718 A HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



In the spring of 1884 Nelson bought about 500 

 head of the best unregistered cows available in Kan- 

 sas and Missouri. In this purchase over one-half 

 were grade Herefords, the others being Shorthorns. 

 This herd was put on a ranch in Hall Co., Tex., 

 and established the subsequently well known "Bar 

 Ninety-Six " brand. In a few years this became a 

 very fine high-grade herd of "white faces," and for 

 several years afterwards whenever a "white-faced 

 critter" was seen in that region one did not have 

 to look at the brand to determine ownership, as 

 there were no others in the country.* 



Bulls destined for the Texas trade of this period 

 were commonly assembled at Dodge City, Kans., 

 and then driven down the trail. The distribution 

 commenced on the Canadian River, then at Mobee- 

 tie, then at Clarendon, and thence as far south as 

 Colorado City about 600 miles from Dodge City. 

 Finch, Lord & Nelson sold to several large ranches 

 as many as 500 head a year each for several years 

 in succession. These included Adair & Goodnight, 

 the Matador Land & Cattle Co., and the Espuula 

 Land & Cattle Co. They also had many customers 

 taking a smaller number, including W. H. Cres- 

 well, the Clarendon Land & Investment Co., which 

 owned the "Quarter Circle Heart" ranch, Nick 

 Eaton of the U U, Day & Maddox of the YJ, Lee 

 & Reynolds, Lee & Scott, the Hansf ord Land & Cat- 

 tle Co., Coleman & Co., Robert Moody, and others. 



*Mr. Nelson withdrew from the Burlingame firm some years 

 ago, and is now breeding- Herefords on his ranch near Romero, 

 in Hartley Co., Tex. He handles many bulls, bred in the cornbelt 

 states, as well as those bred in the Panhandle of Texas. 



