Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1883 — THE GREAT NORTHWEST. [ARTICLE]

THE GREAT NORTHWEST.

The Advantages Which it Peaaeaees to the Breeding of Cattle. ' Nev Yoric Tinea. The source of supply beef cattle is moving rapidly to the Northwest, and Texas and the surrounding country are losing their former importance. The change is a significant one, and the importance to the trade is quite generally recognized by those who are conversant with the facts. Persons who are at all familiar with the cattle trade know that the Texas animals are very poor stock. The climate and other conditions of the Southwest are in fact, not at all favorable for the growing of good beet. It is too warm there, and then again, the grounds traversed by the herds of Spanish blood are not “clean” as the drovers say. To place herds of native bloods on these grounds would be highly dangerous. Kansas would afford a good Held for the herdsmen were it not that the land there is too dear, and the cheapness of meat is the great desideratum. Colorado offers a fine field for live stock growing, and Texas cattle wintered there for a single season lose th* ir objectionable characteristics and become sufficiently healthy to allow of their mingling with native cattle without danger to the latter. Proceeding still further northward, large herds of cattle are found in Wyoming. On the plains of Laramie are a succession of herd 0 and flocks, part being of Spanish blood and part native. The former have been driven from Texas as calves or yearingsor, as sonastimes happens, as two-year-olds. These Colorado cattle although an improvement on those in Texas are generally a coarse-boned and roughly built lot of animals. When bred in C dorado they are a cross between Texas cows and native bulls. Grade bulls have been introduced by some herdmasters, and others have been wise enough to buyjbulls of authentic pedigree and place them in their herds. The Colorado herds and those of Wyoming are, however, gradually improving, although they have to struggle against the disadvantage of being in proximity to the herds of Spanish blood. In Montana evidences abound of the idvantages derivable from judicious and careful breeding. The herds of that Territory have been bred with great care *rom the start, and they are of rare exThe cows are obtained from Gregon and the bulls from Illinois and Kentucky. Replenishing the blood of the herds by importation from these States is constantly resorted to by breeders, and the improvement in the character of the cattle is so rapid that before many years the animals bred in Montana will rival those of Illinois and Southern Ohio. The States from which the supplies come are noted. Kentucky, owing to her excellent climate and pasturage, will inevitably keep her supremacy as a nursery for highly bred stock for breeders to choose from, and Oregon has also a fine breed of homed cattle. The winters in Montana are long and severe, but small loss is thereby occasioned to live stock, because the young animals, being bom on the soil, are naturally acclimatized, and the animals which are yearly brought in learn in a single season to “rustle” as the folks say —that is to look out for themselves under the changed circumstances. On carefully kept ranches some tons of hay are put up for winter feed for the use of the newly arrived animals, which we accustomed to, and need for the time being the care of man. Homed cattle, sheep and horses find their first winter’s roughing a hard matter, but after a summer these animals take willingly to the hills and run free on the range. The cattle acquire the habits of the buffalo in many respects. They take shelter on the side of hills where the wind does not have full sway. They march to the water in single file. They graze with the cows and calves in the center. The bulls guard the advance and bring up in the rear of the column and on the flanks are posted vedettes to give warning of danger. Beginning in April and continuing for some weeks the calves are branded, and in May the beef cattle are sorted out and left to grass as close to the . point of shipment as possible, the object being to bring them to market fresh and not fatigued. In the summer months the cows and growing , members of the herd are looked after only so far as to prevent them from straying beyond the limits of the range. The ranchmen ride around the herd in a circle to prevent straying. ■ The pastures of the Territory are natural and nutritious, arid include the buffalo and bunch grasses. The 1 tter cures on the stalk, and forms an excellent winter forage. There is some diversity of taste among breeders as regards th ? kind of cattle to be raised. The Shorthorn cross is preferred by most, as it insures a fine-ly-shaped. weighty steer. Borne, however, regard the Hereford with more favor, while others deem the polled Angus as likely to thrive best in that region, where stoutness of constitution * an essential.

