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the George W. Saunders Live Stock Commission Company, with offices at San Antonio and Fort Worth. The Fort Worth branch is managed by my son-in-law, W. E. Jary. We enjoy a liberal patronage from all parts of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Old Mexico, and do a gross business of between five and six million dollars annually.

Besides actively giving my attention to my commission business, I supervise the management of four small ranches and a 700-acre farm. I have always tried to follow the policies of my father and deal justly and fairly with all men, but considering the bad influences that many times engulfed me, the many temptations to deal unfairly, and the glowing prospects to greatly profit by yielding to them, it required an iron will and determination to resist, hence I feel proud that my record is not worse. I have made money in almost every undertaking, but my sympathy for suffering humanity, and my liberality in dealing has kept me from accumulating a fortune. I believe that ninety-five per cent of the people who know me are my friends, and I value them more than the millions of gold which perhaps I could have accumulated by sacrificing their friendship by unfair dealing. I have always been willing to give to charity or any laudable purpose that had for its object the uplift of my fellow man, and have always lent aid and encouragement to every undertaking that was for the upbuilding of our state and my home city, San Antonio. I served two terms as alderman of Ward 2 in San Antonio during the Clinton Brown administration, during which time we voted $3,500,000 city bonds, had them approved and sold and spent the money in municipal improvements, building sewers, widening streets and paving thoroughfares, making a modern city of the old Mexican town. During the World War I served as chairman of the Exemption Board, Division No. 1, free of charge, and did all I could to help win the war.

My two daughters by my first marriage are now Mrs. W. E. Jary of Fort Worth and Mrs. T. M. Webb of Palestine. On January 1, 1889, I was married to Miss Ida Friedrich of San Antonio. Of this union we have one daughter, Mrs. C. D. Cannon of San Antonio.

I have seen and participated in many unpleasant things during my sixty years of active life, but I think they are best forgotten. I do not think it would be amiss, however, to mention some of the hardships and examples of self-denial endured by the people of the early days. During the Civil War our family and all of our neighbors were compelled to make almost everything they used or wore; all ropes were made from hides or horse hair, all of our clothing was spun and woven at home, and I have carded and spun many nights until late bedtime. Leather was tanned by the settlers with bark from oak trees and used to rig saddles and for other purposes. Our shoes were made by country shoemakers; our saddle trees were made at home; we used water from creeks and rivers. Before the country was stocked all the streams contained pure, clear water. We carried corn in sacks on horseback fifteen to twenty-five miles to mills to be ground into meal, or ground the corn at home with small hand grist mills; wagons, ox yokes, looms and spinning wheels were made at home; hats were plaited and made from palmetto. The rich and the poor in our days were on equal footing, because these necessities could not be bought. As I look back to those times I am impressed with the marvelous changes time has wrought. The people of those good old days were brave and fearless, but if a high-powered automobile had gone speeding through the country at night with its bright headlights glaring and its horn screeching, I am sure the inhabitants would all have taken to the brush, thinking it was some supernatural monster.

The descendants of the early settlers of Texas are today identified with every industry in the country.

Their intelligence and traits of character are not surpassed by any people on earth, because they are quick to learn, quick to act, brave, honest and true to God and country. A quarter of a century of my life, from 1861 to 1886, was a continual chain of thrills, not by choice, but by the customs of those times. The dangers through which I passed during those days make me shudder when I recall them, but I attribute my preservation to the earnest prayers of my devoutly religious father and mother, who continually entreated Almighty God to protect their reckless boy. They taught me to trust in the Divine Father from infancy, and their admonitions have continued with me to this day, never dimmed but brightening as the years pass. I do not claim to have followed their teachings to the letter, but the training I received at their knees has been a guide and great support to me through life. Had I not received this early training to fortify me against the many temptations I cannot think what would have been the outcome.

I want to say a word about some of the men with whom I have been associated during my business career, for I feel that such affiliation has contributed to my success in the business world. As good fortune would have it, I fell in with the best men of our country, men of honesty and integrity, and leaders in the affairs of county and state. They helped me to attain that which I think I now possess, a good name, which is "rather to be chosen. than great riches." They were loyal at all times, and ever ready to advise and assist me.

And right here I want to pay a tribute to the noble women of our land, for they are more deserving of praise than all of the men combined. Consider the pioneer mothers and wives of our glorious state, and think of the hardships and privations they endured for the sake of being near and helping husband or father to make a home in the new country. Their social pleasures were few, their work heavy. Dangers lurked on every hand, but

bravely and uncomplainingly these women endured their hard lot, cheering and encouraging the men who were their protectors. God bless them! I often heard it said in the days of my youth that the women were the hope of our nation. They have fulfilled that hope in every sense of the term, and I believe they will ever continue to do so.

I was the first man to introduce roping contests in this state some thirty years ago, but the practice was so badly abused and so many cattle crippled and killed, that I regretted the introduction, so accordingly in after years I was the first to petition the Legislature to pass a law prohibiting the sport.

From 1868 to 1895 it is estimated that fully 35,000 men went up the trail with herds, if the number of men computed by the number of cattle driven is correct. Of this number of men about one-third were negroes and Mexicans, another third made more than one trip. Let us conclude that one-half of the white trail drivers who made one trip have died, and we still have some 6,000 survivors of the trail scattered all over the world, all of whom ought to be members of our association. This would give us the strength to forever perpetuate our organization, for as it is now our sons are eligible to membership and they in turn can make their sons and grandsons eligible as they grow to manhood. I have urged the organization of the old trail drivers for thirtyfive years. Many of my old comrades promised to participate in the organization, but it was put off from time to time, until 1915, when I called a few together and started the movement which has steadily grown until today I feel that my efforts in this matter have been in a large measure successful. If we had organized earlier, however, I am sure we would have preserved the record of many of our old comrades who have crossed over the Great Divide, and retained much of the trail slang and customs that have passed away.

I have carefully read most of the sketches that appear in this book. They tend to show that the early settlers and old trail drivers did more toward the development of this state than all other things combined, and it would be the father of all mistakes to allow the record of these men to go down in unwritten history. Therefore, this book was prepared to preserve that record. My greatest wish is that the proceeds from the sale of the book will be used for the purpose of erecting a monument, one hundred feet high, to the drivers of the famous old trail, somewhere on the trail near San Antonio or Fort Worth.

MRS. LOU GORE

First Landlady in Abilene, Kansas

She took charge of the Drovers' Cottage in the Spring of '68 and conducted this Hotel for many years. In a brief time it was learned that in the person of the new Landlady of the Cottage Hotel the Drovers had a true sympathetic friend and in their sickness a true guardian and nurse, one whose kind, motherly heart was ever ready to provide for every proper want, be they hungry, tired, thirsty or sick, it mattered not, she was the Florence Nightingale to relieve them. Many of the Old Trail Drivers remember Mrs. Gore and often speak of her as a most Noble Lady. Miss Maragret Gore, a daughter of Mrs. Lou Gore, is living at McPherson, Kansas. She was located last year through a letter written to Mrs. Amanda Burks of Cotulla, the Queen of The Old Trail Drivers' Association. Geo. W. Saunders, President of the Old Trail Drivers' Association, has been corresponding with Miss Gore. She has promised to attend our reunion November the 6th to 8th this Fall, 1924. President Saunders has made Miss Gore an honorary

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