Vignette from a Bank Check, Claremore, Indian Territory
For several years after the Civil War, the Texas cattle trade was both important and controversial in Southwest Missouri. Some saw it as an economic opportunity, others as a threat because Texas cattle were believed to carry "Spanish Fever" or "Texas Fever" which killed local cattle. In 1867, Missouri passed a law setting up a Board of Cattle Inspectors in each county to control the movement of Texas cattle and to order diseased cattle removed from the state or killed. In 1869 it banned such cattle from Missouri completely during most of the year, a law which was soon modified to allow them into Newton county to meet the approaching railroad.
Missouri law notwithstanding, the movement of Texas cattle into the the state during this period appears from contemporary newspaper accounts to have been continuous. This was perilous for the drovers, risking conflict with the local populance. The lucky ones were met by peaceful vigilance groups or cattle inspectors and simply turned back into the Indian Territory or Kansas. Many were not so lucky. Just as the Civil War had offered a pretext for lawless men to rob and plunder, so did the fear of Texas fever. Many drovers were robbed of their herds, with or without the color of law, and some were robbed of their lives. The fact that many of the drovers could be portrayed as "Texas rebels" exacerbated feelings against them.
By the time the railroad reached Southwest Missouri in 1870, thousands of cattle were "blockaded" in the Indian Territory and Southeast Kansas by Missouri law and the threat of violence. The desire to tap this unserved market was an enormous incentive to push the railroad forward and changed many minds about Texas cattle. For years the Missouri Weekly Patriot newspaper in Springfield had supported the Texas cattle laws, but in August, 1870, it described the cattle trade as "the golden egg which all the railroads pointing toward the Southwest are trying to gobble."
Even after the railroad passed through Missouri and began to load cattle in the Indian Territory, the cattle trade remained economically important to Southwest Missouri. Stock moving on the railroad had to be fed and watered along the way, and some cattlemen wanted to fatten up their cattle on Missouri pastures or with Missouri grain before selling them. In 1871, the railroad's first full year of operations in the area, about 39,000 head of cattle moved over the line. As late as 1884, the Pierce City newspaper complained about Texas cowboys carrying guns in town and quarreling with railroad workers, another rough group.
Below is a selection of contemporary newspapers stories on the Texas cattle trade, transcribed mainly from microfilm available through the State Historical Society of Missouri. The Society has begun a project to digitize its microfilm of Missouri's historical newspapers, and images of some of the original articles may be available online. Ad images are from the Society's microfilm, either scanned from a paper copy or clipped from the online digital image.
In transcribing the articles, I have occasionally corrected minor spelling errors. I find the errors distracting when I am reading and find annoying the constant use of "sic" to indicate the error was in the original. It is also time consuming to sort out their typesetting errors from my typing errors. It is easier just to correct them all. I have not corrected proper names, and I have generally kept the original article's eccentricities of capitalization and punctuation.
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25 October 1866, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield THE SPANISH FEVER. -- This fatal disease is prevailing to a considerable extent among the cattle in this county, and everywhere in Southwest Missouri, where Texas cattle have been. Several of the citizens of this place have lost one or two of their best cows. One or two more droves of Texas cattle are on the way here, to arrive in a few days, and we have heard several of our citizens express themselves in favor of calling a public meeting for the purpose of taking steps to prevent any more Texas cattle passing through this county. The public interest requires that speedy action be taken. |
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7 November 1867, Spring River Fountain, Mt. Vernon TEXAN CATTLE Complaint of the death of our catttle is common from the effect of disease caused by coming in contact with Texan cattle, which, despite all efforts to the contrary, are almost daily passing through our county. How long shall we thus be imposed upon. How long shall death and destruction to stock thus be dealt out, and generally too by a set of Texan Rebels, whom you have every reason to believe chuckel (sic) in their sleaves (sic) at the damage they are doing. |
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19 March 1868, Carthage Banner ------ Should They Be Admitted to the State. Jefferson City, March 6th, 1868. MESSRS EDITORS: I observe in the Democrat of March 3d, under the head of "Board of Trade," that a gentleman has been elected to visit Jefferson City, to secure the passage of a law to admit Indian and Texas cattle into this State. In order to bring these cattle to your market, they will have to traverse almost the entire length of the western border of our State, and it is surprising that an intelligent body of men, who are supposed to have the interest of the State at heart, will insist upon the passage of a law that is so detrimental to the interests of so large a number of her citizens. It is a well known fact to ever farmer, south of the Osage river, and others, that Indian or Texas cattle impart a fatal disease to the native stock, and thousands die annually in consequence of grazing where these cattle have passed. I have resided in Southwest Missouri for the period of fourteen years, and before any Texas cattle were driven through that section of the country, and our cattle were always healthy. This section furnished better and cheaper cattle for your market before the war, than either Texas or the Indian Nation, and our stock drovers paid the producers from ten to fourteen dollars per head for the best quality of fat cows, and corresponding prices for steers. The passage of a law admitting Texas and Indian cattle to pass through our section of the country is equivalent to saying that the people of Southwest Missouri shall not raise stock. The first drove