Free A Lone Star Christmas by William W. Johnstone Page A

would have to deal with crossing the Red River into Indian Territory. So, because Fort Worth was on the route north, between 1866 and 1890 more than four million head of cattle were trailed through the town.
    Then, when the railroad arrived in 1876, Fort Worth became a major shipping point for livestock. This prompted plans in 1887 for the construction of the Union Stockyard Company located about two and one half miles north of the Tarrant County Courthouse. The Union Stockyard Company, was now in full operation.
    William Hurley, founder and president of the Union Stockyard Company in Fort Worth, was an average-sized man, though he was dwarfed by Big Ben’s towering presence. Hurley, who wore a Vandyke beard, invited Big Ben into his office, offering him a seat across from his desk. A brass locomotive acted as a paper weight for the many pieces of paper that were piled up on this busy man’s desk.
    â€œSo you want to sell me some cows, do you?” Hurley asked.
    â€œI do.”
    â€œGood.” Hurley opened a wooden box and handed Big Ben a cigar. “Try this, I think you will like it. It comes from Cuba.”
    Big Ben nodded as he accepted the cigar. He took a small cutter from his pocket, nipped off the end, then ran his tongue up the side of the cigar. Before he reached for his own matches, Hurly struck a match, let the carbon burn away, then held the flame to the tip of Big Ben’s cigar.
    â€œI think,” Hurley said as Big Ben puffed on the cigar, securing the light and sending up a white puff of aromatic smoke, “that if a cowman like you, one of the men who made the Texas cattle industry, would start using the stockyard, it would spread to others. And that would be good for Texas.”
    â€œAnd particularly good for you, I would expect,” Big Ben replied around the edge of his cigar.
    â€œI’ll admit that if I could start a thriving cattle market, right here in Fort Worth, it would be good for me,” Hurley said.
    â€œSpeaking as a cattleman, I have to tell you that the problem we would have in dealing with you, Will, is the fact that you don’t pay enough. It is my understanding that you are paying one dollar a head below the Kansas City market.”
    â€œThat is true,” Hurley admitted. “But, like you, I have to get the cows to Kansas City, and I do that by train, which is quite expensive.”
    â€œWhat you should do is start a meat-processing plant right here in Fort Worth,” Big Ben suggested.
    Hurley chuckled. “Mr. Conyers, you are a brilliant man, for that is exactly what I plan to do. I have been discussing this very subject with Mr. Phillip Armor, of the Armor Meat Packing Company.”
    â€œWhen you get that done, I think you will have a lot of cattlemen dealing with you. I know that I will.”
    â€œI appreciate that,” Hurley said. “In fact, to show you how much I appreciate your business, if you will let me use your name in talking to others, I will make you a special deal on your cattle,” Hurley said. “Instead of paying one dollar below market price, I will give you ninety cents below market price.”
    Big Ben was pleased with that proposal, for that wouldn’t be much less than he would make if he drove the entire herd to Dodge City, especially considering the fact that he was certain to lose some cattle during the drive. But he knew better than to show how pleased he was with that offer, so he made a counter-bid.
    â€œSuppose I took half a dollar less?”
    Hurley shook his head. “I couldn’t do that,” he said. “But I might be able to go eighty cents below market.”
    â€œMake it seventy cents, and you have a deal,” Big Ben said.
    â€œMr. Wiggins,” Hurley called through the open door of his office.
    A small, bald-headed man stepped into the door. “Yes sir, Mr. Hurley?”
    â€œWhat is the latest market price for Longhorns in Kansas