History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 8

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080

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Nor is Southwestern Colorado one whit behind the North in this particular. The Animas and other valleys of the San Juan country produce the finest beef as well as the best vegetables and other crops. There seems to be no doubt that the entire western slope of the State is a good stock country.

It is with the east, however, particularly the great plains, that the pastoral interests of Colo- rado are principally identified. On these almost boundless prairies, thousands upon thousands of horses, cattle and sheep range throughout the year, and maintain themselves in generally good condition without any food save that prepared for them by the bountiful hand of nature,

There are numcrous methods of engaging in the stock business, of course, but they all resolve them- selves at last into one general system, which cen- ters around a home ranche or camp, and extends pretty nearly over the entire surrounding country. Having secured a ranche and suitable outbuildings, including a large corral, with a strong solid wall seven or eight feet high, the next step is to buy cattle. This may be done occasionally "on the range," from some party who finds himself over- stocked or who wants to quit the business, but gen- erally it is best to buy from the Texas stock driven up from the South every summer, which comes cheaper and answers admirably for breeding pur- poses when crossed with high grade American bulls. All stock must be branded when bought, and all calves must be branded before they leave their mother's side.

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

The camp should be located near a permanent water-supply, and it is well to purchase or enter 160 acres or more and inclose it with a stock-fence as a kind of gigantic barnyard. Horses kept for use should not be allowed to run loose on the prairie, and to keep them stabled or picketed is troublesome and unsatisfactory. A camp outfit must include wagon and harness suitable for heavy work, tough draft horses and a number of native ponies or bronchos for saddle use. Of the latter, there can hardly be too many. It costs little or nothing to keep them, and, during the entire sum- mer, to say the least, and often in winter, there is enough hard riding to be done to require at least three horses for every herder employed. Leading stockmen almost invariably raise and train their own ponies, finding it profitable as well as con- venient to do so. Their value ranges from $25 to $50, and the trouble of raising them is but slightly greater than that of raising a steer. The " band" must he looked after a good deal, of course, and carefully " corralled" every night; but, by con- stant handling, they become thoroughly domesti- cated, and seldom or never stray far away from camp, unless stampeded.

The use of the word "band" above brings to mind some of the peculiarities of stock nomencla- ture in Colorado. A collection of horses is always a "band." The cattle owned by one man or firm are, collectively, a "herd," but any number of them less than the whole is a "bunch." A "flock" of sheep, however, may be all or only a part of the number owned by a firm or an individual. To speak of a "herd" of horses or sheep is to betray the tender-foot at once.

Given, then, the home ranche, with its stables, corrals, etc., its band of ponies, its foreman and assistants, and all the machinery of a cattle camp is complete. The outfit may cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000, but rarely more than the latter sum, no allowance being made for display and not much for home comfort. Few cattle ranches 'on a large scale are enlivened by the presence of the gentler sex, and the men crowd together, generally,

in a small cabin or "sod" house of two rooms one for stores and cookery, and the other for sleep- ing and lounging, whenever opportunity offers. For an ordinary camp, the working force includes about six men. Strict discipline is enforced by the fore- man, who is an autocrat in his way, and who issues his orders with the air and brevity of a drill sergeant.

Another important personage is the cook, who is also a sort of "keeper" of the camp and stores, and is likewise charged with numberless little duties, such as mending bridles and harness, doctoring sick horses, going to the post office, and the like. He must be ready to serve a meal at a moment's notice, and at times his position is very trying; but when the foreman and herders are away on the round-ups or are shipping beef, he is often left en- tirely alone for weeks, with nothing whatever to do but to guard the camp, cook his own meals, and occasionally turn up a little "grub" for a passing acquaintance or stranger, the ranche being open alike to such without money and without price. Stockmen are the very soul of hospitality, and there exists among them a subtle sort of free- masonry by which they make themselves at home wherever they go among each other, whether on business or for pleasure.