of foreign cattle that passed through our country was in the summer of 1854. It was herded in different parts of my county, (Jasper), and in every instance, whenever the native stocked grazed or came in contact with the foreign cattle, they became diseased, and died by hundreds, and it was several years before the people united in the belief that the disease was contagious or was imparted by the Texas cattle, but results have established the fact, and at this time there are no doubts in the minds of our farmers in reference to this contagious and fatal cattle disease, because it has been too often demonstrated to admit of refutation. We have the same facilities for producing stock that we ever had, and if we can keep this foreign stock out of our country, in a few brief years we can furnish your market with much better cattle, and as cheap as Texas or any other country; but if a law is forced upon us giving Texas and Indian cattle a free range over our fertile country, we shall not be able to accomplish this object. Southwest Missouri is naturally adapted to the raising of stock, from the mildness of its climate, the abundance of water, and some of the best ranges of fine grass, and our immigration is interested in raising stock, and as we have no railroads by which to ship our grain, consequently we are compelled to feed our grain to stock, in order to place the proceeds of our labor to the improvement of our country. Indian or Texas cattle are not fit to stock a country with; they are small, weakly constituted, and not worth anything for milk, and are very ungovernable. In this connection, let me add, that should this measure succeed, it will force the stock raisers, now residents of the Southwest, to leave our portion of the State, and many who are now seeking homes here, will turn their steps to other portions of the State, although not so well adapted to stock raising but where the Texas and Indian cattle are prohibited from passing with their fearful contagion and fatal disease. E. M. Burch |
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21 May 1868, Springfield Leader
The Cassville Banner says Capt. Moore, Sheriff, captured a drove of Texas cattle night before last by order of County Board Cattle Inspectors. They are impounded at W. G. Townsend's. NOTE Captain William Ray, an important Civil War figure in Barry County, was one of its first cattle inspectors. The ad is from the Springfield Leader of May 28, 1868, but ran for several weeks. James F. Hardin was a lawyer who practiced at various times in Neosho, Springfield, St. Louis and Carthage. In February, 1876, he was assassinated in Carthage by a man whom he had shot in a Jasper County courtroom two months earlier. According to one contemporary newspaper account, Hardin was considered by many as "a dangerous and desperate character." Carthage, The People's Press, February 3, 1876. Click on the image for a larger view. |
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24 September 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield TEXAS FEVER. --That usual pest known as Texas fever has made its appearance among our cattle, and some farmers have lost all their stock from the disease. The Inspectors have taken steps to get the Texas cattle out of the county, but there seems to be a legal question as to whether a whole drove can be condemned when there are but a few infected with the disease. A suit by injunction has been instituted testing the question in this county. -- Lamar Missourian |
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5 November 1868, Carthage Banner Over 3000 Texas cattle passed through this place last Sunday, on their way to Northern markets. Since the advent of frosts, the business of driving Southern cattle has reopened, as there is no law to prevent their progress through the Country. |
 1869 Criminal Docket Entry, Newton County, Missouri
17 December 1868, Springfield Leader JASPER COUNTY. ------ STARTLING REVELATIONS! ------ Three Men Murdered and Two Wounded. ------ From the Kansas City Daily Times, 10th inst. Mr. Turner, of Clay or Clinton county, Mo., purchased a lot of cattle, some months ago, at Dallas, in Texas, from Col. J. C. McCoy, a prominent lawyer and citizen of Dallas, and some other persons. The cattle were to be paid for at Baxter Springs. The parties who sold the cattle each sent an agent up with the drove to receive the money. McCoy sent his nephew, quite a young man, to receive his portion -- about $1500. After considerable delay, occasioned by having to send to Clay county for the money, young McCoy, a young man named Jones, and three others of the same party, started back on their way to Texas, on the 21st of October, and camped at Burkhart's prairie, in Jasper County. While sitting around their camp fire, about daylight next morning, they were fired upon by five men, all of whom are known, and who lived in that neighborhood. Two of the young men were killed and one mortally wounded. McCoy and one of the others escaped, and made their way to a farm house in the neighborhood. Soon after their arrival at the farm house, the five men who had shot their comrades, accompanied by three others, made their appearance, called them out and demanded their money. Young McCoy told them he had left it in the house with the old man who lived there. They then ordered him to go in and get it, which he did, and gave it to them. The party then took young McCoy and his companion to an old school house, and put a guard over them as prisoners for the balance of the day. After night of the second day, the same men, but increased to fifteen or twenty, started with the young men, as they said, to go and burry (sic) the dead. After getting on the way, this party of banditti searched the young men, and found on the person of the companion of McCoy about $65, which he had received as wages for driving the cattle. After taking it, they commenced firing on him, but he broke away and effected his escape. Whether he was wounded is not known, as he has not been heard from since. They then commenced firing on young McCoy, and as they supposed, dispatched him, and left him for dead. Some time after they had left, he recovered consciousness, and although terribly wounded in half a dozen places, had strength enough left to call for help. His shouts were heard by many in the vicinity until late in the night, when they became fainter and fainter, until they finally ceased from exhaustion. Parties who had heard his cries for