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Range lore
ars. MAIO
Maveriek„ Texas.
RAMOS-LORE
W. B. (12008) Carr's, was *era in Guadalupe
County, la SopteMbar 1810. Re mime with kis pareats
to Ramiltoa Couaty whoa he was six years old. The
family moved to Omaha County Is 1879. There he
maiaed with his parents until 1891. While still a
very young man, he basin working for The Comae Land
and Cattle Company in Coach° County. Later he moved
to North Texas where he lived for a =mbar of years
Wore, coming to Rama, County.
"I worked". he says, for The Comae Cattle an&
Land Company for four or five yoare. Most of this
tins was *peat punobiag sattle. I was seat for short
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periods of time to RuLnele County and other places to
work.
"My job was like that of any other cowboy of
that time. I helped with round -ups, branded cattle,
rods bronco, drove cattle to market or to other pas-
tures. we all htid to bc able if we were told to rids
broncs, too, no miAt.er how mst1n. They was never con-
sidered too tough for riders to ride. I don't recall
uny terrible mean horses like sone I've heard of, but
I knew a sight or 'em that wouldn't be called gentle.
I never saw any rider get killed by a bronc but have
seen some pretty well bunged up, in fact, I cams near
jotting a busted leg myself once. I was trying to bust
in a pretty tough pacer, when he got the upper hand and
threw me. I landed hard on my leg. I didn't break it,
but was laid up for u few days.
"The longest cattle drive I ever made was in 1889.
I helped to drive 2500 head of cattle to Amarillo, to
market them for "Ammis of Paint Rock. Bob rieree
was boss of the outfit wLich oonsisted of eleven men,
including tLe cook und horse wrangler. 1:e had, I guess,
tt lot of trouble. The herd stampeded several times. 'AD
lost tIA: wLole business of that henery herd ono night in
a storm.
",e had camped for the night on The Double Mountain
York of the Brazos river when the sC.mpede occurred. The
country IL then parts is awfUl roue) and hilly. re had all
the settle bedded down and most of us had gone to sleep
when we were awakened to find that the sky had darkened
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and the rumble of thunder was drawing near. We were all
in the saddle in loss time than it takes to say Jack
Robinson, and the cattle were already beginning to stir.
Well, we began riding 'round then, trying to keep than
together and talking or singing to them. The storm broke
about eleven o'clock, and what a storm, wind, hail, rain
and electricity. It seated like hell was bustin' wide
open. It was dark as could be except for the lightning
which was blinding and didn't help much. All the odds
seemed to be against us. We rode, whooped, yelled and
sang, but there was no use. Then dogies was hell bound
for the hills. We lost the whole dog -gone outfit of 'am.
"We found all of the herd next morning- or practi-
cally all of it- but I'm telling you thai was about the
worst experience I had while punching cattle. I know
of two others besides myself that was with that drive
that are still living. Old John Henderson, now a re-
tired merchant of Coleman, is one of then, and Phil.
Wright, who is Chief Fireman in the city of San Antonio
is the other one.
"I went from Conch() County to Motley County, Texas.
worked on the Matador Ranch in that county two years.
I then drifted to Cottle County in 1892, I believe it
was, in fact I helped to organize the county. There
weren't many settlers in them parts at that time. Wed
see Indians occasionally, but they were harmless. While
in Cottle County I worked for The Richards Brothers'
Cattle Company. I was married in 1895 to Addis Brothers
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of Cottle County. We moved to Runnels County in 1895
and settled at Ballinger, where we have reared our family.
"I never had any Indian encounters in the early days,
although I've seen a few of the redskins who weren't to
be _considered civilized. But there is something I know,
and that is that people had to suffer many hardships in
this section of the country in the early days of my life
here. There were drouths and the houses most of them,
were poor. Often the people had to go Without some of
the real necessities of life. But after all, those
were good old days. We had many good times together
with the best neighbors in this world. People as a rule
were honest, religious and kind. Yes I'm glad I was a
range rider and glad too that I lived at that time."