548 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 



erto named by State sanitary boards. At tho recent national convention in Saint 

 Louis I bad a consultation witb Western and Southern ranchmen from Now Mexico 

 and Colorado, and from Southwest Texas and the Pan-handle, and thej- siiyfjeMled 

 tho lino marked as No. 3 to be safe. This is to start at Laredo and follow tlie Inter- 

 national Railroad to Taylor, in Williamson County, thence via. Missouri Pacitic Rail- 

 way to Fort Worth, then via. Fort Worth and Denver to Bowio in Montague County, 

 thence duo north to Red River. A line (No. 2) from Eagle Pass to Red River was 

 held as perhaps a satisfactory temporary line, but Messrs. R. G. Head, J.N. Simpson, 

 and J. W. Little rather favored line No. 3, from Laredo to Colorado River to Austin, 

 thence up said river to line No. I, at corner of Coleman and Brown Counties, and then 

 north with said line No. i to Red River. 



I submit these various lines for your consideration and action, and only regret that 

 there is not more complete data to give you on this important subject. The stockmen 

 of Texas and tho ranchmen of the North and West have been brought nearer together 

 by tho efforts of the Bureau, and I am satisfied that during the nest sis. months I \vill 

 be able to gather much reliable information in regard to this disease. Investigations 

 so far this season show the cattle found infected with fever received it from cattle that 

 carao from east and south of line No. 3. 



Indeed, Kaiifmiin, Houston, Grimes, LimcHtone, and Freestone County herds are tho 

 only ones that were in-oven to me as having caused infection. As soon as statistical 

 data are collected at Austin I shall forward to you. 

 Very respectfully, 



S. P. CUNNINGHAM, 

 Employe Bureau Animal Industry, 



Dr. D. E. Sai.mox, 



Chief of Bureau of Animal Industry. 



In connection with this report Colonel Cuuniujj^haui submitted tho 

 following report of a committee appointed by tho Brazos and Colorado 

 Cattle Association : 



Abilexk, Tkx., Norcmher 10, 1633. 

 Sir : As you remember, I, in conjunction with tAvo other members of the Brazos and 

 Colorado Association, was appointed a committeo to gather up and present to you the 

 facts regarding splenic, Spanish, or so-called Texas fever, as it affected the range or 

 ranch cattle within tho boundaries of this association, au association that extends 

 from the Clear Fork of the Brazos River on the north to tho southern limits of Cole- 

 man and Runnels Counties on tho south, from the west line of Eastland County on the 

 east to Martin and Howard Counties on the west, embracing the counties of Stephen, 

 Shackelford, Jones, Fisher, Scurry, Mitchell, Garza, Borden, M.iriin, llowiini, Midland, 

 Nolan, part of Tom Green, Runnels, Taylor, Callahan, and Coleniau.and covering a 

 cattle-range belt of some 300 miles east and west, and 200 miles north and sontli, and 

 on wliich at xircsont 400,000 range cattle are run. The climate isdry, range mo8(|uit«!, 

 free from post-oak, water good, altitude averaging over 1, '100 feet. Catlle raised Itoro 

 are very healthy and free from giving off any contagions diseases. At times our comity 

 has been charged with spreading splenic fever, Init this, when tiaceu to its origin, 

 has invariably shown the fever originated in and was propagated by cattlo coming 

 from the coast country. Li\ang and ranching near the center of this belt in Jones 

 County for near seven years, running from 5,000 to 10,000 cattle, we have had no 

 trouble, and never had our herd or young cattle from it suspicioned as spreading fever 

 wlien sold to Northern ranges ; and our comnutteo know as well as ycurscif that tho 

 Spanish cattle in this belt, raised on our ranges, are as fiee from imparting (!ise;i.'seof 

 any kind as any cattlo on the ranges of Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, or Dakota, lu 

 regard to acclimation of Northern cattle on our ranges, wo acknowledge tho sudden 

 change from a cold to a sultry climate gives a slight attack of acclimating fever simi- 

 lar in symptoms to splenic fever, yet when cattlo from the North — high-grade bulls or 

 full bloods — are brought in in winter and ])roperl7 cared for tho loss is very light, not 

 exceeding 10 per cent. We and our association, as you well know, use high giado 

 Herefords and Shorthorn bulls. Our grade cattlo receivo and are liable to splenic 

 fever when brought in summer into contact with coast cattle. Tho above covers as 

 near as we can hurriedly summarize the condition in our ranges. Anxious like your- 

 self to get at the bottom facts of this business, wo wish to uphold your hands in mak- 

 ing a complete, thorough, and impartial statement of the situation. 

 Respectfullv submitted, 



W. J. BRYAN. 

 Chairman of Committee, for J, W. Kucn and J. J. Rittson. 



Hon. S. P. Cunningham, 



Animal Industry Bureau of United States. 



