702 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



and sheep and cattle, his alliance with George 

 Morgan, the "advance agent " of the English Here- 

 ford propaganda, his staggering reverses and final 

 fall all told would make a tale only too typical of 

 the smiling, frowning, fascinating west.* 



*Mr. A. H. Swan had gone to Cheyenne from Indianola, la , 



some time around 1876. He had all the instincts of a promoter 



and in 'his time engaged in many different things, and succeeded 

 in inducing others to join with him in his undertakings. 



He started in business as a grocer at Indianola shortly after 

 the Civil War, but soon developed a genius for speculation. One 

 of his first schemes in Indianola was in connection with the build- 

 ing of a railroad to Des Moines now a part of the Rock Island 

 system. Afterwards he became a speculator in Warren county 

 lands. After going to Wyoming to embark in the then new busi- 

 ness of cattle ranching he utilized some 2,500 acres as a farm 

 for the purpose of breeding bulls for shipment to the western 

 range. When John Gosling took hold of this farm it was a cattle- 

 feeding plant, but it was soon afterwards changed into a breed- 

 ing establishment with a cow herd of some 600 head. 



In 1881, Mr. David Kauffman took an interest in this business 

 and was made manager of this farm. Mr. Gosling was trans- 

 ferred to South Omaha and placed in charge of cattle-feeding at 

 the distillery sheds, where in the course of three years he handled 

 over 6,000 head. 



Kauffman retired in 1884, and the Bosler Bros., of Pennsyl- 

 vania, who had become interested with Swan in his range opera- 

 tions, took an interest in the Indianola farm. Mr. Gosling there- 

 upon returned to this farm, when the grade herd was reduced 

 in numbers and additional purebred Herefords were bought from 

 Culbertson's and other good herds. 



A correspondent of "The Breeder's Gazette," writing of Swan 

 and his Indianola career, says: 



"During the years of his prosperity Mr. Swan was connected 

 with numerous enterprises in and about Indianola. He had in- 

 terests in farms, a coal mine, brick yard, flouring mill, canning 

 factory and a bank or two. He had close business connections 

 with several Engish capitalists and live stock men, and was fond 

 of bringing them to North Farm to see the cattle. The story was 

 recently told me by an old resident that, when it was known 

 that Swan was coming to town, the word would be passed from 

 one to another, 'Eck's a comin', Eck's a comin' 'smorning', and a 

 spirit of suppressed excitement pervaded the little town as if 

 awaiting a visit from the President of the United States. His 

 partners, various employes and other retainers would repair to 

 the railway station an hour before train-time to discuss what 

 'Eck' would do on 'this trip' with regard to his numerous local 

 activities. When the train would at last arrive Swan would 

 come off with his following of Englishmen and eastern capitalists 

 and lead the way to the hotel like a lord, passing out greetings 

 and shaking hands on all sides. 



"But the end came, when his ambition and self-confidence 

 overran his judgment with the inevitable result. That was early 

 in 1887. North Farm went to the Boslers, who held it for a 

 number of years, selling it in parcels, and finally selling the tract 

 containing the main improvements to Mr. Jacob Piffer, in the 

 hands of whose estate it still lies. Mr. Swan had acquired the 

 farm from an early settler and financier, who had combined its 

 component parts into one body of land. This was D. H. Van Pelt, 

 grandfather of Prof. H. G. Van Pelt, Iowa's dairy expert." 