After the cook comes the herders, to the num- ber of three or four or more, as the case may be. A herd of three or four thousand cattle can be looked after by half a dozen men, with a little as- sistance during the round-up and branding season. The herder of cattle is essentially different from the sheep-herder. The latter must live with his flock, nor trust it out of his sight, but the former exer- cises only a general supervision over his herd, never undertaking to limit its wanderings, and content if he only knows, in a general way, its whereabouts. The range is wide, but cattle sel- dom stray far from home, save at times when no number of herdsmen could restrain them. Should any or all of them " stampede " from any cause, nothing can be done but to follow them leisurely, and drive them back when found.

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

The life of a cattle-herder is wild, roving, ad- venturous. His headquarters, and hindquarters, too, are always in the saddle, and he soon learns to ride like a Centaur. No finer sight of the kind can be seen anywhere, than a " cow-boy " mounted on his fleet but sure-footed pony, giving chase to a young and lively Colorado steer, as full of dash and undaunted mettle as the man himself. Away they fly across the prairie, at lightning speed, then, sud- denly, as quick as thought, the bovine turns and doubles on his course, while the pony and rider follow suit with equal celerity. Again and again they turn, the pony following every movement of the animal it is pursuing, and none but a skilled and well-trained rider can keep his seat in the sad- dle throughout the chase. Accidents are not infrequent, even among these champion riders, but in almost every instance they result from an unex- pected stumble of the pony over a hole in the ap- parent dead level of the prairie.

The wages paid to these men are not high, ranging from $25 to $50 per month, but, as they include board and lodging and most of the necessa- ries of life, and, as clothing costs them little, they manage to save something every month, and soon find themselves, if they are careful and economical, ahead of the world and in a fair way to become proprietors on a small scale. They are usually allowed to invest their savings in cattle, which are " turned in " with their employer's herd, and cost nothing for their keeping, while the herder is em- ployed on the ranch. When he accumulates two or three hundred head, he is ready to begin busi- ness himself, generally taking a second small bunch of cattle to herd " on shares," his share being one- half of the increase. Colorado affords few better openings for young men of economical habits than cattle-ranching, but the reckless and improvident spend all their money as fast as it is earned, and not only fail to accumulate anything for themselves, but find that they will not be trusted with the care of stock for other owners.

Much has been written about the " cattle kings" of Colorado, their countless herds and the princely

domain over which they wander. A good deal of this is nonsense, but the operations of some men, now or hitherto engaged in this trade, have been very great. The late John W. Iliff, of Denver, was the most successful cattle man of his time. His stock ranged over the entire eastern portion of the State, and his ranches were scattered up and down the Platte, from Julesburg to near Greeley, but the stories told about his princely domain were true only in part. He did not control the entire range where his cattle roamed, but shared it in common with the smaller operators. It was true, however, that he could travel over the country for a week and always eat and slcep at one of his own ranches. His income was princely, too, and his wealth was immense. He died in 1878, and his business has been gradually closed out since that time, though it will take some years to settle up bis estate. It is said that $250,000 worth of beef was sold by his executors last year, without making much inroad upon his immense herds.

Mr. Iliff did not commence business a poor man, as is often stated, but his capital was limited, and, in his early days, he devoted himself to Govern- ment contracts and to supplying dressed beef to butchers, at wholesale. At one time, he supplied dressed beef to all the military posts along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad. He was a shrewd, hard-working, thorough man of business, looking closely after every detail and often following the round-ups with his men, eating out of their camp-ket- tles and keeping as sharp a watch for the "L. F." brand as his own foremen. Other cattle kings grew indolent as wealth increased, but Iliff seemed to grow more active and industrious until death stepped in and ended his busy life in its very prime. Had he lived long enough to carry out the grand schemes which inspired him, no one knows to what gigantic proportions his business would have grown.

Many other men and firms in Colorado have created colossal fortunes in stock-raising or are now in a fair way to become millionaires, but the business is less profitable of late, particularly to new investors.