help, were afraid to go near him, fearing that they might be fired upon by a gang of cutthroats. In the morning parties went to him, and found him barely able to articulate. He was taken to the house of a settler, where he now lies still alive, but with little or no hope of recovery. When those who went to burry the three who were killed, reached them, they searched the bodies, and found on each of their persons some $60 to $80 and on one a much larger amount. A regular row was kept up, during a good portion of the day, about a division of the spoils. The Doctor, however, or one who claimed that title, obtained the lion's share for his services, in relieving the one that was wounded. The party of banditti who took young McCoy and his surviving companion out and attempted to murder them, were fifteen or eighteen in number, residents of the immediate neighborhood, and all well known. Three of the victims had already been despatched (sic), and their object doubtless was to destroy all evidence against themselves, by despatching the surviving witnesses to the bloody crime. Finding, however that one witness had escaped, and the other recovered sufficiently to tell his tale of cruelty and wrong, they have since, it is said (very doubtfully, however) left the money taken from young McCoy with the P. M., at Baxter's Springs, deposited anonymously. I have given the details of this cold blooded robberry (sic) and murder, as received from the lips of five different men who say they were at the time camped within hearing of the guns of the murderers, but who, as travelers and strangers, knew at the time nothing of what was transpiring, and would not have dared to interfere if they had known it. And now Mr. Editor, after the lapse of six weeks, what legal steps have been taken to bring these scoundrels to the bar of justice? As I learn, just none at all. This same kind of murder, robberry, and systematic blackmailing of Texan drovers and others, has been vigrously prosecuted from the close of the war to the present time. The whole community, with few exceptions, officers and all, are interested and implicated, and in the case referred to above, it will be found that any amount of exculpatory evidence will be on hand in necessary. But sir, this is only one of many instances of similar outrages, committed on defenseless travelers and drovers along the southern border of Kansas and Missouri. Could not the best government on earth afford to spare some of the men who are now chasing a few old squaws and papooses through the bleak snows of the plains, to regulate those civilized savages on our southern border? This Texas trade is worth something to this region of country and worth looking after. The very men who gave me the above details, made purchases of Kansas City merchants, yesterday, to the amount of several thousand dollars. For Heaven's sake let the press of Kansas City, at least, speak out in regard to these villians. November (sic) 9th, 1868. 24 December 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Neosho, December 20, 1868. Editors Patriot: 24 December 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield BAILED. -- We learn that the Buzzards, Grey, and Roberts, indicted at the last term of the circuit court for the killing of Jones, McCoy, and others, several weeks since, in Lost Creek township, an account of which was published at the time, were taken out with a writ of Habeas Corpus, and before Judge W. E. Blankenship, and admitted to bail -- F. M. Buzzard and Elsey Grey in the sum of $5,000 each; A. J. Buzzard, J. K. P. Buzzard and George Roberts, in the sum of $5,000 each -- for their appearance at the next term of the circuit court. -- S. W. Independent. 31 December 1868, Springfield Leader The correspondent of the Kansas City Times was mistaken in regard to the location of Buckhart (sic) prairie, where the Texan drovers were murdered and robbed, which is in Newton instead of Jasper county. The Neosho Tribune says five men were indicted at the recent term of the Circuit Court in that county for the shooting, and they will undoubtedly be tried at the next term of Court. NOTE The image at the beginning of this entry is from a criminal docket book found in the office of the Circuit Clerk of Newton County, Missouri. This case resulted in two indictments for murder and two for robbery. The state's attorneys were John Q. Page, Nathan Bray and J. M. McKeegham (?). Page was the elected prosecutor and the others private lawyers assisting him. Page later left Missouri and moved west, where he was murdered in 1877 in Arizona. Here is a scan of the full docket page. As published in the Springfield Leader, the letter to the Kansas City paper is dated November 9, 1869. If the incident occurred about October 22 and six weeks had passed, it should have been dated December 9, which accords with its original publication the next day, December 10, 1868. Copying the Neosho Tribune, the Missouri Weekly Patriot in Springfield originally reported this incident as a case where local people had protected themselves from marauding bushwhackers. The story quickly fell apart, but illustrates the vulnerablity of the Texas drovers. Strangers in the area, far from family and friends to speak for them, they were easily portrayed as the wrongdoers. And in fact, the cover story worked in the end. When the murder case finally came to trial in Neosho in January, 1871, the result was a hung jury and dismissal of the charges. Apparently deciding discretion was the better part of valor, the Neosho Times covered the trial in three or four sentences, reporting only the result. Neosho Times, Janaury 12 & 19, 1871. Here are the Patriot's original reports of the incident: 29 October 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Quite an excitement was created on Monday, in Lost Creek township, by a fight with bushwhackers. Five men, by the names of Isaac Jones, the leader, G. W. McCoy, Ed. Revis, Wm. Humphrey, and Jno Akers, went to the house of Mr. Elsy Grey, a quiet citizen of that township, and finding Mr. Grey absent from home, used some very abusive language toward the women and committed some depredations. After which they left, Jones remarking that he thought the man who lived there would not get very rich, for that was his home, and if any one wanted anything of them they could be found at Sparlin's. We understand that Jones owned the farm previous to the war. When Mr. Grey returned, and learned what had taken place, he feared