The Livestock Business [ Grimes, Fulton, Barnum, Helm, Pearson, Brookhouse, Gibson, Floyd, Eaton, Kimble, Cacherre, King, Hill, Clark, Jenkins, Andrews, Young, Tharp and Eaton] I would now like to tell something of some men who excelled in their particular line of stock business. I believe that all oldtimers will agree with me that Roe Grimes was the best judge of beef cattle that this country ever produced. It was said that he could ride through a band of beef cattle once and tell how many culls [there] were and could tell very close to what they would weigh per head. He bought cattle all over eastern Oregon and Idaho, for the Portland market. Frank Fulton was a splendid judge of range cattle. When eastern buyers bought cattle in those early days, they paid different prices for cows and calves, and dry cows, yearlings, two and three year-olds. The buyers and the sellers usually chose Frank to judge the age, and kind as they passed through the chute and seldom was his judgement questioned. Once a "critter" was going through the chute that belonged to Henry Barnum. Frank called it a two-year-old steer, although he knew it was a long yearling. The buyers were satisfied, but Barnum claimed it was a three-year old. Frank told him he had better let it go as a two, but he would not. So it was examined and passed as a yearling. Barnum, who could have had the price of a two, wanted the price of a three, and had to take the price of a yearling, and the joke was on him. It is my belief that C.I. Helm was the best judge of horses in this county. After he had taken his horses to the Big Bend country, he went east and made a study of draft horses in several of the largest cities, and decided that the Percherons were the best horses for the eastern market. He bought some Percheron stallions, which he shipped west, and raised some splendid horses. All told, he brought out about 50 head of purebred Percheron stallions, which he sold in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. At one time he attended the International Stock show at Elmira, N.Y. Some eastern horsemen rather made fun of his western ways. He wrote a list of which he thought would be prize winners, in all classes, sealed it and gave it to one of them, and told them to open it after the judging was over. He then offered to bet $500 that it was nearer correct than any of them could make. After the judging was completed it was found that he had named most of the prize winners. He bought Wilson Boy, a Hambletonian, and the next day he took first prize over all standardbred two-year-olds in the United States and Canada. He bought him for one thousand dollars less than he would have had to pay after the prize was given. I believe that Jim Pearson was the best roper that ever grew up in this country. A rope was his plaything from the time he could walk. The next year after he went to the Big Bend he made 97 throws without a miss, catching both hind feet. This was not done as an exhibition, nor was it done all in one day, but was done as range work day after day. A cattleman offered to bet 100 head of cattle that Jim was the best roper in the state of Washington at that time. The bet was never taken. There were many other good ropers in this country. John Brookhouse, Ed Gibson, Ed Floyd and Bill Pearson were among the best. Frank Fulton carried the longest rope and swung the biggest loop of any man on the range. Probably no one knows who was the champion rider. In the 20 odd years there were many good riders on this range, but I would say that during the earlier period, Pierre Cacherre and Nate Eaton were among the best. I, as a small boy, have seen each of them make wonderful rides. Both Frank Kimball and Frank Fulton were good when in their prime. And as the years rolled by, and the boys grew up there were a splendid lot of riders on the range. Among the best were Dick Brookhouse, Billie King, Ed Floyd, Bill Pearson, Ed Gibson, and Tom Gordon. There were many others that were good riders. Of the girls, Maggie Eaton was the best rider. With one exception, she always rode with a side-saddle. A bad horse threw her brother, Bert. Maggie went to the house and came out with man's clothes on, caught the horse, "forked him," and rode him. The best exhibition ride I ever saw was Eugene Diggs riding an outlaw at the Lair Hill ranch south of Grass Valley. Diggs and I had gone to receive the horses for C.I. Helm who had bought them. Coke Hill and Chauncey Clark were in charge. During the evening they told us of an outlaw that belonged in the bunch. He had a record of several years standing, and had never been ridden. Two years before he had killed the last man that tried to ride him. They said they would give $5 to see him ridden. Gene said as he belonged to the outfit he would ride him. The next morning they cleared a large corral, and the horse was caught and saddled. Diggs mounted him and he first made some quick, savage jumps, each one in a different direction, then over on his back, on his feet, and at it again, and for several minutes as fast as the eye could follow he was in the air, on the ground, on his back, on his feet, and repeat. When he threw himself, Diggs would land on his feet, and as the horse got up, Diggs would go into the saddle. It had to be seen to be understood and appreciated. It was the best riding of its kind I ever saw. In conclusion I will tell one on myself. When I was about 17 years old I was a good rider for a kid. I was riding for Jim Jenkins, and one day there was about 150 head of horses in the corral. Jim Jenkins, Nate Eaton, Ben Andrews, John Young, and one or two others were there. We were talking about riding and I said I would ride anything in the corral for $5 and Jim took me up. He picked out a wild mare eleven years old. I was sorry I had spoken, but would not back out. So I rode her, but I surely earned the five. I always thought she would have thrown me, if Nate Eaton hadn't kept yelling, "Stay, kid, stay." I only claim one record for myself, and that is, being thrown farther by a falling horse than any one else. Mart Tharp was riding a wild horse near Eaton's place. Jess Eaton and I were with him. The horse was running down hill toward a wire fence. I was trying to turn him from it, when my horse put both feet in a hole, and went end over twice. I sailed through the air past the wild horse and he stopped. Submitted by Sherry Kaseberg.