Peter Becker

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

The range is getting crowded about the water- fronts, and sheep-men are driving cattle-growers back from their old ranches into new quarters, north and east. Along the base of the mountains, agriculture is encroaching rapidly upon the former domains of stockmen, almost to the exclusion of the latter, who are moving their herds to a distance.

In almost every locality, however, the problem of space is partially solved by the introduction of a better class of stock, a smaller number of which will produce more money than a larger herd of the old "long-horn" variety. Texas cows are kept for breeding purposes, but high-grade American bulls are almost invariably found on every ranche and with every herd. The cross is known as " Colorado natives" in the market reports, and makes excel- lent beef, while its Texas blood enables it to stand the rigors of Colorado's "Italian " climate without too much risk. Blooded stock and thorough American cattle thrive excellently well in Colorado, but they must be cared for in winter, and the expense of handling them is very much greater than that of "native" cattle.

Sheep in Colorado are singularly free from the diseases so common to them elsewhere, and there is much profit as well as much labor in handling them. The losses are sometimes large during heavy storms in winter, and many lambs fall victims to the ravages of the prairie wolves and coyotes-lean and hungry midnight marauders, whose stealthy steps never betray their presence. With proper food and shelter, however, sheep endure the winter storms very well, and their four-footed enemies are fast disappearing.

The breeding of a better class of horses is begin- ning to attract much attention throughout the State. The ordinary " broncho " is at best a rather valueless investment, save for herding stock, and seldom brings more than $50, while a good Ameri- can horse seldom falls below double that amount, and it costs but a trifle more to raise the latter. But if the broncho's cash value is less, he is more reliable for hard and rough riding, whether on the mountain or plain. His sinews are steel, and his

tireless gallop is a marvel of endurance. Yet, in- breeding develops the same characteristics in other horses, and some of the best long-distance racers in the West have been developed among the thorough- breds of Colorado.

Thorough-breeding is still in its infancy in Colo- rado, however, and no one can surely say what the " coming horse " of Colorado will be, or whether he will be able to hold his own with Eastern stables. Thus far, but few Eastern horses have been able to compete with Colorado-bred stock in trials of speed on our own turf, but this is accounted for on the very natural and reasonable theory that Colorado air is "too thin " for equine lungs unac- customed thereto, while home-bred horses, on the contrary, are thereby inspired to greater exertions. The reverse would be equally true, no doubt, and Colorado-bred horses would probably fare hard in the air of lower altitudes.

Returning to the main question-the breeding of beef cattle for home and Eastern markets-it would be interesting, if it were possible, to give statistics of the enormous trade in Colorado alone, not to mention New Mexico and Wyoming, which, for breeding purposes, are practically parts of Colo- rado itself. A few months ago, an intelligent cor- respondent of the New York Commercial Bulletin, writing from Colorado, gave the following :

" At the East, we have but an imperfect concep- tion of its value and rapid growth. But the simple fact that the exports from Colorado alone, during the past five years, have exceeded in value the ship- ments of bullion, and the further fact that what is known as the great cattle-raising belt is estimated to-day to contain over fifteen million head, worth upward of $300,000,000, are calculated to very materially expand those conceptions. The corre- spondent states that there are many reasons point- ing to the ultimate absorption of the business on the plains in the hands of the large owners, whose competition wipes out the profits of the small ranchers. Already the Iliffs, the Bosters, Dorsey, Waddingham, Craig, Hall Brothers, and others, have each nearly as many cattle as existed in either

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

of the territories a year ago, and together, have more than existed in New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska combined. Just now there is great alarm on account of the fear that the pleuro-pneu- monia will bankrupt the stockmen of the plains. If it gains a fast hold here, it may be impossible to stop it. There will be strong pressure for such legislation at the next session of Congress as will keep it at a distance. The Western members nearly all favor stringent measures, whatever these may be, and hence it is generally certain that some- thing will be done."

