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Texans had interbred English cattle with Spanish cattle to produce a new breed- the Texas longhorn.
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A steer that could bring about $4 in Texas could be sold for $40 or more in eastern markets.
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In Illinois, farmer Joseph Glidden patented barbed wire, a cheap fencing material.
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Most Mexicans and Mexican cowboys worked on ranches in Texas.
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Cattle had brought $35 a head in Chicago.
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Prices crashed as supply far exceeded demand.
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Cattle sold for only $8!
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A terrible drought diminished many herds.
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There was a severe winter in the southern plains from 1885-86.
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Temperatures reached 46 degrees below zero in some areas.