Document text
Ranre-lore
Annie licAulay
:averick, Texas
RANGLN-LORE
roge one
Polley Bell was born at Denton, Texas, June 21, 1891.
Fe moved with his parents to Coke County in 1907.
Fie story follows; 'I can't remember when I learned to
sit on a horse. All boys learned to ride young them days. flY
father always kept a smell herd and I learned to help work
cattle when I was at home.
"I began riding for zmgge and Roberts on the hat R ranch
in 1910. It extended north and east of lost, Texas, for many
miles. The townsite of 8laton„ Texas, was sold off this 26,000
acre ranch.
"We had a tough time or rather the cattle did, during the
drouth of 1910 and 1911. Water and grass seemed 'to get scarcer
Page two
until they were forced to sell off much of the herd to keep
them from starving* many thousands were shipped out of that
part of the country. Our outfit *hipped out four train -loads
at one time. There lune a time when we had to kill all the
young calves. Much of the old and poor stuff we'd kill and
skin, then sell the hides. It was impossible to find feed and
water to keep them alive and they were too poor or young to
ship.
"All the cattle was poor and weak of course, and so we
had lots of trouble with them getting ih the bog. The double
fork of the rrazos river ran through the range and they de-
pended on it for goat of the water, when it was dry. Well,
the river was low and when they bogged down, we'd have to pull
sem out. It was an every day business too.
"The boys on the Het H ranch sure liked to devil the new
hands. When I first went to work there, they of course, had to
pull one of their jokes on me.
"They had an old saddle horse on the ranch, they called
old Mule A.ar. He was as gentle as e dog, but had been trained
to kick up and pitch when he was cheeked. So the very first
day I was there, one of the boys told me about that partiou1ar
horse's peculiarities. Only he said that if the rider failed
to cheek him as soon as he mounted him he'd start pitching.
The boy made it very plain that he was telling no all this in
confidence and as a epeoial favor to me, and warned no that if
I ever had to ride him, to be sure to follow his instructions
Page three
and I'd not have any trouble. The very next day I had a chance
to rellember his advice. The boys of course, very cleverly
4 managed it. They told es the boss said I was to ride old Mule
tar that day. Veal, I didn't mind, as I felt sure I knew how to
manage him,
"Well, I crawled on him and the first thing I did was to
cive him a good cheek. He began pitching and the first thing I
knew the earth oar e into my way. The boys just whooped and
yelled, I didn't feel any too good about it all, but I couldn't
do anything but take it. I found that it was an old gag of
theirs and one that they enjoyed more than any other.
"I went out to Ft. Stockton in 1912, and worked awhile on a
ranch. Finally, I got a job on the Hood and Wendell spread.
Hood end Mendell were cattle dealers or traders. They ran lots
of stuff on the alfalfa fields. And when they were fat they'd
sell and buy others to fatten, I was in the Big Bend country,
when Dud Barker and John Hightower killed five Mexioan railrocd
hands. The Mexicans at the camp started some kind of rough
house and a -fight enfAle6 in which five of them were killed,
"I remember what a hard time we had trying to deliver seven
hundred head of steers to Boston Ward Co., while I was out
there, We was takin' them to an alfalfa field near Pecos. We
didn't have any trouble 'til we got to the Pecos river and
found it bank full of water. It looked plum foolish and risky
to me but we swam our herd and didn't lose a single one of
them.
Page four
"I enlisted for army service at Ft. Clark in 1914, and
ims in service two years. We was strung up and down the Rio
Grande to proteet the border during the 2:Jencioan Revolution.
Our troop covered an eighty -mile line down as far as Del Rio.
I was stationed on the Bleaker ranch four months. It lay
right on the border and had been raided, supposedly by sone
of ser Villa's gang.
"We were sent 4.. during the revolution to Ojinaga, op-
posite Presidio, end brought back 360 refugees to Marfa.
They had been captured by Francisco Villa's band and after he
hed plundered to his satisfaction turned them loess to starve.
Some of than were white end of course all were really Amerioan
citizens. Pretty soon after this we were called back to Ft.
Clark."