that these men meant to kill him, as some parties had previously threatened it, and last summer made a demonstration on him, called a posse of citizens and went in pursuit. -- The occurrence above cited took place Sunday forenoon, and the party of citizens followed, traveling all day and night, and come upon the bushwhackers' camp half an hour after sunrise Monday morning, where they found them cooking breakfast. When the party came within a short distance the bushwhackers heard them, one stepped into the road and said that five armed men were coming. Jones then said, By God! you must stand by me, and all seized their revolvers and stood by the road. As the party rode up he asked them "what does all this mean?" One of the party said they were hunting horse thieves. Jones then said, "By God! if you want anything of us, pitch in." The party rode along the road within a few feet of them, and after riding a few rods where their horses were hid by a turn in the road and brush, they dismounted and returned, demanding of them to surrender. This they refused to do, and commenced firing. After repeating the demand several times, they returned the fire. The firing was kept up on both sides with real soldierly grit, for a few minutes, when Jones fell, having been shot through the body near the heart. Two of the marauders then threw down their arms and surrendered, while the other two run. The two who attempted to escape were followed and badly wounded, and thus compelled to surrender. None of the citizens was wounded. The bushwhackers are all under guard, awaiting some disposition by the authorities. The fight took place near Mr. Burson's farm. The wounded men are Jones, Humphrey and Akers. Two of the wounded men cannot live many days. They were all from Texas, and evidently come on a stealing and bushwhacking expedition, intending, as they had stated, to do some killing before they returned. It is hoped the fate of these will be an everlasting warning to others. Two of these men are recognized as being with the party that committed the depredations at Mr. Grey's last summer. -- Neosho Tribune 5 November 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield DIFFICULTY IN LOST CREEK. -- The affair in Lost Creek, chronicled by us last week, has assumed rather serious proportions. There are so many rumors and stories about the affair that we are unable to give anything with any assurance of accuracy. On Tuesday night, last, the three men who were not wounded in the fight on Monday, were taken by unknown persons, and one of them killed, another wounded, and the third escaped unhurt. If these men were bushwhackers as at first supposed, and had disturbed the peace of the neighborhood, and threatened the life of some of the citizens, the action of the first fight was justifiable, but of the occurrences afterward, we have not heard sufficient to give any statement. We understand that the Sheriff made four . . . [The remainder of the story is missing from the microfilm.] 12 November 1868, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield We gave last week an account of an affray in which three men were wounded and two captured, supposed to be bushwhackers. -- We then stated that about fifty citizens were engaged. We have since learned that there were but five. We have since learned that on last Tuesday night five men came to Mr. Craig's where the two captured men were, took one of them out, and after robbing him of $1,400 shot him in five places. They aferwards returned all of the money, but a small amount in the following manner: It (the money) was carefully sealed up in an envelope and laid on the doorstep of Dr. Bridges. On the outside of the envelope was endorsed: "Open this before witnesses," and on the inside was, in substance, the following endorsement: "We did not take this money with the intention of keeping it, but to prevent others from taking it, so that it could not be charged to us." There are so many conflicting statements in regard to this matter, that it is impossible to arrive at a definite conclusion as to the guilty parties, until the officers of the law shall have ferreted them out, which we hope will be done speedily. We regret such lawlessness in our midst, and would caution our citizens against the too prevalent custom of taking the law into their own hands. It is a most dangerous experiment, and one which, if followed to any great extent, will bring us the very evils which it may be intended to prevent -- lawlessness ... [Part of the story may be missing on the microfilm.] |
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18 February 1869, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield The bill to prohibit the bringing of Texas cattle into this State passed the House on the 12th inst. We have not seen a copy of the bill, but from the care that has been bestowed upon it by Mr. Ruark, of Newton county, and Mr. Walser, of Barton -- both of whom have given the subject special attention -- we do not doubt that its provisions are ample to secure the protection so much needed. The ravages of the disease brought into this country by the driving of Texas cattle through it during the past year, have damaged the cattle interests of the Southwest to a serious extent, and it is earnestly hoped that the Legislature will not stop short of measures sufficiently radical to leave no doubt of their efficacy in protecting our citizens. |
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4 March 1869, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Texas Cattle Subject. Arno, Mo., February 16, 1869. Editors Patriot: Permit me through the columns of your valuable paper to make known to those persons dealing in Texas or Indian Cattle, the proceedings of a meeting of the citizens of Douglas county, Mo., held at this place today. WHEREAS, raising cattle is our chief means of support, and the only thing we can successfully depend upon for money; AND WHEREAS, we have been seriously damaged by a disease known as the Spanish Fever, contracted by our cattle feeding on the ground where the Texas or Indian cattle have been kept or driven. Therefore, Be it resolved, That from and after this date, all persons are notified that they will not be permitted to drive, or pass, Texas or Indian cattle through this county. We, the citizens in mass meeting assembled, do pledge ourselves to stand by and enfore the above resolutions, and enfore them peaceably if possible and forcibly if need be. J. F. HUFFERMAN, Chm'n.
