Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-06
WHO IS COL ONEL j. c. MILLER is
QUESTION ASKED BY FOLLOWERS OF
SPORT WHEN ARTICLES ARE SIGNED

sent him to Central university at
Richmond, Ky. He attended that
institution for three years, and de-
spite the insistence' of his parents,
he refused to go back the fourth
year His father told him he would
give him a chance to make good.
So he handed the boy $4,000 and
told him to strike out for himself.
He went to San Antonio, Texas, and
right there put over the deal that
resulted, no doubt, in his becom-
ing later one of the big cattle buy
ers of the southwest 1t was his
start and a successful one.
He bought a herd of steers for
SIS a head and 1870 horses for $50
head. In those ways they had
to drive the cattle over the trail,
as there were no railroads and no
shipping facilities. He hired an
outfit" of COW punchers and start
ed north from old Mexico, the herd
being located just across the bor
der. He went in debt for part of
the herd. paying only $4,000 cash.
This showed Miller's Willingness,
even at this early stage IT life, ID
plunge his all If he saw chance
to make money. Risking stampedes
and standing all the hardships OF
the border country, he drove tbs
cattle over the trail to Winfield,
Kan, where he was living at that
time When he arrived his father
told him he had made a good deal.
1t developed that he had, because
he doubled his money on the cattle.
That was in 1887. The next year
he made a similar trip. and then
the Santa Fe built railroad
through that country and this
marked the end of driving cattle
over the trail from Texas to Okla
homa. They were shipped in after
that
Then Joe Miller entered the bus
mess with his father. They leased
lands from the Indians until law
was passed enabling the Indians %
sell the lands, after which they
bought up extensive tracts.
When the father died. Joe. lack
T.. George L., and Alma Miller,
three brothers and a sister. took
charge of the business. That was
a unique partnership in that they
never kept books with themselves.
Each took what money he or she
needed and asked no questions.
When Alma Miller married w II
English, an attorney of Kansas
City, the boys purchased her inter
ests in the ranch, they then con-
trolling 1000 acres of land in
Oklahoma and a plantation in Lou
isiana.
Miller's 101 ranch. with palatial
home, most modern equipment, and
thousands of head of stock. became
a beauty spot in the southwest. IN
1906 the National Editorial asso-
citation was entertained on the
ranch and 100000 people saw an
old-fashioned roundup at 101 ranch.
The boys decided TO capitalize the
publicity they obtained as the re-
suit of that entertainment. and the
following year founded Miller Bros.
101 Ranch Wild West show. This
show was on the road until the
fall of 1916. when 1t was sold and
the boys went back TO the rancn.
Colonel Joe retiring last year.
lack Miller ran the show With Col
onel Joe. and George Miller had
charge of the ranch. on which
there are now some big oil and gas
wells.
Colonel Miller likes to tell OF
the days when his father would buy
up a lot OF mules. load his wagons
with bacon, hams and lard from
the hogs he had butchered. drive
TO Texas. sell his pork and mules,
bought cattle with the receipts,
and drove the cattle back across
the trails to Indian Territory.
Colonel Miller has never used
liquor or tobacco. giving as his
reason the fact that he did not care
to acquire habit that every other
man wants to get rid OF This rea
son was handed down TO him by
his father.