar to those
ctten occurring in cattle drives. Ere
quently flock OF turkeys that are
trctting contentedly along the high
way suddenly will be stampeded with
out apparent cause. At such times II
requires the diligent efforts OF the driv-
e-s to round them up and again place
them upon the road to market.
One Flock Of s.175.
One flock OF S.175 turkeys for the
parade was driven to the outskirts OF
town from Meyersville. fourteen miles
! from Cuero. The owners of this big
drove were Isaac Egg & Sons. who
are said to be the largest turkey rails
! ers in the county. This one flock was
! only part Of their seasons output
Egg has had long experience In driving
turkeys to market and he brought his
] big drove into town without any serious
difficulty. A number Of drivers were
employed. and they carefully guarded
the birds against stampede.
| One Of the typical features Of turke!
driving IS that II the day is cloudy anc
| dark the fowls sometimes decide to &c
to roost while on the trip. even II 1t If
! long before night. When they takt
such notion as this the only thing &c
do IS TO let them have their own wa.
about it. Otherwise they become sulk.
land refuse to be driven farther tina
day.
The aock of SITS turkeys which Egs
land his sens brought in reached
wooded spot in the outskirts Of thu
town just at dusk on the evening before
the big parade was 70 be given, Thu
turkeys flew into trees. and went t
roost upon the limbs. Most Of this nm
flock consisted OF big bronze -featheret
gobblers. and the noise they made a
their roosting places and along tn
highways which they Travelled wa
heard far away.
Thrive on Trips.
1t is said that turkeys may be driver
long distances and that if they are per
mitted to forage along the route the,
Twill be in better condition upon their ar
trivial than when they started. Not IN
Ifreaueniy large flocks OF ITEM are driv
en- as far as thirty miles. several day
. being required to make the trip.
Il It was only seven or eight years ag
that there was little or no market TO
THE farm raised turkeys Of this section
In those days a big gobbler sold TO
about so cents A hen would sell 10
even less than this sum. 1t was not
recognized business in tn: town or i
} the country. Finally the fact came t
t be realized that the birds had value
The opening Of a poultry packing plan
: created a market for them and the
!, were sought by buyers.
: There were shipped las. year out q
Cuero tlairty-two cars Of dressed an
frozen turkeys. there being. all toll
8 20. 400 Of the fowls marketed here.
: This year the receipts will be thre
!, times greater than those Of last yea
It is asserted. In several other town
{ OF south Texas. there will be markete
: this season 10000 to so, 900 turkeys. an
e the output of the whole state will b
i nearly double what 1t was last year,
: Is believed.
e Etks Open New Home.
: Special to Times Republican.
!. q Newton. Ian. The E'ks gave II