XI. A PROSPEROUS YEAR

by Andy Adams

　　A PROSPEROUS YEARAn open winter favored the cattle on the Medicine River. My partnersin Kansas wrote me encouragingly, and plans were outlined forincreasing our business for the coming summer. There was no activityin live stock during the winter in Texas, and there would be notrouble in putting up herds at prevailing prices of the spring before.I spent an inactive winter, riding back and forth to my ranch, huntingwith hounds, and killing an occasional deer. While visiting at CouncilGrove the fall before, Major Hunter explained to our silent partnerthe cheapness of Texas lands. Neither one of my associates cared toscatter their interests beyond the boundaries of their own State, yetboth urged me to acquire every acre of cheap land that my means wouldpermit. They both recited the history and growth in value of the landssurrounding The Grove, telling me how cheaply they could have boughtthe same ten years before,--at the government price of a dollar and aquarter an acre,--and that already there had been an advance of fourto five hundred per cent. They urged me to buy scrip and locate land,assuring me that it was only a question of time until the peopleof Texas would arise in their might and throw off the yoke ofReconstruction.At home general opinion was just the reverse. No one cared for moreland than a homestead or for immediate use. No locations had been madeadjoining my ranch on the Clear Fork, and it began to look as if I hadmore land than I needed. Yet I had confidence enough in the advice ofmy partners to reopen negotiations with my merchant friend at Austinfor the purchase of more land scrip. The panic of the fall before hadscarcely affected the frontier of Texas, and was felt in only a fewtowns of any prominence in the State. There had been no money incirculation since the war, and a financial stringency elsewhere madelittle difference among the local people. True, the Kansas cattlemarket had sent a little money home, but a bad winter with droversholding cattle in the North, followed by a panic, had bankruptednearly every cowman, many of them with heavy liabilities in Texas.There were very few banks in the State, and what little money therewas among the people was generally hoarded to await the dawn of abrighter day.My wife tells a story about her father, which shows similar conditionsprevailing during the civil war. The only outlet for cotton in Texasduring the rebellion was by way of Mexico. Matamoros, near the mouthof the Rio Grande, waxed opulent in its trade of contrabrand cotton,the Texas product crossing the river anywhere for hundreds of milesabove and being freighted down on the Mexican side to tide-water. Thetown did an immense business during the blockade of coast seaports,twenty-dollar gold pieces being more plentiful then than nickels areto-day, the cotton finding a ready market at war prices and safeshipment under foreign flags. My wife's father was engaged in thetrade of buying cotton at interior points, freighting it by ox trainsover the Mexican frontier, and thence down the river to Matamoros.Once the staple reached neutral soil, it was palmed off as a localproduct, and the Federal government dared not touch it, even thoughthey knew it to be contrabrand of war. The business was transacted ingold, and it was Mr. Edwards's custom to bury the coin on his returnfrom each trading trip. My wife, then a mere girl and the oldestof the children at home, was taken into her father's confidencein secreting the money. The country was full of bandits, eithergovernment would have confiscated the gold had they known itswhereabouts, and the only way to insure its safety was to bury it.After several years trading in cotton, Mr. Edwards accumulatedconsiderable money, and on one occasion buried the treasure at nightbetween two trees in an adjoining wood. Unexpectedly one day he hadoccasion to use some money in buying a cargo of cotton, the childrenwere at a distant neighbor's, and he went into the woods alone tounearth the gold. But hogs, running in the timber, had rooted up theground in search of edible roots, and Edwards was unable to locate thespot where his treasure lay buried. Fearful that possibly the moneyhad been uprooted and stolen, he sent for the girl, who hastilyreturned. As my wife tells the story, great beads of perspiration weredripping from her father's brow as the two entered the woods. Andalthough the ground was rooted up, the girl pointed out the spot,midway between two trees, and the treasure was recovered without acoin missing. Mr. Edwards lost confidence in himself, and thereafter,until peace was restored, my wife and a younger sister always buriedthe family treasure by night, keeping the secret to themselves, andproducing the money on demand.The merchant at Austin reported land scrip plentiful at fifteento sixteen dollars