The " alarm " of which the correspondent writes was more imaginary than real, and yet any fatal disease would work incalculable injury to the industry. The fear of future consolidation is something more tangible. As the big fish invari- ably swallow the little ones, so the large herds must swallow or drive out the smaller ones. The Huerfano Valley, in Southern Colorado, near Pueblo, is almost monopolized by the Colorado Cattle Company, a wealthy corporation which bought the famous Craig ranche and other claims in that locality, and have from 20,000 to 30,000 head of cattle ranging over that country, to the exclusion of small operators.

Should the time ever come when Congress, anxious to " realize " on the pasture-lands of Colo- rado, offers them in large tracts at low figures, the bone and sinew would be knocked entirely out of the stock business in this State. It is claimed that, under the present arrangement, the cattle range produces no revenue to the General Govern- ment, being free to all comers, and no one being willing or able to pay the Government price of $1.25 per acre for land worth in open market not more than one-fifth of that sum. The cattle kings, however, are willing to buy it in tracts of five or ten thousand acres at its cash value, and Congress is tempted to make that disposition of it, rather than let it lie waste. The arguments in favor of this plan are specious, and well calculated to de- ceive the average Congressman. No doubt the General Government would realize something from

the sale of these lands in the manner and on the terms proposed, but it would be at the expense of thousands of poor but honest stockmen, who would be "squeezed " out of the business thereby.

Nor is it altogether certain that the "kings " themselves would be benefited by the working of the plan proposed, although they could protect themselves against its disadvantages better than men with less capital at their command. The weight of opinion among experienced stockmen tends to the theory that the range should remain open rather than be closed. An inclosure of even 50,000 acres would hardly be large enough for a herd of 10,000 cattle, and there are many such herds in Colorado, not to mention many larger ones. The winter storms, which are so fatal to stock interests in this locality, are usually local. On the open range, cattle can drift away from bad weather, and often, hy traveling from twenty to fifty miles, they find an open country, with plenty of grass and water for their needs, when their home range is covered with snow. If they were confined within an inclosure, or even stopped by a fence in their stampede before a storm, many of them would perish who might otherwise escape. Of course, the stampeding and consequent scattering of stock during the winter involves considerable trouble and expense, connected with the annual "round-up " and separation of the intermingled brands, but the very convenient arrangement for rounding up the cattle of the whole State, under the operation of the stock law, reduces this business to an exact science, and leaves little more to be desired.

To the stranger in Colorado, nothing connected with the cattle business can be more interesting than a general round-up on the plains, where the cattle are abundant. It is not unusual to see 10,- 000 head gathered together in a compact but mov- ing, animated mass-a forest of horns and heads, tossing up and down like the troubled waves of a sea. Circling around the outside of the immense herd are the well-mounted "cowboys," holding the cattle in check and position while the process of "cutting out" goes on. To "cut out"

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

stock means to ride into the herd a little way, sin- gle out an animal bearing your brand, separate it from the herd and head it toward and into your own particular "bunch" on the prairie a short dis- tance away. The process appears simple enough, but it is easier described than accomplished. The instinct of the beast leads it to circle back toward the main herd, and it must be headed off at every turn and tack. Even this is not sufficient; at every turn and tack it must be edged a little nearer to the group where it belongs. When finally it is joined to its fellows, there is no more trouble, for it will never think of leaving the small herd for the larger one, and it may be driven away with the rest in perfect peace and serenity. When an owner has separated his cattle from the main herd, it is no trouble at all to drive them back to his home range, unless something happens to stampede them en route.

Very curious are the conditions under which Plains cattle are stampeded. Thorough Texans are

the most timid, the Colorado stock being somewhat domesticated by more handling as they grow up. Whole herds of Texas steers have been stampeded by a rider dismounting from his pony near them. They are accustomed to the sight of men on horseback, and seem to consider man and horse a sort of compound animal, but when the two sepa- rate themselves from each other the average Texas steer don't know what to make of the spectacle.

