The chronicle=news., 1913-09-16
FARMER IS cRoWDINc
S1OCkMAN FROM OKLA.

Guthrie. Okla. Sept. I6.-The sale
OF approximately 100000 acres OF
its new college" lands by Okla
homa In the counties Of Cimarron
and Texas in the months OF septem-
Der and October will bring finally TO
an end the big cattle outfits and the
1 big cattle ranches 10 the part OF the
state. Since earliest days these coun-
ties have been 4 part of the choices:
grazing region OF the great plains.
For decades the vast herds OF native
cattle moved unres,rained by wire
fences. feeding upon the buffalo" OF
curly mesquite grass. 40 nutritious
that the cattle went fat 10 market
without the use OF corn.
II Year after year. however. the
small farme. crept further and furth
er toward the west In search Of
cheaper lands. and as his numbers
Increased the cattle men found their
range narrowing and their water
supply decreasing. a. these settlers
fenced their homes,eads along the
few streams In the country.
These New College" lands are all
that remain Of the unfenced area.
They interminsle with the home
s,eads obtained by settlers from the
government. and with the public
lands owned by Oklahoma and held
under lease by their occupants. The
eaitiemen have paid an annual rem
tai of three cents an acre to the state
FOR the grazing privileges on the
New College" lands. Now. how
ever. they will b~ compelled to buy
them In competition with other bid
ders ~ public auction. and without
the preference rixh' Of taking them
a; the highest bid. The cattle out
ns are making their last stand In
that part of Oklahoma snd. like the
buffalo. are quickly to disappear.
Their going will ciosr the las, and
one OF the most romantic chapters
IN the story of the plains country.
Many an old cowboy vii, choke ..
he tries to swallow his sour dough"
biseui, that day.
/ The counties of Cimarron and
Texas arc s,iii the mosi remote. iso-
lated and unchanged section o! Okii.
homa. The Liberal. Kansas. TO Da,.
hart. Texas. on the east. and the
Fort Worth and Dcnver. skissinx tho
edge Of Cimarros county ~ the south
vess. sre the nearest oatiess. Al!
merchandise and supplies are
freishted to inland points. The MIN
-rai and Rois~ City Is Ne smooth and
| polished a. . floor. and the freight
.rs often drive their horses and
mules four abreast,
Enough OF the spirit and appear
sncc Of the old wcs; remains to
msk. the region Of uneommon !a'c:-
est to the ''.nderfoo, Here the In
dian and the buffalo once lived
Roth have vanished and Icr zrc,;
silent places In which there l. scarce
- sound save IN. lowing of cat.
tie. the bayinE OF an occasional Iobo
wolf and the creakiax of = windmill
a, a tank In \ cattle pssiuf. or on
ncishbo'. may be miles distant.
Birds no lonec, seen In their old
haun,s In more ;hiekiy settled com.
mun!tic. live and rai.e their young
here. The curlcw. for instance. still
comes in numbers. \ swiftly moving
Inc OF dark object. on the far hori-
ron. each backed by a white FLAG"
quickly resolve. i,.elf into a band
Of antelope. The antelope are found
mostly inside the fenccs o! the biz
cattle pastures. where ;hsv are pro-
icc;ed by the cowhoys
Timber IA 70 scarce that I, 10 no,
available for fuel purposes The set
tiers burn coal broaxh; from the in-
oxhaustibic field. of Colorado and
New Mexico. A cheaper and more
accessible fuel "a chips" which
burn easily and make a hot fire when
dry. One of the tasks of the chill
drcn is gathering "ehips"
In such primitive Surroundings men
end women seem naturally TO unit.
In fixing socia! standards that ar.
adapted TO their needs. Hospitality.
bene,olence and charity are 20 high
" developed as to surprise .trans-
ers. Each settlement or community