a section. I gave him an order for two hundredcertificates, and he filled the bill so promptly that I orderedanother hundred, bringing my unlocated holdings up to six hundredsections. My land scrip was a standing joke between my wife and me,and I often promised her that when we built a house and moved tothe Clear Fork, if the scrip was still worthless she might have thecertificates to paper a room with. They were nicely lithographed, thepaper was of the very best quality, and they went into my wife's trunkto await their destiny. Had it been known outside that I held such anamount of scrip, I would have been subjected to ridicule, and no doubtwould have given it to some surveyor to locate on shares. Still I hada vague idea that land at two and a half cents an acre would neverhurt me. Several times in the past I had needed the money tied up inscrip, and then I would regret having bought it. After the loss ofmy entire working capital by Texas fever, I was glad I had foresightenough to buy a quantity that summer. And thus I swung like a pendulumbetween personal necessities and public opinion; but when thoselong-headed Yankee partners of mine urged me to buy land, I felt oncemore that I was on the right track and recovered my grasp. I mighthave located fifty miles of the valley of the Clear Fork that winter,but it would have entailed some little expense, the land would thenhave been taxable, and I had the use of it without outlay or trouble.An event of great importance to the people of Texas occurred duringthe winter of 1873-74. The election the fall before ended in dispute,both great parties claiming the victory. On the meeting of thelegislature to canvass the vote, all the negro militia of theState were concentrated in and around the capitol building. TheReconstruction régime refused to vacate, and were fighting toretain control; the best element of the people were asserting in nounmistakable terms their rights and bloodshed seemed inevitable. Thefederal government was appealed to, but refused to interfere. Thelegislature was with the people, and when the latter refused to beintimidated by a display of force, those in possession yielded thereins, and Governor Coke was inaugurated January 15, 1874; and thusthe prediction of my partners, uttered but a few mouths before, becamehistory.Major Hunter came down again about the last of February. Stillunshaken in his confidence in the future of Texas, he complimented meon securing more land scrip. He had just returned from our camps onthe Medicine River, and reported the cattle coming through in splendidcondition. Gray wolves had harassed the herd during the early winter;but long-range rifles and poison were furnished, and our men waged arelentless war on these pirates along the Medicine. Cattle in Texashad wintered strong, which would permit of active operations beginningearlier than usual, and after riding the range for a week we wereready for business. It was well known in all the surrounding countrythat we would again be in the market for trail cattle, and offeringswere plentiful. These tenders ran anywhere from stock cattle to heavybeeves; but the market which we were building up with farmers atCouncil Grove required young two and three year old steers. It againfell to my province to do the buying, and with the number of brandsfor sale in the country I expected, with the consent of my partners,to make a new departure. I was beginning to understand the advantagesof growing cattle. My holdings of mixed stock on the Clear Fork hadvirtually cost me nothing, and while they may have been unsalable, yetthere was a steady growth and they were a promising source of income.From the results of my mavericking and my trading operations I hadbeen enabled to send two thousand young steers up the trail the springbefore, and the proceeds from their sale had lifted me from the sloughof despond and set me on a financial rock. Therefore my regard for theeternal cow was enhancing.Home prices were again ten dollars for two-year-old steers andtwelve for threes. Instead of buying outright at these figures, myproposition was to buy individually brands of stock cattle, and turnover all steers of acceptable ages at prevailing prices to the firm ofHunter, Anthony & Co. in making up trail herds. We had already agreedto drive ten thousand head that spring, and my active partner readilysaw the advantages that would accrue where one had the range andoutfit to take care of the remnants of mixed stock. My partners wereboth straining their credit at home, and since it was immaterial tothem, I was given permission to go ahead. This method of buyingmight slightly delay the starting of herds, and rather than do so Icontracted for three thousand straight threes in Erath County. Thisherd would start ten days in advance of any other, which would giveus cattle on the market at Wichita