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10 June 1869, Carthage Banner A drove of four hundred Texas horses and colts, passed through town Thursday morning, on their way to Illinois. They are owned by General Lawler of Illinois, and were brought from the neighborhood of San Antonio, have been on the road since the 3d of April. -- Bolivar Free Press. |
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22 July 1869, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield One day last week 55 oxen were driven through Mt. Vernon, going north, when they had reached a point in Dade county about twenty-five miles north of this place the drove was stopped by Peter Cartrell, of Dade county, who alleged that said oxen were being driven through this part of the State contrary to law, immediately on this detention of the cattle, a Mr. Morgan, who seemed to be the owner, with all of his hands except a little son of his, succeeded in getting away from the officer. A legal examination was had in which the boy stated that the cattle were brought from the Chocktaw (sic) Nation, the Justice assessed the fine provided by law, in default of the payment of which the cattle were put up and sold at auction, to Dr. King, for $100.00, who immediately took them out of the State. -- Mt. Vernon Fountain. |
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6 January 1870, Neosho Times Much has been said, much written, and finally a law was passed by our last Legislature in reference to the introduction of Texas cattle into the State of Missouri, all upon the bare hypothesis that Texas cattle, though perfectly healthy themselves, without even the germs of disease within their organisms, nevertheless, scatter mortal disease among our native cattle. How this can be, the most learned writers upon this subject have utterly failed to give any reasonable account, yet it is believed by many sensible and good citizens. And it is a notorious fact that as far back as 1839, cattle in Southwest Missouri were subject to the same disease with which they have been afflicted at various times for the last fifteen years, and of which so many have died. It is also known that not a solitary hoof of Texas cattle had trod our beautiful prairies. . . |
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Capt. Ruark is still lustily belaboring the Texas bovines. We have not changed our opinions in the least in regard to this measure. -- It is a disgrace to the State and a swindle upon the people of the Southwest. The loss to the people of this section, during the past year, under that law, has been greater than the entire value of all the cattle owned by that body. -- But Capt. Ruark is trying to tinker it up, as will be seen by the following proceedings, had in the legislature a few days ago: Mr. Ruark introduced a bill to amend "an act to prevent the introduction into this State of Texas, Mexican or Indian Cattle during certain seasons of the year," by adding a new section authorizing the introduction of such cattle "into any part of a strip of country not less than one mile wide and extending from the western boundry of Newton county to the town of Neosho," providing that a majority of the citizens shall agree thereto, and the Southwest Pacific Railroad Company shall give sufficient bond to pay all damages that may accrue therefrom. Mr. Ruark said the provision of the bill were acceptable to the railroad company and the citizens in that section. It was expected that by this fall 100,000 head of these cattle would be ready to be shipped over the Southwest Pacfic if the bill should become a law. The rules were suspended and the bill read three times, and passed finally by yeas 79, noes 0. 17 March 1870, Carthage Banner GOOD MOVEMENT. -- Those who are interested in the development and improvement of Neosho, will be glad to know that our able and efficient representative, Capt. Ruark, has recently introduced a bill in the Legislature, somewhat changing the provisions of the Texas cattle law, which was passed by the House without a dissenting voice. The bill provides that the existing law be so amended as to permit the driving of these cattle along a strip of land, a mile in width, from the State line to Neosho, whenever the South Pacific Railroad Company will enter into bond, to pay for all cattle that shall die from contagious disease along the strip. We are glad this bill has been introduced, and hope it will soon become a law. For our part, as we are very doubtful about these cattle producing disease, we would gladly see part of this amendment stricken out, so that there shall be no restriction whatever upon bringing cattle from the State line to this place. If this measure is passed, it will be a strong inducement for the South Pacific Company to complete their road to this place by next fall, so as to compete with Joy's road for the immense cattle trade of next season. We have no figures from which to make estimates, but have no doubt in our mind, that the cattle trade alone, which this road will secure when it reaches Neosho, will more than pay the running expenses of the road. If this be true, and the proposed amendment be passed, are we not almost certain of having the road completed to this place before cold weather next fall. -- [Neosho Investigator. NOTE "Joy's road" was the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Gulf Railroad, which ran south in eastern Kansas from Kansas City to Fort Scott and Baxter Springs. It was controlled by James F. Joy, the president of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, which connected from Kansas City to Chicago. At the time this was written, the Joy road was in a race to the northern boundary of Indian Territory against the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad (the "MKT"), where federal law said only one railroad would be allowed to build south through Indian lands. Everyone expected the Joy road to win, but the MKT beat it. Eventually the South Pacific/A&P met the MKT at Vinita, Indian Territory. The ad is from the Carthage Banner, December 9, 1869. Some Southwest Missouri farmers feared the Texas cattle trade, but others welcomed it as a market for pasture, hay and grain. Both Neosho newspapers opposed any restriction on Texas cattle entering Newton County. |