Eastern readers may wonder why a chapter on stock interests should not include some mention of pork, but in point of fact, hogs are not a Colorado staple. Some few are produced in the agricultural sections, and with profit, too, but the number is limited to the capacity of the farm for producing suitable feed. They get little corn, and are mostly raised on what they can pick up around house and barn, with an occasional meal of vegetables. Only the best varieties are raised, principally Berkshires, whose capacity for rooting a living out of the ground fits them for Colorado peculiarly.

CHAPTER XII.

LEADVILLE AND CALIFORNIA GULCH.

A WRITER, referring more particularly to mining in Park County in the early days, said that " Colorado has always been afflicted with periodic silver excitements, but has not yet been able to realize anything from her undoubted silver deposits." If he could but retrace the ground he traveled over then and be a witness to the opening up of the vast section of carbonates that to-day, at Leadville and vicinity, challenge the admiration and awaken the enthusiasm of the people of the entire continent, he would say that the day he pre- dicted had arrived and the silver deposits revealed. The history of California Gulch began as early as 1860, when a band of miners from Central crossed over the Park Range of mountains and entered the gulch that was destined to enjoy a brief season of notoriety as a gold-producing region, and then lapse

back for many years into obscurity, only to awaken to a newer history, whose pages are to gleam and glow for ages.

The gulch was full of prospectors before the summer was over, and a prosperous camp betokened that the precious metal was there. But the lim- ited water-supply was a great drawback to the development of claims, and the working season was short by reason of the great altitude. For several years, the most available ground was worked over and with returns that were generally satisfac- tory. Up to the close of 1865, it was thought that over three millions were taken out. From that year, miners began gradually to abandon the country, and, in 1869, production had dropped to $60,000, and to $20,000 in 1876. It was the old story, so familiar in mining history, told once more.

HISTORY OF COLORADO.

In 1860-61, placer mining in the gulch formed the great attraction for the major number of adventurers flocking into the country. The towns of Buckskin, Hamilton, Montgomery and Fairplay rose like mushrooms in the night and instantly became centers for that erratic life so peculiar to new mining countries, and so significant of the inborn passion of human kind for greed of gold. In such a population as was thus gathered, the ele- ments of permanency were not to be found. But the gold-seeker is intent upon one object only, and all-else must remain in abeyance. The restlessness of his nature concentrates on one thing only ; and if the grains of glittering gold he seeks are not in such quantities as take the fancy of the moment, it is but the work of another moment for him to pack up his traps and seek newer pastures. The history of California in the matter of stampedes has been repeated in Colorado, with results that have been fully as ruinous to the stability of towns and the permanent prosperity of the State. Few tarried long in one place. Were men making one ounce per day ? Shortly came tidings of places where two ounces were being obtained, and straight- way the beehive life of the spot relapsed into the silence of obscurity. Shortly, most of the mining camps in this district met the fate of their kin- dred camps in other parts of the country, and only two or three settled down into any degree of per- manency.

And yet, all the while that California Gulch had been worked over for gold, the miners daily threw aside as worthless, a very Ophir of exhaustless treasure. During all the time that gulch mining was going on, the miners suffered much inconve- nience from heavy bowlders that they were obliged to move out of their way. The character of the rock they had no suspicion of, and did not stop to investigate. It was not until 1876, that attention began to be drawn to the peculiar formations now so universally known as carbonates. It is uncer- tain who were the original discoverers or locaters. Messrs. Stevens and Wood, a Mr. Durham and Maurice Hayes & Bro., seem to have been quietly

pursuing an examination of the deposits. Each made carbonate of lead locations, and firmly believed in the mineral wealth then so little under- stood. In 1877, miners began to drift in from the camps in the northern counties of the State, and, in June, the first building on the original town site of Leadville was put up.

In 1877, the district began to assume impor- tance as a mining center, and, perhaps a thousand men, by the fall of that year, were scattered over the hills that surround the town. Some shafts were sunk, but not much paying mineral was mined. Only four or five mines were paying for the working.

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History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado, Part 8

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 1080

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 1080