with the opening of the season. Mynext purchase was two brands whose range was around the juncture ofthe main Brazos and Clear Fork, adjoining my ranch. These cattlewere to be delivered at our corrals, as, having received thethree-year-olds from both brands the spring before, I had a good ideahow the stock ought to classify. A third brand was secured up theClear Fork, adjacent to my range, supposed to number about threethousand, from which nothing had been sold in four years. This lattercontingent cost me five dollars a head, but my boys knew the brandwell enough to know that they would run forty per cent steer cattle.In all three cases I bought all right and title to the brand, givingthem until the last day of March to gather, and anything not tenderedfor count on receiving, the tail went with the hide.From these three brands I expected to make up the second herd easily.With no market for cattle, it was safe to count on a brand running onethird steers or better, from which I ought to get twenty-five per centof age for trail purposes. Long before any receiving began I boughtfour more brands outright in adjoining counties, setting the day forreceiving on the 5th of April, everything to be delivered on my ranchon the Clear Fork. There were fully twenty-five thousand cattle inthese seven brands, and as I had bought them all half cash and thebalance on six months' time, it behooved me to be on the alert andprotect my interests. A trusty man was accordingly sent from my ranchto assist in the gathering of each of the four outside brands, to bepresent at all round-ups, to see that no steer cattle were held back,and that the dropping calves were cared for and saved. This precautionwas not taken around my ranch, for any animal which failed to becounted my own men would look out for by virtue of ownership of thebrand. My saddle horses were all in fine condition, and were cut intoremudas of ninety head each, two new wagons were fitted up, and allwas ready to move.The Erath County herd was to be delivered to us on the 20th of March.George Edwards was to have charge, and he and Major Hunter started inample time to receive the cattle, the latter proving an apt scholar,while the former was a thorough cowman. In the mean time I had made upa second outfit, putting a man who had made a number of trips with meas foreman in charge, and we moved out to the Clear Fork. The firstherd started on the 22d, Major Hunter accompanying it past the Edwardsranch and then joining us on my range. We had kept in close touch withthe work then in progress along the Brazos and Clear Fork, and it wasprobable that we might be able to receive in advance of the appointedday. Fortunately this happened in two cases, both brands overrunningall expectations in general numbers and the quantity of steer cattle.These contingents were met, counted, and received ten miles from theranch, nothing but the steers two years old and upward being broughtin to the corrals. The third brand, from west on the Clear Fork, camein on the dot, and this also surprised me in its numbers of heavysteer cattle. From the three contingents I received over thirteenthousand head, nearly four thousand of which were steers of trail age.On the first day of April we started the second herd of thirty-fivehundred twos and threes, the latter being slightly in the majority,but we classified them equally. Major Hunter was pleased with thequality of the cattle, and I was more than satisfied with results, asI had nearly five hundred heavy steers left which would easily qualifyas beeves. Estimating the latter at what they ought to net me atWichita, the remnants of stock cattle cost me about a dollar and ahalf a head, while I had received more cash than the amount of thehalf payment.The beef steers were held under herd to await the arrival of the othercontingents. If they fell short in twos and threes, I had hopes offinding an outlet for my beeves with the last herd. The young stuffand stock cattle were allowed to drift back on their own ranges, andwe rested on our oars. We had warning of the approach of outsidebrands, several arriving in advance of appointment, and they werereceived at once. As before, every brand overran expectations, with noshortage in steers. My men had been wide awake, any number of maturebeeves coming in with the mixed stock. As fast as they arrived wecut all steers of desirable age into our herd of beeves, sending theremnant up the river about ten miles to be put under loose herd forthe first month. Fifteen-thousand cattle were tendered in the fourbrands, from which we cut out forty-six hundred steers of trail age.The numbers were actually embarrassing, not in stock cattle, but insteers, as our trail herd numbered now over five thousand. The outsideoutfits were all detained a few days for a settlement, lending theirassistance, as we tally-marked