June 2019 30 In January of 1848, before gold was discovered at Sutter’s mill in California, flour sold for $4 per hundredweight (200 lbs.) and beef was $2 per hundredweight. By December of 1848 gold had been discovered and flour jumped $27 per hundredweight and beef to $20. Eggs were rare and, if even available, were often auctioned off and could bring as much as $1 to $8 each. The cost of food and other supplies climbed to over 400 times their actual value. Price gouging and charging whatever the market will bear is nothing new. Acowboy had to be highly skilled at two things; handling a rope and staying aboard any half broke, mean-tempered, jug-headed, piece of crow bait horse he was handed and get a hard day’s work out of it. These and a multitude of other things were way ahead of the need to shoot a handgun accurately or even carry one. There were only two reasons a working ranch hand might need a firearm on the job; (1) to put down an animal that was too sick or hurt to get well or (2) eliminate a predator such as a wolf, mountain lion, or a bear. A handgun is pretty much useless beyond about 20 feet for the average person and no predator is going to allow a person to get that close. So, if a working ranch hand carried a firearm it was more than likely a rifle that was supplied by the ranch owner. It would work just fine in both cases. The ranch supplied the horses but a cowboy provided everything else he needed. In the late 1800s, a decent saddle was $30 to $40. A pair of chaps would run $5 to $10 depending on style and material. A decent hat would cost him $5. Good boots were $10 to $20. A saddle blanket (big enough to sleep on) would be $5 to $8. Spurs, a bridle, a rope, etc., would take another $5. A complete outfit, including his shirt and pants, could cost him anywhere from $50 to $150, depending. Of course, like people today, he seldom purchased it all at the same time. A cowboy’s work was rough on clothing and gear and it needed to be replaced often. They hired on in the spring and were laid off in the fall. At a dollar a day and food (room and board) for about 6 months out of the year he made about $180. Supplying and replacing all this stuff on a regular basis didn’t leave very much for whiskey, tobacco, and other forms of “entertainment.” By Lee Anderson, Old West Living Historian, Award Winning Author, and Old School Horseman Lee Anderson and his horse, Concho, are well known around the state doing presentations in schools, corporate events, and civic events. Learn more about them and his book on his website. historicaloldwest.org DID YOU KNOW, IN THE OLD WEST...