The Business End of the Cattle Drive

By Suzanne Norquist

Nothing represents the quintessential Old West like a cattle drive. Movies and books depict the adventure, from Red River starring John Wayne to City Slickers starring Billy Crystal. There are still ranches that allow guests to pay for the privilege of driving cattle from one property to another.

However, the famous cattle drives that originated in Texas in the 1860s, 1870s, and 1880s didn’t result from dreams of excitement. They were a profitable business venture.

For centuries, herdsmen have driven animals to relocate them. They still do. But none compare to the cattle drives of that era.

A twelve-man crew would move a herd of 2,000 to 3,000 head of cattle across hundreds of miles of wilderness to sell it for a premium price. The trip took several months.

What made this venture possible?

After the Civil War, Texans were long on cattle and short on cash. Herds thrived while the ranchers served in the Confederate army. And the soldiers’ pay wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on. The cattle could be sold at a premium in northern markets. Not only that, but sturdy Texas longhorns could survive the long journey better than other types of cattle.

The land along the route hadn’t been divided up and fenced off yet. Anyone could use the open range. Railroads didn’t crisscross the country yet to offer an alternative form of transportation—the perfect environment for driving cattle.

A few business-minded cattlemen realized that moving a large herd to a high-priced market would increase their profit. No need to make the trip with only a few animals. They would contract with different ranches to transport thousands of head of cattle and put together crews that included a trail boss, a wrangler, drovers, waddies (teenaged trail hands), and a chuckwagon cook.

The wrangler managed the horses, eight to ten per drover. Drovers were divided into point riders who took the lead, swing riders in the middle, and drag riders in the rear. The chuckwagon cook not only prepared food, but also served as the doctor and dentist, offering herbal remedies as needed.

Teams followed one of several major trails. The most famous were the Chisholm Trail and the Goodnight-Lovington Trail. The Chisholm Trail started in San Antonio, Texas, and passed through Oklahoma and into Kansas. The Goodnight-Lovington Trail went from Texas to Colorado and Wyoming by way of New Mexico.

Business owners in the “cow towns” at the end of the route profited as well. They offered supplies, alcohol, and other amenities to weary crews.

The cattle drives proved successful. There were the occasional Indian attacks, cattle rustlers, swollen rivers, and stampedes, but most survived the journey. Newspapers reported their progress in the business section, including the number of head and the expected arrival date.

A problem arose when other cattle along the route contracted a disease known as “Texas fever.” This tick-borne illness didn’t bother the tough longhorns. But the ticks would drop off along the way and infect other cattle. Soon, quarantines were imposed on Texas herds. Local cattlemen formed mobs to keep them out.

To solve this problem, cattle buyer Joseph McCoy established a marketplace in the grasslands near Abilene, Kansas. No other cattle would be infected. He persuaded the Kansas Pacific Railroad to provide sidings and facilities. This established Abilene as a premier cow town. He convinced people that if the cattle “wintered” in Abilene, they no longer carried the tick.

The intercontinental railroads and a weak economy ended the twenty-year era of large cattle drives. Cattlemen no longer profited from the endeavor. The open range gave way to fenced farms and ranches.

All that remained was the lore of the cowboy pushing “doggies” up the Chisholm Trail. Hollywood glamorized it, and everyone believed the trail boss ran the show. It’s a far more interesting story than that of profit and loss.

 

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Love In Bloom 4-in-one collection

“A Song for Rose” by Suzanne Norquist

Can a disillusioned tenor convince an aspiring soprano that there is more to music than fame?

“Holly & Ivy” by Mary Davis

At Christmastime, a young woman accompanies her impetuous younger sister on her trip across the country to be a mail-order bride and loses her heart to a gallant stranger.

“Periwinkle in the Park” by Kathleen E. Kovach

A female hiking guide, who is helping to commission a national park, runs into conflict with a mountain man determined to keep the government off his land.

“A Beauty in a Tansy”

Two adjacent store owners are drawn to each other, but their older relatives provide obstacles to their ever becoming close.

Republished from Bouquet of Brides

Buy links: https://books2read.com/u/bOOx8K

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Bloom-Mary-Davis/dp/B0FPLFYCXR/

 

 

Multi-published author Suzanne Norquist has worked as a chemist, professor, and financial analyst, and has even earned a doctorate in economics. Everything fascinates her. Research feeds her curiosity, and she shares the adventure with her readers. She lives in New Mexico with her mining-engineer husband and takes road trips to visit her children and grandchildren. When not writing, she hangs out with her two active Siberian Huskies, takes piano lessons, and studies the Bible with the church ladies.