all the stock cattle before sendingthem up the river to be put under herd. This work was done in a chutewith branding irons, running a short bar over the holding-brand, theobject being to distinguish animals received then from what might begathered afterward. There were nearly one hundred men present, andwith the amount of help available the third herd was ready to start onthe morning of the 6th. It numbered thirty-five hundred, again nearlyequal in twos and threes, my ranch foreman having charge. With thethird herd started, the question arose what to do with the remnant ofa few over sixteen hundred beeves. To turn them loose meant that withthe first norther that blew they would go back to their own range.Major Hunter suggested that I drive an individual herd. I tried tosell him an interest in the cattle, but as their ages were unsuited tohis market, he pleaded bankruptcy, yet encouraged me to fill up theherd and drive them on my own account.Something had to be done. I bought sixty horses from the differentoutfits then waiting for a settlement, adding thirty of my own to theremuda, made up an outfit from the men present, rigged a wagon, andcalled for a general round-up of my range. Two days afterward we hadfifteen hundred younger steers of my own raising in the herd, and onthe 10th of the month the fourth one moved out. A day was lost inmaking a general settlement, after which Major Hunter and I rodethrough the mixed cattle under herd, finding them contentedlyoccupying nearly ten miles of the valley of the Clear Fork. Calveswere dropping at the rate of one hundred a day, two camps of five meneach held them on an ample range, riding lines well back from thevalley. The next morning we turned homeward, passing my ranch andcorrals, which but a few days before were scenes of activity, but nowdeserted even by the dogs. From the Edwards ranch we were driven in toFort Worth, and by the middle of the month reached Wichita.No herds were due to arrive for a month. My active partner continuedon to his home at The Grove, and I started for our camps on theMedicine River. The grass was coming with a rush, the cattle werebeginning to shed their winter coats, and our men assured me that theknown loss amounted to less than twenty head. The boys had spent anactive winter, only a few storms ever bunching the cattle, with lessthan half a dozen contingents crossing the established lines. Eventhese were followed by our trailers and brought back to their ownrange; and together with wolfing the time had passed pleasantly. Anincident occurred at the upper camp that winter which clearly showsthe difference between the cow-hand of that day and the modernbronco-buster. In baiting for wolves, many miles above our range, asupposed trail of cattle was cut by one of the boys, who immediatelyreported the matter to our Texas trailer at camp. They were not ourcattle to a certainty, yet it was but a neighborly act to catch them,so the two men took up the trail. From appearances there were not overfifteen head in the bunch, and before following them many miles, thetrailer became suspicious that they were buffalo and not cattle. Hetrailed them until they bedded down, when he dismounted and examinedevery bed. No cow ever lay down without leaving hair on its bed, sowhen the Texan had examined the ground where half a dozen had slept,his suspicions were confirmed. Declaring them buffalo, the two mentook up the trail in a gallop, overtaking the band within ten milesand securing four fine robes. There is little or no difference in thetracks of the two animals. I simply mention this, as my patience hasbeen sorely tried with the modern picturesque cowboy, who is merely anamateur when compared with the men of earlier days.I spent three weeks riding the range on the Medicine. The cattle hadbeen carefully selected, now four and five years old, and if theseason was favorable they would be ready for shipment early in thefall. The lower camp was abandoned in order to enlarge the rangenearly one third, and after providing for the wants of the men, I rodeaway to the southeast to intercept the Chisholm trail where it crossedthe Kansas line south of Wichita. The town of Caldwell afterwardsprang up on the border, but at this time among drovers it was knownas Stone's Store, a trading-post conducted by Captain Stone, afterwarda cowman, and already mentioned in these memoirs. Several herds hadalready passed on my arrival; I watched the trail, meeting everyoutfit for nearly a week, and finally George Edwards came snailingalong. He reported our other cattle from seven to ten days behind,but was not aware that I had an individual herd on the trail. Edwardsmoved on to Wichita, and I awaited the arrival of our second outfit.A brisk rivalry existed between the solicitors for Ellsworth andWichita, every man working faithfully for his railroad or town, and