I was confining myself strictly to north
Texas and Pan-Handle cattle, for through Montana cowmen I learned that
there was an advantage, at maturity, in the northern-bred animal.
Major Hunter and our segundo bought and contracted in a dozen counties
from the Rio Grande to Red River during the convention, and at
the close we scattered to the four winds in the interests of our
respective work. In order to give my time and attention to the new
organization, I assigned my individual cattle to the care of the firm,
of which I was sending out ten thousand three-year-old steers and two
herds of aging and dry cows. They would take their chances in the open
market, though I would have dearly loved to take over the young steers
for the new company rather than have bought their equivalent in
numbers. I had a dislike to parting with an animal of my own breeding,
and to have brought these to a ripe maturity under my own eye would
have been a pleasure and a satisfaction. But such an action might have
caused distrust of my management, and an honest name is a valuable
asset in a cowman's capital.
My ranch foremen made up the herds and started my individual cattle on
the trail. I had previously bought the two remaining herds in Archer
and Clay counties, and in the five that were contracted for and would
be driven at company risk and account, every animal passed and was
received under my personal inspection.
Pages:
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307