El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-15

seen great changes IN the cattle tnaus-
try in Texas since he first engaged IN
the business. but he Is man VIC
keeps abreast OF the times ana does NOT
pine for the old days; rather he accepts
the nav regime as the better one
Cattle Raising in Texas.
Looking back upon the development
Of the cattle business from the days OF
horn steers. I can see that each change
was for the better" he says AT the
time, however, the ranchmen regarded
the wire fence leased land and 1lne
bred stock with suspicion and alarm
in the early days cattle raising was
q haphaZard business IN west Texas
The cattle ran wild on the open range
and were driven TO market Dy the cow
boys over the long trail to railroad
shipping points at Dodge City and Hays
City in Kansas The percentage Of
loss was always large. Cattle rustling
was q nOurishing occupation and many
cattle were lose on the trip in quick
sand and storms or left TO die BY the
trail
Primitive. Independents Life.
1T was a primitive, independent life
and the plains in the seventies was not
a place for a WeaklinS- The big round
ur5s were important occasions At one
roundup on Panther creek In Coleman
county in 1880, have seen 500 men en-
camped- and more than 1900 saddle
ponies
"a man never knew exactly how
many cattle he had I have had cat
tie drift for more than 500 niles and
it was 8 Job gathering them together
IN 1879 I ranChed In Tom Green
county. In those days q man never
thought OF buying land except at the
creeks and water holes Water was the
important consideration When q nan
controlled the water, he had free use
OF the land as far as his cattle could
Craze
In the year 1851 came to Brsvstsr
county from Williamson county. We
drove a. herd Of 500 cattle more than.
500 miles across country. We were
compelled to cross one strip OF country
made most Of the drive at night as,
cattle viii travel farther at night Ghzut
they viii in the day.
The Fatal Desert.
Another ranchman tried TO Cross tbs
dry section with a larger herd The cat-
tie became crazed from thirst and be-
gan milling For two DAYS the cow
boys tried to break the mill. until their
own drinking water was exhausted and
then they were forced to abandon the
cattle and make for the Pecos river
500 were lost. This illustrates the,
losses and dangers Of the ranching-
game in the early days
7 drove my herd to Green valleys
south Of the present town Of AIpine4
which was then called Murphyville.
The Leasing Law.
When the state passed a law fOrcfng
the ranchmen TO pay a lease Of g cents
an acre for the use of all public lands.
there was great indignation among the
cattlemen- We thought we were ruined
and II was the common opinion that
men could not make money and pay
the lease In the end, however, ir
turned out to be the best thing thar
ever happened - the business
There were immense stretches OF
tine grass lands that were unused be-
,ause no water could be found The
-anchmen soon found that shallow wa
Ter undarlaid the land and soon the
lLaAnS Were dotted with
Tindmills.
The Wire Fence.
w hen q man was forced to pay a
ease Tor land, he did not have other
peoples cattle grazing on it and the
ines OF wire fence began to stretch
-cfoss the plains Like every forward
yep, the wire fence was resented by
many cattlemen and many fights and
nuch trouble grew out Of the fencing
Z was a logical step in the evolution
u the cattle business. however, and
ne fence mad come to stay
WIN fenced ranges and never fall
nS Wells, the ranchmen had an OppOr~
Chlty 70 improve the breed of their
Scch- Inc old times laughed at the
Lea OF importing registered shOrthOrn
dltLe' but 1t was a success and the
9ngnorn cattle began to disappear
oUdy the lonShOrn has passed into
lstory and cannot be found in west
CORquerers Of wilderness.
1t was the cattlemen that conquered
ne wilderness The railroads followed
he herds; the cattlemen discovered the
Underground water and the farmer fol-
owed the ranches
stock raising is now a thoroughly
rganized modern industry. and the old
tasteful loss and eNtravagance has
cen eliminated I have never known
n old Cattleman who followed the
lnghoru on the open range. who did
OF secretly long toc the old DAYS It
as time FOR young men. when the
1unlry was young and the life was
'ugh and free The cOnruerine- OF the
est by the cattlemeu of the earlier
avs was the most stirring and roman
C chapter IN American history