Jackson County journal., 1919-08-22
Cause of Many Battles Between
Rival RancherS and
With Outlaws.
MORE Than 5000 IN TEXAS
ecow" Thieves Use Ingenious Methods
to Change Marks on Stolen AMI
mals-Many Strange De-
vices Are Used.

Austin, Tex.-ROmance, not unmixed
with tragedy, might be written about
the cattle brands Of Texas and the
Southwest. Around them have CEN
tered many thrilling deeds. They
have been the means of bringing swift
reribution to host of outlaws; they
have served as the basis for transac-
tions involving the sale of many mil
lions of head of cattle.
The records of the Texas Cattle
Raisers' association show that there
are more than 5000 registered brands
In this state. No two brands are alike
Usually each brand represents a sep
arate ranch. 1t is often the case that
a ranch is much better known by the
brand of Its cattle than by the name
Of the owner. Owners may change,
but the brand never.
When fernando Cortez conquered
Mexico in the early part of the sin
teenth century he established a ranch
upon the isthmus of Tehauntepec. The
cattle bore his brand. Although that
was nearly 400 years ago the cattle
upon that ranch today bear the orig
lnal Cortez brand.
Origin Lost in History.
The origin Of the cattle brand dates
back to the dim dawn of history. I1
the days of free grass and open range
the brand was an absolute necessity il
order that the owners might identify
their cattle in the annual round-upS
With the coming of wire fences thi:
necessity was largely obviated but th'
brand served still to place guilt upoI
cattle thieves. This purpose is still
served and this fact accounts largel.
for the retention of the brands by al
Of the ranchmen.
Ingenious methods are sometime
used by cattle thieves to change exist
ing brands upon stolen stocks. Mos
Of the members of the Texas Range
force are experts in the matter of dt
tecting the Disgusting or changing c
brands.
The cattle brands of some rancho
are an intangible asset of great valu
honesty in breeding, honesty in weigl
and honesty in dealing, just as th
heraldry of knighthood stood for hOl
or, for bravery and for noble deet
and accomplishment. Announcemel
that cattle of q certain brand are @
fered for sale is often sufficient qua
antee that no precautions again
fraud of any kind are taken.
Every Letter Is Used.
In the record of brands, every lett
Of the alphabet is represented, al
most letters are found in three
four positions. An exception is &c
which has but one shape, in any po
ton, and therefore can be used on
once. True, there is the 80" hatten
at the sides, but it is then called
mashed "O," link or goose egg.
"N'' is another letter that is not ST
ceptible Of many positions, for no
zontally it is ~" 81" is another lett
with limited use. 1t is seldom Sc
except in combination with otf
characters, and is usually called b
"C' and "K" are examples Of lettt
that are used in four positions. L
example, an ordinary ak" makes c
position. Turn it to an angle of
4, degrees and you have the 'tumbli
X; on It's back, horizontally, the "ls
K" and reversed, a fourth positi
There are lazy and tumbling braI
In all letters except 80" and a."
But when the cattle business
comes general and instead Of
ranches there are thousands, n
brands must be devised. The see
for brand naturally gets an insig