atnight they generally met in social session over a poker game. I neverplayed a card for money now, not that my morals were any too good, butI was married and had partners, and business generally absorbed me tosuch an extent that I neglected the game.I met the second herd at Pond Creek, south in the Cherokee Outlet, andafter spending a night with them rode through to Wichita in a day andnight. We went into camp that year well up the Arkansas River, as twooutfits would again hold the four herds. Our second outfit arrived atthe chosen grazing grounds on time, the men were instantly relieved,and after a good carouse in town they started home. The two otherherds came in without delay, the beeves arriving on the last of themonth. Barely half as many cattle would arrive from Texas that summer,as many former drovers from that section were bankrupt on account ofthe panic of the year before. Yet the market was fairly well suppliedwith offerings of wintered Texans, the two classes being so distinctthat there was very little competition between them. My active partnerwas on hand early, reporting a healthy inquiry among former customers,all of whom were more than pleased with the cattle supplied them theyear before. By being in a position to extend a credit to reliablemen, we were enabled to effect sales where other drovers dared notventure.Business opened early with us. I sold fifteen hundred of my heaviestbeeves to an army contractor from Wyoming. My active partner sold thestraight three-year-old herd from Erath County to an ex-governor fromNebraska, and we delivered it on the Republican River in that State.Small bunches of from three to five hundred were sold to farmers, andby the first of August we had our holdings reduced to two herds incharge of one outfit. When the hipping season began with our customersat The Grove, trade became active with us at Wichita. Scarcely a weekpassed but Major Hunter sold a thousand or more to his neighbors,while I skirmished around in the general market. When the outfitreturned from the Republican River, I took it in charge, went downon the Medicine, and cut out a thousand beeves, bringing them to therailroad and shipping them to St. Louis. I never saw fatter cattlein my life. When we got the returns from the first consignment, weshipped two trainloads every fortnight until our holding's on theMedicine were reduced to a remnant. A competent bookkeeper wasemployed early in the year, and in keeping our accounts at Wichita,looking after our shipments, keeping individual interests, by brands,separate from the firm's, he was about the busiest man connected withthe summer's business. Aside from our drive of over thirteen thousandhead, we bought three whole herds, retailing them in small quantitiesto our customers, all of which was profitable. I bought four wholeremudas on personal account, culled out one hundred and fifty headand sold them at a sacrifice, sending home the remaining two hundredsaddle horses. I found it much cheaper and more convenient to buy mysupply of saddle stock at trail terminals than at home. Once railroadconnections were in operation direct between Kansas and Texas, everyoutfit preferred to go home by rail, but I adhered to former methodsfor many years.In summing up the year's business, never were three partners moresurprised. With a remnant of nearly one hundred beeves unfit forshipment, the Medicine River venture had cleared us over two hundredper cent, while the horses on hand were worth ten dollars a head morethan what they had cost, owing to their having wintered in the North.The ten thousand trail cattle paid splendidly, while my individualherd had sold out in a manner, leaving the stock cattle at home clearvelvet. A programme was outlined for enlarging our business for thecoming year, and every dollar of our profits was to be reinvested inwintering and trailing cattle from Texas. Next to the last shipment,the through outfit went home, taking the extra two hundred saddlehorses with it, the final consignment being brought in to Wichita forloading out by our ranch help. The shipping ended in October. My lastwork of the year was the purchase of seven thousand three-year-oldsteers, intended for our Medicine River range. We had intentionallyheld George Edwards and his outfit for this purpose, and cutting thenumbers into two herds, the Medicine River lads led off for winterquarters. We had bought the cattle worth the money, but not at asacrifice like the year before, neither would we expect such profits.It takes a good nerve, but experience has taught me that in land andcattle the time of the worst depression is the time to buy. MajorHunter accompanied the herds to their winter quarters, sending Edwardswith his outfit, after their arrival on the Medicine, back to Texas,while I took the train and reached home during the first week inNovember.