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23 June 1870, Springfield Leader A correspondent of the Kansas City Times thinks Baxter Springs will eventually become the great forwarding point of the Texas cattle trade, and predicts for Kansas City commensurate gain. We beg leave to dissent from the views of this writer and predict that the great forwarding point for Texas cattle will be that point where the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad crosses the Joy road, which will be somewhere in the valley of the Canadian river, and that Springfield rather than Kansas City will reap the benefits of being on the direct line of shipment. Chicago is the present great market for Texas cattle, and it matters not whether she continues to be so or whether St. Louis shares the trade with her, the shortest and most direct, and therefore, the best and cheapest route of shipment to either market must be by the Atlantic and Pacific and South Pacific roads. The track of the former road has already been laid to Peirce City, within thirty or thirty-five miles of the Indian Territory. When it shall have penetrated the Territory, which it is destined to do before another season, it will at once bid for the carrying of the immense cattle freights which are at present driven North into Kansas and thence shipped East by rail to Chicago. And it will probably secure them against any competing route for the reason we have stated, viz: that it is some eighty to a hundred miles the shortest either to St. Louis or Chicago. As compared with the route by the Joy road north and the Pacific road east it is the hypothenuse (sic) of a right angle triangle against the base and perpendicular. NOTE Baxter Springs, Kansas, founded in 1868, has been desribed as the "First Cowtown in Kansas." In its early years, it was a rough place: 26 May 1870, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield BAXTER SPRINGS AS A MORAL TOWN. -- The reporter of the Fr. Scott Telegram, in writing up the Baxter Springs celebration on the completion of the Joy railroad, says of that promising town: "Baxter Springs is a good copy of Cheyenne. Its growth has been marvelous. Within its limits there is not a church edifice, but prominent and most inviting the doors of seventy-five liquor houses stand open night and day. Here gamblers ply their vocation without let or hindrance, and upon the ground where the speech-making was on Thursday, the learned and unlearned, the wary and unwary, invested in faro, chuck-a-luck, fortune wheels, and all the vices and devices known to the black art." |
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The season has now arrived when Texas and Indian cattle are collecting along the border of our State, and but for the odious law prohibiting their entry within our limits, our prairies would be literally covered and our roads crowded with this stock, wending its way over the natural [road] to market. It is within the bounds of reason to say that our county has been injured to the extent of at least $75,000 within the last two years by this prohibitory law. Our farmers have lost the sale of their produce, our merchants and tradesmen their provisions, our wagon makers their wagons, and our harness makers their harness, by this harsh, unconstitutional and malicious legislation. Seeing the evil effects of this short-sighted policy, the Legislature last winter so amended the law as to allow these cattle to be driven over a strip a mile wide from the State line to Neosho -- beyond which point the law prohibits their driving, and invests very extraordinary powers in the citizens to either arrest or destroy. Of course the law, as amended, offers no inducements to drovers, and is therefore an entirely useless piece of legislation. If the railroad reached this point it would be a different thing. But as it is, cattle drivers are as well off in Texas as here. Kansas, seeing the suicidal policy of Missouri, at once made arrangements to take advantage of our folly, and a large increase in her business and wealth, and a corresponding decrease in ours, is the result. Without this law, it is safe to say that nine-tenths of all the Texas and Indian cattle would have sought a market through the Southwest. -- Here they would have procured supplies of provisions and clothing for men, wagons for transportation of stores and employees home, and in various ways contributed to our pecuniary prosperity. There are now on the borders of this State several thousand head of cattle for shipment to St. Louis, and we understand that Mr. Stanton, a gentleman representing large cattle interests, has a herd at Baxter, which he designs driving through to Peirce City, for shipment East. Mr. Stanton has been over the route, and meets with no opposition in any quarter, and we may therefore expect to see his herd arrive in a few days. -- The prejudice against Texas cattle is fast dying out, and we hope to see influential men of our county exterting themselves to draw this important trade this way, from which it never should have been driven. -- Invite it to come by giving assurance of protection, both in person and property, and by our increased prosperity we will soon come to look upon the great bugaboo of the Texas cattle disease as -- just what it is -- an unmitigated humbug. Mr. Stanton informs us that he can give ample security against all losses that may occur by the passage of his cattle through the country. |
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11 August 1870, Springfield Leader The Peirce City Starr says: The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad company seems to be making preparations to meet the wants of the cattle drovers without infringing the law. The amendment last winter opened Newton county to the entry of droves, and we learn that the railroad company are commencing operations a few miles west of Peirce City, in Newton county, which look very much like the temporary location of extensive stock yards. The scene is near Mr. Perrin Rutledge's where the creek near the track afford facilities for watering stock. The company can hardly wait for the opening of the road to Neosho, the pressure of the trade is upon them, the frontier being lined with herds which have been compelled to look to Joy's road for transportation. |
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11 August 1870, Neosho Times Sam Stanton, with his first installment of Texas cattle, passed through town on Sunday morning. Shortly after passing a horse died on Hickory creek. It is due to the cattle, however, to state that the horse had been "ailin" for several days previous. 18 August 1870, Springfield Leader The Neosho Investigator says a drove of two hundred head of Texas cattle passed through that place last Sunday morning, having encountered no opposition between Neosho and the State line. 25 August 1870, Neosho Times Mr. Samuel S. Stanton, agent of the South Pacific Railroad, passed through town on Tuesday with 700 head of Texas Cattle, for shipment east from Peirce City. This trade is rapidly returning to its legitimate route, and by the time the cars reach this place, the entire trade will be concentrated here, and will be a source of immense revenue to our citizens. Mr. Stanton has promptly paid all losses occurring on his route. This is business. A fair appaisement of stock dying, and the greenbacks are ready. |
