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The Outlet
by Andy Adams
PREFACE
At the close of the civil war the need for a market for the surplus cattle of Texas was as urgent as it was general。 There had been numerous experiments in seeking an outlet； and there is authority for the statement that in 1857 Texas cattle were driven to Illinois。 Eleven years later forty thousand head were sent to the mouth of Red River in Louisiana； shipped by boat to Cairo； Illinois； and thence inland by rail。 Fever resulted； and the experiment was never repeated。 To the west of Texas stretched a forbidding desert； while on the other hand； nearly every drive to Louisiana resulted in financial disaster to the drover。 The republic of Mexico； on the south； afforded no relief； as it was likewise overrun with a surplus of its own breeding。 Immediately before and just after the war； a slight trade had sprung up in cattle between eastern points on Red River and Baxter Springs； in the southeast corner of Kansas。 The route was perfectly feasible； being short and entirely within the reservations of the Choctaws and Cherokees； civilized Indians。 This was the only route to the north； for farther to the westward was the home of the buffalo and the unconquered； nomadic tribes。 A writer on that day； Mr。 Emerson Hough； an acceptable authority； says： 〃The civil war stopped almost all plans to market the range cattle； and the close of that war found the vast grazing lands of Texas fairly covered with millions of cattle which had no actual or determinate value。 They were sorted and branded and herded after a fashion； but neither they nor their increase could be converted into anything but more cattle。 The demand for a market became imperative。〃
This was the situation at the close of the '50's and meanwhile there had been no cessation in trying to find an outlet for the constantly increasing herds。 Civilization was sweeping westward by leaps and bounds； and during the latter part of the '60's and early '70's； a market for a very small percentage of the surplus was established at Abilene； Ellsworth； and Wichita； being confined almost exclusively to the state of Kansas。 But this outlet； slight as it was； developed the fact that the transplanted Texas steer； after a winter in the north； took on flesh like a native； and by being double…wintered became a marketable beef。 It should be understood in this connection that Texas； owing to climatic conditions； did not mature an animal into marketable form； ready for the butcher's block。 Yet it was an exceptional country for breeding； the percentage of increase in good years reaching the phenomenal figures of ninety…five calves to the hundred cows。 At this time all eyes were turned to the new Northwest； which was then looked upon as the country that would at last afford the proper market。 Railroads were pushing into the domain of the buffalo and Indian； the rush of emigration was westward； and the Texan was clamoring for an outlet for his cattle。 It was written in the stars that the Indian and buffalo would have to stand aside。
Philanthropists may deplore the destruction of the American bison； yet it was inevitable。 Possibly it is not commonly known that the general government had under consideration the sending of its own troops to destroy the buffalo。 Yet it is a fact； for the army in the West fully realized the futility of subjugating the Indians while they could draw subsistence from the bison。 The well…mounted aborigines hung on the flanks of the great buffalo herds； migrating with them； spurning all treaty obligations； and when opportunity offered murdering the advance guard of civilization with the fiendish atrocity of carnivorous animals。 But while the government hesitated； the hide…hunters and the railroads solved the problem； and the Indian's base of supplies was destroyed。
Then began the great exodus of Texas cattle。 The red men were easily confined on reservations； and the vacated country in the Northwest became cattle ranges。 The government was in the market for large quantities of beef with which to feed its army and Indian wards。 The maximum year's drive was reached in 1884； when nearly eight hundred thousand cattle； in something over three hundred herds； bound for the new Northwest； crossed Red River； the northern boundary of Texas。 Some slight idea of this exodus can be gained when one considers that in the above year about four thousand men and over thirty thousand horses were required on the trail； while the value of the drive ran into millions。 The history of the world can show no pastoral movement in comparison。 The Northwest had furnished the marketthe outlet for Texas。
CONTENTS
I。 OPENING THE CAMPAIGN
II。 ORGANIZING THE FORCES
III。 RECEIVING AT LOS LOBOS
IV。 MINGLING WITH THE EXODUS
V。 RED RIVER STATION
VI。 CAMP SUPPLY
VII。 WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK
VIII。 EN PASSANT
IX。 AT SHERIFF'S CREEK
X。 A FAMILY REUNION
XI。 ALL IN THE DAY'S WORK
XII。 MARSHALING THE FORCES
XIII。 JUSTICE IN THE SADDLE
XIV。 TURNING THE TABLES
XV。 TOLLESTON BUTTS IN
XVI。 CROSSING THE NIOBRARA
XVII。 WATER…BOUND
XVIII。 THE LITTLE MISSOURI
XIX。 IN QUARANTINE
XX。 ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST
XXI。 FORT BUFORD
XXII。 A SOLDIER'S HONOR
XXIII。 KANGAROOED
XXIV。 THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT
THE OUTLET
CHAPTER I。 OPENING THE CAMPAIGN
〃Well； gentlemen； if that is the best rate you can offer us； then we'll drive the cattle。 My boys have all been over the trail before； and your figures are no inducement to ship as far as Red River。 We are fully aware of the nature of the country； but we can deliver the herds at their destination for less than you ask us for shipping them one third of the distance。 No； we'll drive all the way。〃
The speaker was Don Lovell； a trail drover； and the parties addressed were the general freight agents of three railroad lines operating in Texas。 A conference had been agreed upon； and we had come in by train from the ranch in Medina County to attend the meeting in San Antonio。 The railroad representatives were shrewd； affable gentlemen； and presented an array of facts hard to overcome。 They were well aware of the obstacles to be encountered in the arid； western portion of the state； and magnified every possibility into a stern reality。 Unrolling a large state map upon the table； around which the principals were sitting； the agent of the Denver and Fort Worth traced the trail from Buffalo Gap to Doan's Crossing on Red River。 Producing what was declared to be a report of the immigration agent of his line； he showed by statistics that whole counties through which the old trail ran had recently been settled up by Scandinavian immigrants。 The representative of the Missouri； Kansas； and Texas； when opportunity offered； enumerated every disaster which had happened to any herd to the westward of his line in the past five years。 The factor of the International was equally well posted。
〃Now； Mr。 Lovell；〃 said he； dumping a bundle of papers on the table； 〃if you will kindly glance over these documents； I think I can convince you that it is only a question of a few years until all trail cattle wi