Page 70 - 2006 DT 12 Issues

September Cattle Drives, continued from p. 1 there was a dispute over a woman.
In either event, Wild Bill killed Coe
spooked herd from stampeding in the
D e s k S c h e d u l e in a gunfight. Shortly after, he left
darkness. It was soon discovered that town in a hurry. His decision may
around 2,500 head was the maximum have been helped by the rumor that
Fri/1 E. Zacharr E. Schliepp that could be controlled on the trail. famed Texas gunslinger, John Wesley

Sat/2 W. Barbuck W. Barbuck There were stories of larger herds, Hardin, might be looking for him.
10,000 and more, but these were Abilene, Dodge City, Wichita—wild
Sun/3 Open R. Erickson largely fiction. cattle towns where the six gun often

Mon/4 S. Stenzel D. Powers When the cattle drives reached settled disputes.
their destination and the cattle sold,
Tues/5 M. Slagle J. Geier When the whooping-it-up was
things could turn wild. Cowboys, who over, the long ride home lay ahead.
Wed/6 E. Zacharr J. Geier had endured countless hardships, had No cattle to herd along this time, but
Thur/7 G. Fazio J. Barrett been paid and they were ready to let still the 1,000 miles of dangerous and
hostile country. Although there would
Fri/8 D./V. Wray D./V. Wray
soon be another herd to drive north,
Sat/9 P. VanDooremaal Open things were changing in a boom and
Sun/10 Open Open bust cycle. Even Abilene’s days of
prosperity were numbered. Most of
Mon/11 A. Berg R. Linsmeier the cattle that reached Kansas in 1871
Tues/12 G. Wojciechowski D. Powers arrived in Abilene, but about half were
not sold and had to be wintered without
Wed13 P. VanDooremaal Open
shelter at heavy cost to the drovers.
Thur/14 G. Fazio J. Barrett Abilene’s days as a cow town ended

Fri/15 D. Schoengold Open while others sprang up, like Newton,
Kansas, as the Santa Fe Railroad ar-
Sat/16 J. Kissosondi Open rived. Its heyday lasted only one year

Sun/17 M. Slagle L./M. Utah as the railroad moved on to Wichita,
but it was perhaps the wildest town of
Mon/18 D. Schoengold J. Geier
all, with nine men shot in a dance hall
S. Stenzel in as many minutes.
The Panic of 1873 dealt the cattle
Tues/19 G. Wojciechowski J. Geier
business a heavy blow. Prices fell, and
Wed/20 Open N. Kresge Charles Goodnight statue at the Pan- some of the leading names were wiped

Thur/21 R. Keough J. Barrett handle-Plains, Texas Historical Museum. out, including Charlie Goodnight. To
top it off, “Texas Fever” killed thou-
loose. They wanted whiskey, gambling
Fri/22 D./V. Wray D./V. Wray sands of steers. Although the Chisholm
and women . . . and all three were Trail became a ghost trail, there were
Sat/23 L. Eaton L. Eaton available. Abilene’s town council, others; the great cattle drives weren’t
Sun/24 B. Saperstein L./M. Utah fearing the worst, hired the flamboyant done yet. In 1877, the price for beef
Wild Bill Hickok as town marshal. He took an upturn, over $2.25 a hundred
Mon/25 B. Kinn N. Kresge was known to hate Texans. The most on the hoof. Five years later, the price
Tues/26 G. Fazio D. Kavula popular saloon and dance hall in town was $9.00. Part of the resurgence lay
was Phil Coe’s “Bull’s Head,” favored with the new refrigeration process that
Wed/27 D./V. Wray D./V. Wray by the Texas cowboys who had the allowed beef to be shipped overseas,

Thur/28 L. Mills J. Barrett money. Wild Bill was being pressed to but big changes signaled the end of
shut it down, but Abilene was awash in the great cattle drives. Barbed wire
Fri/29 E. Schliepp D. Powers
armed Texans, including Ben Thomp- fencing ended the open range, farms
Sat/30 Open Open son, a renowned shot. What happened sprang up and the railroads reached
next is still disputed. Some people into new areas, providing easy access.
said Hickok accused Coe of running It was the end of an era as colorful as
Call Laverne to fill Open days 515-5363 crooked gambling, while others said any in the Old West. ❏

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