OT open range was Re: [Sca-cooks] Harvest times

[Terry Decker]

> Bear commented:
>  >>>
> If memory serves, 1881 was a relatively mild winter.
> <<<
>
> Wow. I knew you were a bit older than me. I just didn't realize you  were 
> that old. :-) I've always been amazed at your memory for  details. Even 
> more so, now.
>

I have a fondness for old records when I can find them and the U.S Weather 
Service's date back to 1870.

> >>>
> The really nasty one
> was "The Big Die of '86, that essentially killed the free range cattle
> industry.  Some of the Worst blizzards on record are those of 1885-86
> and 1886-87.
> <<<
>
> I had always heard it was the invention of barbed wire and the  increased 
> use of fences across the American plains.  I did pick up a  few books 
> about ranching history and vanqueros at yesterday's UT Book  Sale and in 
> previous years. I guess I'll have to find the time to  delve into some of 
> these.
>
> Stefan

Barbed wire was patented in 1867 (by Lucien Smith, Thomas Glidden patented a 
machine to make barbed wire and two different varieties of barbed wire in 
1873) but only became affordable in 1877, when usage jumped by nearly 2000% 
and kept increasing.  Some large operators, such as Charlie goodnight and 
Shanghai Pierce took to the wire early as a way to improve and protect their 
holdings.  Others didn't and started cutting fences.  Opponents of barbed 
wire were mostly large free range ranchers who supported open range and the 
Western Cattle Trail from Texas to Montana.  In 1885, they got Congress to 
prohibit the use of barbed wire on public lands.

The Big Die bankrupted most of the big open range cattle operations.  The 
survivors began importing better beef cattle and improving their herds, 
using barbed wire to control cattle movement and breeding.  After the Big 
Die, open range was basically dead as a political issue and over the next 35 
years barbed wire ended the physical existence of open range.

Bear