Those familiar with the characteristics of the Scotch cattle value them as being eo> pecially suitable tor the rough life they have to endure as well as tor the fineness of their flesh, which is not surpassed even by the Shorthorns.

A Story of the Sea. San Francisco Chronicle. Captain Francis Oliver, a Yankee skipper, arrived at San Franscisoo by the City of Tokio the other day. He has been trading between Hong Kong and Shanghi, but wants no more to do with Chinese waters. He once sailed in his lorcha, Rose, for Shanghi. On bfa way he sighted a piratical junk. “She bore down upon us, he relates, “until I could see at her fore and mainmast heads the arrangements always carried by these predatory villians for throwing Jburning ‘atink-pots’ down on the decks of their enemies. The junk was four times as large as the Rose, and swarmed with pirates. The Rose was headed right for them. I had eight cannons on board, besides rifles, boarding pikes and cutlashes sufficient for all purposes. As we drew near the junk, I observed one of her men go up to the ‘stink-pote’ at the mainmast head and another to those on the foremast. At length I observed what I had been watching for—a little flash of fire and a thin line of blue smoke eurl away from the fellow at the mast head. I knew that in pnother moment a burning ‘stink-pot* would be on our deck, unless we made sure sail and quick work. I gave the word and we fired almost simultaneously. Both of the pirates fell to the deck of the junk and the 'stink-pots* they had ignited with them. The Rose was to the windward of the junk. I put my helm hard down, got close alongside, and fastened to her with grappling-honks. The pirates made a rush on board my lorcha. They were armed with spears and pikes. About fifty of them crowded upon me, and a spear was driven through my body, entering my left side below the ribs and coming out on the right side. It was drawn out, but I immediately became insensible. My men thought I was dead, but kept up the fight, The junk had caught fire from the burning ‘stinkpot*’ that fell from aloft. The Rose oast off the grappling-hooks and got away from the junk, standing off a sufficient distance to see her burn and go down. Every one of ths infernal crew were killed or drowned.

Guides to the Capitol. Washington Special. At last one of the gang of swindlers who watch for visitors to the Capitol, charge them for admission and play other confidence games upon them, has been arrested. The amount in question is very small; but the man arrested is an old offender, and if he is held it will go far toward breaking up the band of sharpers which have so long plied their vocation about the doors of the capitoL Mr. Wiggin,of Massachusetts,told the story to the police. He said that he arrived in the city yesterday and took a walk to the Capitol. As he was entering the West, door he was acc isted by a young man who asked him if he was a stranger. He replied that he was. The guide then pointed across the park, remarking that ‘‘that was the Potomac,” and that was “the Washington monument,” and a number of other such remarks. As he was about to enter the building the guide demanded seventy-five cents for his services, and showed a badge, stating that he was a guide and must be paid. Mr. Wiggin gave him fifty cents, but the guide insisted on the full amount. Mr. Wiggin then made complaint to the Capitol police, and the confidence man was arrested. A few days since this crowd sold a stranger an entrance ticket to the Capitol for fii The same crowd carry season tickets to the Capitol for which they have been known to ask 812. Family Man’s Acceptance of a Challenge Two friends happening to quarrel at a tavern, one of them, a man of hasty disposition, insisted on the other’s fighting him next morning. The challenge was accepted on condition that they should breakfast together previous to their going to the field at the house of the person challenged. When the challenger arrived next morning according to appointment, he found every preparation ma<le for bre ikfast, and his friend, hie wife, and chi.dren all ready to receive him. Their repast being over and the family withdrawn, without the slightest hint of their fatal purpose having trans pired, the challenger asked the other if he was ready to attend. “No, sir,” replied he, “not until we are upon a par; that amiable woman, and those six innocent children, who just now breakfasted with us, depend solely upon my life for their subsistence; and until you Can stake something equal, in my estimation, to the welfare of seven persons, dearer to me than my right hand or my right eye, I can not thinkftthat we are equally matched.” “We are not, indeed!" replied the other, giving him his baud; and they became firmer friends than before.