Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1919-10-02
ROMANCE WEAvED
IN CATTLE BRANDS
Cause Of Many Battles Between
Rival RaDchers and
With Outlaws.
MORE THAN 500 IN Texas
"Cow" Thieves Use Ingenious Mcthods
to Change Marks on Stolen AMI
mais-Many Strange De-
vices Are Used.

Austin, TeX.-Romnnce, not unmiXeC
with tragedy might be written about
the cattle brands OF Texas una tht
Southwest, Around them have con
tered ninny thrilling deeds, They
I nv" been the means OF bringing swift
".lriblIiion to u host of 0ullaws; they
nuvr served rs the basis for lransuc
on, involving the sule OF many mil
lions of head of cattle.
The records Of the Texas Cattle
Rni~erS' association show that there
are more than 5000 registered brands
il. His state, No lwq brands Are alike
,5sually each brand represents II SEP
.!ute ranch. II Is often the ease that
ranch Is much better known by the
brand Of its cattle than by the mime
- he owner. Owners may change,
.ul The brand never.
When Heinahhu t"rtez conquered
lrNico In tie euriy part or the SIX
t.. uth century he established rhnch
J,,un tie iHlhmus of Tehauntepec. The
yui!le bore his brand. Although that
VS. nearly 400 years ago the cattle
i,;ou llIat ranch today pear the orig
mai CortrZ brand,
o; gin Loot In History.
The orIgi. uf the cattle brand dates
back to the dim dawn Of history, in
the days of free grass ana open range
the brand was an absolute necessity In
order that the owners might identify
their cattle in the annual round-upS.
With the coming Of wire fences this
necessity was largely Obviated, but the
rand served still to place guilt upon
cattle thieves. This purpose Is stu
served and this fact accounts largely
tcr The retention of the brands by all
&c the ranchmen.
Ingenious methods are sometimes
uS"d by cattle thieves tn change exist
III brands upon stolen stocks. Most
# the members of the Texas Ranger
.orCe are experts in the matter of de-
ting the Disgusting or changing Of
lands.
The cattle brands of some ranches
are an intangible asset of great value.
'hcsa brands have come to stand for
honesty in breeding honesty in weight
and honesty in dealing. Just as the
hcraldry of knghthood stood for hon
or. for bravery and for noble deeds
and accomplishment. Announcement
that cattle of n certain brand are Of
fered for lie is often sufficic;i guar
""'"" thu TO I""""'ti"nS against
ADD 81 n'y Ind -" aiken.
E.-ry Lett.r is Used.
~. re- nr,' % hr,nds. "vr"y !, ttrr
# the alphabet is represented, and
most letters are found in three or
four positions An exception is 90"
which has but one shape, in any posi-
ton. and therefore can he used only
once. True, there is the go" fattened
nt the sides. but ii is then called
mashed co.. link or goose egg.
"N' is another letter that Is not Sus-
c"p'ihle of many positions, for hori-
2ontally it is 3D." 81" is another letter
with Il limited use. 1t is seldom seen
except in combination with other
characters. and is usually called bar.
&C. and TX" are examples of letters
that are used III four positions. For
example, an ordinary "K" makes one
position. Turn it 10 an angie of 10
1, grces and You have the "tumbing
X; on its back, horizontally, the lazy
*" and reversed. Il fourth position.
Their" are lazy and tumbling brands
In ali letters except go" and a."
Eui when tlir cattle business be-
ranches there are thousands, new
hi nndS must he devised. The seeker
for brand naturally gets an insignia
different from that of other ranchmon
rlre the brand would fail of its pur-
pose. So in the latter days the letters
we're finally all taken up and the neccs-
sity for individual and unique brands
has led to many strange device.
Many Novel Designs.
For example, there is the Spur"
ranch. the Turk Track" ranch, the
"Tunbling X" of the Lazy Y" Every
ranch has its principal brand. aud
some have many others. Ranch own
ers, who trade extensively. and are
cen SANITY acquiring cattle with differ
ont brands, have number Of insignius
OIL record. Often the ranchmen's sons
and daughters have their special
brands and the dedication of new
brand is not an unusual form Of cele.
brtting birth on the range.
Among the peculiar brands is pig
pen, which means square with its
sides extending to form the exterior
angles Crescents are common. Only
one ranchman has Ratchet for a
brand.
A bow and arrow gives name to
one big Texas ranch. l.. J. Kimber.
Inns ranch had crutch on the hip
and coffee pot on the side. The
coffee pot design is not so intricate as
one might imagine, consisting of only
eight lines.
Wine glasses are not uncommon as
a brand and the J. w. Friend Cattle
company in Crotchett county had
gourd. A rocking chair is the brand
of the II. b. Opp ranch in Sutton and
Mendrd counties.
Lee Brothers had for their brand the
graceful feur de lis. Anchors are
common, but only the John w. Franks
ranch in the Usage reservation boasts
of the Swastla.
A hash knife, hat, the Masonic
square, II key, turkey track, bell,
crossed walking sticks, an hour glass,
n tree, boot, a slipper. "a flag, an