Reference- Bailey Fell, Lrontes Texas, Interviewed June 2,
1068.
rs. Annie MbAulay
Mlverick texas
Runnels COunty
COWBOY LORE
Page One
6i4e4A
BAILEY BELL was born at Denton Texas, June 21, 1391. He moved
with his parents to Coke County in 1907.
Mr. *iell Says, "I can't remember when I learned to sit on a.
horse. 311 boys learned to ride young them days. My fither al-
ways kept a small herd and I learned to help work cattle when 1,
was at home.
"I began riding for Suggs and Roberts on )he Hat H ranch -40
10k
/11
in 1910. It extended north and east of Post, Texas, for many
mfles. The townsite of Slaton, Texas, was sold off this 2930
acre ranch.
"We had a tough time or rather the cattle did, during the
drou-Oh of 1910 and 1911. Water and grass seemed to get scarcer
until they were forced to sell off much of the herd to keep
them from attiring. Many thousnds were shipped out of that part
of the country. Our outfit shipped out four trainloacf_s at one
time. There came a time when we had to kill all the young calves.
Much of the old and 2oor stuff weld kill and skin, them sell the
hides. It was impossible' to find feed and water to keep them a-
live and they were too poor or young to ship.
4A11 the cattle was poor and weak of course,and so we had
lots of trouble with them getting_ in the bog. The double fork of
of the Brazos river ran throuh the range and they depended on it
for most of the water, when it Was Su. Well, the rive as low
tind when they bogged do,We'd have to. pull out, t was an
104,4,,
PageOftwo
eve-yday business too.
"The boys o,>1eHat H. shore liked to devil the new hands.
When I first went to work there, they of course, had to pull
one of lkiteir jokes on me.
"They had an old saddle horse on the ranch, they called
/0111141e Ear. He was as gentle as a dog, but had begn trained
to kick up and pitch when he was cheeked. So the very first day
I was there, one of the boys told me about that particular
horse L peculiarities. Only he said that if the rider failed to
cheek him as soon as he mounted him he'd start pitching. The
boy made it very plain that he was telling me all this in con-
fidence and as a special favor to m,.,,Andwarned me that if I
ever had to ride him 1 to be sure ftmiloperiberft to follow his in*
structions and I'd not have any trouble. The very next day I had
a chance to remember his advice. The boys of course, very clevealy
managed it. They told me the boss said I was to ride libglile Ear
e‘
that day. Well, I didn't mind as I felt sure I knew ow to
7
age him.
"Well, I crawled on him and the first thing I did was to
give him a good cheek. He began pitching and the first thing I
knew the earth came into te.my way. The boys just whooped and
yelled. I didn't feel any too good about it all, but I muldn't
do anything but take it. I found that it was an old gag of theirs
and one that they enjoyed more than any other.
"I went o t to Ft. Stoclçton in 1912, and worked awhile on
I got ar job o4e Hood
111110001"
Page Three
/1
nd Mendall spread. Hood and Mendall were cattle dealers or
traders. They ran lots of stuff on the alfalfa fields. And when
they were fat they'd sell and buy others to fatten...amossammd44-
?them
4—w44Freesa&
was in the Big Bend country,
when Dud Barker and John Hightower killed five Mexican railroad
hands. The Mexicans at the camp started some kind of rough house
and a fight ensued in which five of them were killed.,
remmber what a hard time we had trying to deliver seven
hundred head of steers to Boston Ward Co. while, I was out
there. We was takinithem to an alfalfa field near Pecos. We
didn't have any trouble 'til we got to the Pecos river and found /1-i24
bail, full of water. It looked plum foolish and risky to me but
we swam our herd and didn't lose a single one of them.
enlisted for army service at Ft. Clark in 19144( was in
service two years. We was strung up and down the Rio Grande to
protect the border during the Mexican Revolution. Our troop
covered an eightywmile line down as far as Del Rio. I was station
on the Blocker Tanch four months. It lay right on the border and
had been raided, supposedly by some of VillAr. gang.
"We were sent -during the revolution- to Ojir opposite
Presidio, and brought back 360 refugees to Marfa. They had been
captured by Francisco Villa t band and after he had plundered to
his satisfaction turned them loose to starve. Some of them were
white and of course all were really American citizens. Pretty
soon after this we were cal]ed back.to Ft. lark./1
711-
7sef,6,
11 1