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25 August 1870, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Large numbers of Texas cattle are going forward to market over the South Pacific Railroad. Seven car loads went over the road on Wednesday. This is destined to become a very important trade for the South Pacific road. It has been estimated that fully 100,000 cattle are shipped yearly, by Missouri railroads, to eastern markets. This immense trade has principally been done by the Pacific, North Missouri, and Iowa railroads. Forced through unnatural channels for lack of a natural shorter route, this immense trade has built up and sustained our northern railroads, and much of it has sought an outlet through Chicago. We are glad to know that the beginning of the end is becoming apparent. The South Pacific Railroad is reaching out for this trade. Every mile of road brings Texas near our doors -- shortens the lines which leads to this trade, and in a short time the South Pacific will be able to control it. A trade, contrasted with which the gold of Colorado, the silver of Nevada, and the productions of Kansas, in the way of furnishing transporation and material aid to railroads, sinks into utter insignificance. Texas is the great cattle producing section of this country. Cheap beef is indispensable; to our great eastern cities, a necessity. This trade is the golden egg which all the railroads now pointing toward the Southwest are trying to gobble. It seems to us plain that the South Pacific, from its direct, short line, may easily expect to exercise a pudential care over [it]. |
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Every day long trains of cattle pass over the South Pacific going East. Yesterday a train of twenty-eight cars went East, and we are informed the business is increasing so rapidly that the company finds it necessary to run daily trains. It is unnecessary for us to enter into details showing this to be the most direct and quickest route for the cattle trade. The people of Texas and the Indian Country have already discovered it. We have frequently called attention to the fact, and as the road progresses West it will become more apparent. This trade in itself will be a source of great revenue to the Pacific railroad. 29 September 1870, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Three trains of Texas cattle -- forty to fifty cars -- passed over the South Pacific Railroad yesterday. The efforts of the railroad Company to secure this traffic is (sic) meeting with most flattering success. These freights will very soon, if not already, bring the Company a better net return than the whole of their other business. 24 November 1870, Neosho Times Texas cattle are rapidly moving forward, the law now permitting them to enter the State. Within the next fifteen days they will be shipped from this place. 15 December 1870, Springfield Leader The [Carthage] Patriot notes the passage through Carthage, on Saturday last, of a drove of one hundred and forty Texas cattle for the Eastern market. 29 December 1870, Springfield Leader The Carthage Patriot says that scarcely a day passes but one or two droves of Texas cattle are driven through that place bound for the Eastern market. 12 January 1871, Neosho Times The Cherokee National Council has passed an order granting the right of way through the reservation to the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, with full right to take all timber necessary in the construction of the road. The St. Louis Democrat says this act will give St. Louis the control of the Texas cattle trade in less than a year, and that the glory of Abilene as a live stock shipping point will quickly depart. 26 January 1871, Neosho Times Arrangements are making for a great transportation of Texas cattle over the Atlantic and Pacific road during this year's season. All the requisite equipments to make this route most comfortable for stock and most profitable for shippers, are preparing. In point of time of transit, from Texas to the cars, and onto St. Louis and Chicago, this route will be found satisfactory. Its Illinois connection of roads is excellent, and saves time worth considering. The road will be finished to Seneca early in April next. That town is 18 miles south of Baxter Springs. Mr. Sam S. Stanton, Agent of the Atlantic and Pacific, is now on his way to Texas to take care of the interests of the railroad company in the live stock carrying branch of the business. Stanton is an active, wide awake business man in the first place, and a pleasant, companionable gentleman also. It is not surprising that he makes a valuable servant of the powerful company which he represents. NOTE The ad at left for the South Pacific Railroad first appeared in the Neosho Times October 27, 1870. The ad at right reflecting the railroad's name change to the Atlantic & Pacific first appeared December 15, 1870. Click the images for larger views of the full ads. |
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The Neosho Journal says the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad shipped one day last week, from Venita (sic) to St. Louis, one hundred and thirty car loads of Texas cattle, which at eighteen to the car load, would amount to two thousand three hundred and fifty head. 2 November 1871, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield The Lebanon Chronicle of the 19th says that last Monday night one thousand head of cattle passed through that place on board of five trains of cars from the terminus of the A. & P. road, bound for Chicago. These cattle were gathered in from the prairies of Texas and the Indian Nation, wehre they have been feeding for several months past. 14 December 1871, Neosho Times Texas cattle continue to come in. One gentleman drove in 400 last Saturday, and parceled them out among our farmers for wintering NOTE The terminus of the railroad kept moving west. Tired of the drunkenness, prostitution and crime that came with the railroad construction crews, many in Neosho were glad to see it go. The ad for Seneca first appeared in the Neosho Times May 4, 1871, the ad for Vinita September 21, 1871. Click the images for larger views of the full ads. |
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7 December 1871, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield The Neosho Times offers some good reasons why the Texas cattle law should be repealed. It says not a hoof has been driven through that county in violation of the law, yet there has never been such fatality among the stock as since the enactment of the law. If there be no danger of the cattle disease we should think the cattle law was wrong. It works an injury on those counties near the border, where the stock might be wintered and afford a good market for all the surplus grain of those counties. We do hope that the Legislature will carefully examine this matter and if it be as the Times represents (and we do not doubt it), then let the law be repealed. It will be but justice to the sturdy farmers of those counties to give them every facility for the sale of their surplus grain. |
