This gave the firm and me personally thirty-three herds,
requiring four hundred and ninety-odd men and over thirty-five hundred
horses, while the cattle numbered one hundred and four thousand head.
Two thirds of the herds were routed by way of Doan's Crossing in
leaving Texas, while all would touch at Dodge in passing up the
country. George Edwards accompanied the north Texas herds, and Major
Hunter hastened on to Kansas City to protect our credit, while I hung
around Doan's Store until our last cattle crossed Red River. The
annual exodus from Texas to the North was on with a fury, and on my
arrival at Dodge all precedents in former prices were swept aside in
the eager rush to secure cattle. Herds were sold weeks before their
arrival, others were met as far south as Camp Supply, and it was
easily to be seen that it was a seller's market. Two thirds of the
trail herds merely took on new supplies at Dodge and passed on to the
Platte. Once our heavy beeves had crossed the Arkansas, my partner and
I swung round to Ogalalla and met our advance herd, the foreman of
which reported meeting buyers as far south as the Republican River.
It was actually dangerous to price cattle for fear of being under the
market; new classifications were being introduced, Pan-Handle and
north Texas steers commanding as much as three dollars a head over
their brethren from the coast and far south.
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