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Show THE ZEPHYR APRIL 1990 PAGE 18 The Legend of Charlie Glass by B.J. Eardley tha history of southeastern Utah are stories of people whose lives reflect basic traditions of our past The legend of Charlie Glass, for Instance, Is a story of a respected Black cowboy who believed In the dominion of cattle on the open range, who killed for It, and, In the end, most probably died for It Charlie Glass was a classic cowboy. He was more at home In the saddle than on foot and he always carried a gun. The monotony of trailing cattle, the frustration of riding bog. the accompanying dust nd bugs and torrents of rain were Just as much a part of his life as the brothels and drink that awaited at the end of a long drive. Charlies local reputation began In 1909 when he arrived on the cattle dominated mesas of Western Colorado. Thought to be one quarter Cherokee and three quarters Black, Charlie came from Oklahoma Indian Country where It was rumored he had killed the man who had murdered his father. It was the kind of rumor that followed many cowboys onto the open range, where fugitives, rebels, and young men looking for adventure lived the life of a cowboy. Charlie was characteristically silent about his past and set out to prove his worth as a loyal, competent, and valuable professional. The legend of "this old black boy, as he referred to himself, was fueled by Charlies proclaimed commitment to be a protector of the cattle range. Soon after going to work for the Turner ranch operation In Eastern Utah In 1917, Charlie was made a foreman. Over the course of the next fifteen years, southeastern Utah experienced Its own brand of the range war. Cattle barons and homesteaders, small ranchers and renegade Utes and lives struggled to establish rights to the land and Its resources. The struggle was harsh were lost on all sides. The renegade spirit of the "wild west" was Its own court of law. The land's struggle was harsh, too: freezing winters, extended drought, and flash floods gradually left their mark. As the new century approached, the cattle Industry began to collapse. Rustlers, Indians, dropping cattle prices, overgrazing, drought and flood were all cited as reasons. In an attempt to salvage their operations, some ranchers purchased sheep. At slightly higher market prices, and with both wool and mutton as products, sheep began to spread over cattle country. By 1900 sheep far outnumbered cattle In southeastern Utah. To many cattlemen, sheep were the responsible force for many of the Ills that had befallen the open range. The waves of grass and flowers that early pioneers had described had been replaced In many places by noxious weeds. Huge arroyos replaced meandering streams and valuable water sources were threatened with pollution. The lands propensity to drought and flood were demonstrated with regularity. By the time Charlie Glass arrived In Eastern Utah, mining and lumber operations competed with both cattle and sheep rights to the land. Tensions between public land users A3 foreman, Charlie devoted himself to the Turner ranch. His was the kind of was Invaluable to the solvency of any cattle operation. As was common practice, that loyaitv Charlie filed for a homestead on a piece of ground that was Important to Turners ability to control the public lands that he couldnt own. Among ranching circles, Charlie was respected for his dedication. He also became a popular and familiar figure In Moab, Cisco, and Frulta. He kept a small room In Grand Jet and frequently dressed In polished boots and silk to "make the rounds with the ladles of the "Barbary Coast district He was a popular "bronc snapper In local rodeo competitions and took home a good share of prize money. Everyone knew him. "He was, as one local resident put It, "one of the nicest men I ever knew, a man who was dependable and kept his word. Cowboys like Charlie Glass didnt emerge In southeastern Utah until the last part of the nineteenth century, when the grasses grew "belly high to a horse and the Ute claimed the LaSals as their homeland. In the late 1870s, when Charlie Glass was still a young boy, the first large heads of cattle were brought to the MoabLaSal area by an Independent breed of hardworking and courageous men and women who challenged the land with a determination to gain title to their own piece of the West The homesteaders were not alone In their search. Among cattle barons In neighboring Colorado, New Mexico and Texas, Inexpensive Utah cattle prices and the rich soils snd tall grasses of the LaSal and Abao Mountains were attractive territories for their expanding companies. The Ute, too, after being forced off their land In Western Colorado, saw the sparsely settled areas In Southeastern Utah as the last stronghold of homeland that were high and range lands were more precious than ever. Surviving cattle ranchers clung tenaciously to their right to the open range. Professional cowboys like Charlie Glass were a welcome asset to maintaining the sovereignty of cattle. As foreman for Turner, It was Charlie's ob to see to It that area sheepherders off of Turner range. Although the Forest Service had taken control of the stayed management of the LaSals and Abajos In 1906, there was little regulation on the public lands In the area of Thompson and Cisco where the Turner ranch was located. Large migrating sheep herds, many of them owned by Western Colorado sheepmen, competed for winter range on lands that Turner and other cattle ranchers claimed by mutual agreement Though some boundaries were drawn by state officials, enforcement of the lines of tradition were carried out through the strength of a mounted cowboy and a gun. The same forces that had dominated the battle for range rights In the last century. Most of the herders In the area of Turners ranch were Basques, brought from Spain for their excellent skill with sheep. The Basques were resented by many locals, looked upon as strangers, foreigners who were sometimes derogatorily referred to as Frenchmen, or Greeks. These sheep herds were the focus of many cowboy pranks. One favorite stunt was for two cowboys to string a rope between them and ride through a sheep camp to topple the sheepherders' tents. In at least one Instance, the Basques were wise to the prank and used a strong Juniper post In the center of their tent When the cowboys' rope htt, It was the cowboys who toppled, not the tent Generally the pranks were harmless, but on February 21, 1921, the tensions of In ? they could hope to retain. ARCHES REALTY BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY well-establish- wont 690 So. Main 259-569- FAX (801) line toll-fr- ee acres with well, Lots 384 & 399 in Castle Valley, 1 garage and pump house. septic, power, includes is This area perfect to build the home of your dreams. The land is in a very secluded area with a fantastic view of the LaSal Mountains and Castle Valley. This is the largest remaining acreage in this area. Excellent owner financing with small down payment. Owner asking $50,000.00. This property will not last long. ACT NOW!!! Call Joe or Dan for more information. 1 259-593- 0 2-c- OPPORTUNITY UNIQUE Nice three bedroom home in Mountain View Subdivision. 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