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14 December 1871, Neosho Times We call attention again to the following petition to the General Assembly (which has been published and circulated for some time past), not as an item of news, but to ask our readers, if any of them have not been called on, to take the trouble to hunt one up and affix their signature: The undersigned, citizens and taxpayers of Newton County, would most respectfully present to you the following petition: That at the present session of the Legislature you repeal, as far as concerns this County, the Bill approved February 26th, 1869, entitled, "An act to prevent the introduction into this State of Texas, Mexican, or Indian cattle, during certain seasons of the year," and all acts amendatory thereto. Your petitioners feel that this law is a peculiar hardship to them, and to the general industry of the County, for the following urgent reasons: FIRST -- Our County is broken in its nature and stock raising the only profitable business for our farmer. A large part of this is the wintering of cattle. The native stock of the County are few, so these must be largely Texas and Indian breeds. By prohibiting their entrance before December, great loss is sustained through expense of herding in the Nation and insufficent feed. SECOND -- We do not believe that Texas or Indian cattle in health communicate the disease known as Spanish fever. We prove this by letting them mix with our better breeds of stock. THIRD -- Being in the extreme southwest and a border county, our action cannot affect those counties lying to the east of us. FOURTH -- The low prices of produce, especially corn, is (sic) owing directly to keeping from our doors thousands of cattle which are starving in the Nation, and whose owners would gladly pay us 50 cents per bushel for corn which we cannot sell for 25 cents today. FIFTH -- This restriction is throwing into Southern Kansas an amount of trade and capital which belongs to our people, which is due to this county by every natural advantage of climate, as well as by railroad communication with the great markets; and which, if flowing into our midst, would benefit every branch of business and greatly mitigate the present money scarcity through the county. |
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1 February 1872, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield We present below a statement of the shipments per the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad, from the Southwest during the year 1871: Wheat -- 463,333 bushels; of which 200,000 were from this place. Oats, Corn -- 40,000 bushels. Wool and Hides -- 160,000 pounds. Cattle -- 39,000 head. |
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8 June 1872, Baxter Springs Sentinel, Baxter Springs, Kansas Cattle Trade. The prairies on the State Line are now covered with immense herds of Texas cattle, and our city once more begins to feel the healthy influence of a brisk trade. At least twenty thousand cattle are now on the line. The shipments for the past two weeks have been very heavy, and still they come. Our streets are crowded with cow-boys and mustangs; our hotels are jammed to overflowing with stock dealers and lead-seekers. Merchants, artisans, professional men, all begin to feel that a new era has dawned upon us. 22 June 1872, Baxter Springs Sentinel, Baxter Springs, Kansas Cattle Trade. We are called upon every day to record the movements of large herds of long horns from Texas. Where all those cattle come from, and where they go, is a mystery. -- When we read the reports of immense herds of cattle arriving at Wichita, and other shipping points on the Railroads along the line of the Indian Territory, and knowing the thousands that are daily arriving at our own doors, we are almost led to the conclusion that some of our contemporaries must exaggerate, as to the number of cattle being shipped at other points. A stranger to witness the number of mustangs parading our streets, bearing upon their sides the map of Mexico, and the jingling of hundreds of ornamental bells, vulgarly termed "spurs" used to decorate the boot heels of the Mexicans and cow-drivers, and to excite the risibilities of bucking ponies, and he can well imagine himself in the old city of Mexico. These, however, are the concominants of Texas cattle. So, it's all right; bring on your cows. |
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23 August 1873, Lawrence County Journal, Mt. Vernon During the fore part of the week parties were in town from Barry county to put our Prosecuting Attorney on the track of a Texas cattle drover who had been herding Indian stock near Peirce City, and lately drove them over into Lawrence. A very large number of cattle had died from Spanish cattle fever in the neighborhood where they were herded in Barry, and the people had become indignant, and determined to compel the enforcement of the law upon the intruder to its fullest extent. |
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27 August 1874, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield One of our Southwest exchanges says one hundred car loads of Texas cattle pass daily over the A. & P. |
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10 June 1875, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield Just as we were going to press we learn through kindness of G. D. Todd a few particulars in regard to a fatal difficulty which some non-resident cattle herders have been having with the citizens of Vernon county just over the border of Barton. A large herd of cattle were driven into Vernon a few days ago to obtain pasturage. The citzens very seriously objected to the imposition and the herders were ordered to depart with their cattle. However the cattle were left in charge of two men and the owners left. The citizens called upon the men and told them to take the herd out or they would be hung. The herders remarked the sooner the hanging began the better and still refused to depart. They were then attacked by a number of citizens, and in the affray, two of the attacking party were shot and killed. -- Lamar Independent. 17 June 1875, Missouri Weekly Patriot, Springfield It is not so. There were no herders killed in Vernon county. We copied such a statement; but it is denied. |
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30 August 1883, Carthage Banner Yesterday morning about ten o'clock, a wild Texas cow boy, armed with two big six shooters, rode a horse into John Roesch's saloon and demanded whiskey. The bar tender, Henry Davis, not usually overdone with suavity of manners, eyeing those "persuaders," at once became very polite and saying "Yes sir," handed him some red liquor at once and removed the screen for exit of man and horse. The whiskey was drank without dismounting, and turning about he rode out of the saloon without paying for it saying "Good day," and Henry politely said "Good day sir." -- Joplin Herald. |
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7 August 1884, Peirce City Empire Some Texas cow boys were making things lively for awhile last night, among some of the railroad boys. The Texas boys drew their revolvers which had a tendency to keep the railroad boys a little under their control, however no shots were fired. This pulling of pops is getting to be a little too common here of late. Every person caught carrying a revolver should be arrested and heavily fined. |
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Home: Historical Items from Southwest Missouri
28 July 1870, Neosho Times
