Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-05-25
MONTHLY MAGAZINE SECTION
Page Nine

VI SUI rum HIS uelSHDOIb ana Ine buyer would
drive his steers and barren cows to the railroad
After the NJ X & T. railroad the first to traverse
Oklahoma, was built, Caddo, Atoka and Muskogee
became shipping points for cattle. Many ranch
men, however, still drove their cattle through to
Wichita, Abilene, Hays Fort Dodge and other
towns.
THE shipping points of cattle became known as
COW towns and Northern buyers were on hand to
purchase the cattle. Many of the steers sent to
Kansas points driven on to Montana,
Wyoming Nebraska and neighborng states
Herds from South Texas were five months on
the road to market. Each herd had road brand
and cattle lost on the trail were picked up by the
herds following. When the destination was
reached the owners were notified of the number of
cattle bearing their brands. The men engaged in
this work were young, hardy fellows, accustomed
to exposure and outdoor life. They lived under
wagons in the open with no tent facilities
Frequently they slept the ground under wagon
sheets. The cattle were guarded at night and
sometimes would stampede. In case Of stampede
it was necessary to the entire outfit to
help hold the herd. The cowboys of this period
were trained to discipline and rarely would one
of them ever shrk duty
In 1884 began the first movement to improve
the blood of the range stock. Pure-bred cattle
from Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and some
few from Iowa and Missouri were shipped into
this country to cross with native cattle. Short
horns, Herefords and Angus of improved breeds
were crossed the old long-ho cows, of dun,
pied, yellow and nondescript colors. Among the
early cattlemen to participate in the movement for
better blood were Frank Colbert, Frank Murray,
Ed Huntey, Montford Johnston Bill Mcclure,
Sears and Clinton, and John Whistler: Nearly all
of these men had rights range privileges in
Indian Territory. At that time there were no
fences, and the cattle wandered over the prairies
at will, disturbed only in summer by the annual
roundup, branding and cutting out for market
"The pure-bred animals brought in from the
North lived but one season. The only benefit oh.
from them was the first crop of calves. The
ern animals soon became infected with 'accmatc
later known tick fever. There was no remedy,
Nv of these cattle doctored saved. Finally,
egan to look for of this disease, and it was
decided that the fever tick, supposed to have been
lt from Mexico and there received from Spain,
he cause of the short life of Northern cattle in
ountry. Oklahoma and Texas cattle were par
immune to the disease through having been in
with ticks in their calfhood and thereby rendered
object to fever.
the early efforts at graduating the disease the
were ropcd and thoroughly creased Then fol-
a solution prepared and recognized by the Govern
and applied with spray pump. This remedy
unsatisfactory. Finally, there the dip
at with layer of crude oil, two or three inches
on top of the solution. # the oil were of high
Y, IS to IS, the cattle suffered when exposed
hot sun. After going through the bath and
t in the hot sun the hides on the cattle would
and the animals suffered severely. Later came
,aration Of arsenic, sal soda, and creosote dip.