Cattle Drives From Texas

Arkansas City Traveler, January 30, 1878.
                                                     The Texas Cattle Law.
The Supreme Court of the United States has wiped out the dead line in Kansas—a fact that will be pleasing to border counties. The Texas cattle law of Missouri is similar to that of Kansas. The following decision strikes at all, as it is general in its application.
Intelligence has been received from Washington that the Supreme Court of the United States, on Monday last, decided that what is known in this State as the Texas cattle law, is unconsti­tutional.
In Caldwell and other counties, numerous suits had been brought against the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad Company for unloading Texas cattle at Kidder station, in violation of this law, the farmers alleging that their native cattle died from the Texas fever communicated by these Texas cattle. The courts in Missouri held that the statute, prohibiting the importation of cattle between March 1st and November 1st of each year, was constitutional and valid. The case was then taken to the Supreme Court of the United States by writ of error, under the judiciary act. The court, as above stated, has made a finality of the case, holding the law to be in contravention of the United States laws which confer upon Congress the executive power to regulate commerce among the several States.
This was a test suit, and upon the decision depends over one hundred like suits, calling for damages to the aggregate of about $40,000. St. Joseph Gazette.
In connection with the above, we copy from the Kansas City Price Current the following cattle item as to the probable drive for the coming season.
The Price Current, since its establishment, has always kept its readers posted in reference to the Texas cattle drive, yearly, to Kansas; and the figures, which we have given, having been procured from reliable sources, have invariably proved correct. The prospects of the drive of cattle from Texas to Kansas, at the present time, are that it will be about the same as last year, if not in excess—that is, 200,000 or over. We say “prospects of the drive,” and by that remark we mean that the figures given would indicate about the same number as last year, if not more, will be driven; but the cramp in money matters, will, it is generally thought, cut the number down from what is now given. Texas cattle drovers, last year, had quite a success­ful season of it, and it is considered by those best posted that there was more money made than any previous year since the drives from Texas to Kansas commenced, and this has induced many to drive again.
Below is given a partial list of the number of cattle which will be driven, and with which we have been kindly furnished by Mr. Peyton Montgomery, of the firm of Quinlan, Montgomery & Co., he having obtained it from Judge Deverly, of Dodge City, Kan., a letter containing the facts having been written to that gentleman by Mr. Richard Head, of Texas, foreman for Ellison & Deweese.
Ellison & Deweese 8,000
J. and T. Deweese 12,000
J. T. Ellison & Son 6,000
Lytle & McDonald 12,000
Smith & Savage 12,000

D. R. Fant 9,000
Snyder Brothers 14,000
W. Butler 4,000
John Gamel 6,000
Presnall & Mitchell 8,000
Waugh & Stevens 4,000
Shriner Brothers 5,000
Bishop & Hough 6,000
J. W. Iliff 15,000
C. C. Lewis & Co. 10,500
W. S. Caruthers 8,000
Capt. King 10,000
Maj. Hood 4,000
A. Drumm 2,000
A. R. Adair 1,000
Chapman & Tuttle 5,000
TOTAL: 161,500
There are quite a number of the old drovers yet to be heard from.