The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1913-01-10
Col. Acie Sooner

to the present city OF Wichita, Kansas marking
the course by small mounds OF earth. This was
thought to be the most convenient way to reach
the railroad.
Further to the west was the "Chisum' trail
It took its name from Jesse Chsum, hali-breed
Indian. and one Of The earliest OF the stockmen
by this trail the Southern cattle were transferred
to the Northern ranges TO be iattened for mar
ket 1t crossed Red River and thence through
the western portion OF the present Oklahoma into
Kansas. So many cattle passed over this route
that it presented the appearance OF a wide nigh
way stretching for miles across the country.
There was also the Panhandle trail, used also
for the transfer Of Texas cattle to the ranges IN
Colorado and more northern states
The first herds were driven into Kansas ih
1903, and nearly every following year there was
an increased number until the aggregate OF on
season amounted to more than OoOOoO, and when
estimated in dollars and cents the aggregate from
1908 To- 1875 reached eighty millions OF dollars.
But it was necessary to spend the greater par
OF this sum in clothing, wagons, agricultural I'M
pemcnts etc. So thar very little of this none
remained i'm Texas Now home manufacture b.
producing different state OF affairs and the bal
anCe of trade is swinging our way.
The old cow trails are historic about them
Hngcr the traditions and the romanccs OF The carr
days of Texas coWpuuching. The cowboy song
and ballads about which So much has been spc-
ken and written are identified with thc old NORTH
bound trails There were men who did nOthiu
else but trail cattle from Texas TO Kansas Colo
RADIO, Montana and Wyoming. They would star,
"a bunch OF lean steers from the plains of IeNa'
i'm the early spring Craze them all the way tr
Montana, where they would arrive 100 the late ian
sleek, fat and ready lo market To, the uuiu-
formed it is proper to state that these trails were
made necessary by lack ui railroads ln Texas.
The nearest practical railroad points at that tim,
were Abilene and Wichita Kansas When th-
railroads came into Texas, with their superb
stock and refrigerator car service, they put On.
cow trails out of existence. Barb wire fences ais
materially assisted the railroads to obIltera'
the cow trails. With the passing OF Tree grass
the vast open range was cut mp into pasture
hV the large cattle owners and fenced with paru
wire.
IT was in 1874 that disaster o,ertook the cattle
industry of Texas Too many men had gone
into the business and GOO much credit had been
cNteudcd to the cattle men 10y the banks and bV
individual cattle men going upon each other
personal notes 10 J., recalled that % certain cattle
man u Clay county became rich by staying 'u
the notes of other cattle men This uNcr-cNteu.
sion of credit crumb,u 'r1en the prices
of cattle went to the bottom Thousand, of good
men were caught boo the crash and lost ,hc savings
of many wears The rcluycnauuu following tHe
crash was slow and 10 has taken most careful.
again put the cattle business ou ITS feet.
The price of "loughoru' steers 300 1874 was still
very low. about s. per 700 pounds. while other
cattle brought duuhl. that price iu many n.
stances. This competition with other grade,
of cattle induced our druycr- to SEQ improve then
herds that now YOU seldom sec @ .uuShou
steer.
Nu incident. wherein d "oughoru" acted thr
principal role, occurred iu the city 30 ST. Louis u
The spring OF 1903 A big 'luughurn steer that
had been running wild BOO Texas. and bad become
dangerously savage bvurltertlu- himself agalus,
the wolves. pautHer- and cougars cor NcNca1
lions. un the plains and iu The brakes made his
escape from the stock pens and rushed iranuca.l.
through the main business streets. Men. women
and children fled boz terror from before OBJ, char-
ing beast There was q general call tur the pH.
lice and they came. Yelling waving their club,
and firing their pistols U the "lunEH0m. "1'r1
was rushing about. wady. 200 every .irccuun with
head low and tail mp. Finally. the steer. a' fu.|
speed. plunged through q large window o. plat.
glass into a Wholesale and retail IewerE STORE,
smashing show cases. turning over tables au.
desks. and driving tine clerks tH the top of tE.
.hcvc, and other place, u. safety. These pcop'
were taken by surprise never having seen q long
horn before and their cries u. terror drove ever.
pedestrian from that vicinity. \ riot call had
been turned boo tu the police station. Police cam.
bv score, from every part o' the c'f', driving t-
steer through thg building and continuously fir
iug their pistols. Tus, as the steer jumped into
the street 90 the bac, emil OF the Store O. cnwbul
appeared upon rhc scene. with % .45 Colts re-
toi,cr lon hand and killed the steer at single
shot. tl the great establishment OBJ. al who saw o.
The cowboy was from Rciugio county and had
been in the Tsnes- a'l his life. s. great crowd
gathered around The dead steer. and one of The
clerks who had climbed ,o the top shelf 'n the
,Jouiuucd 900 nest page