Dave
Well-known member
There is a story regarding the old Oxman ditch in Skinner Kirby's book. Skinner was a local homestead raised kid born in 1905. He became a cowboy and grew into a pretty good cattleman. So in about 1925 he and some others were gathering wild horses in the hills in back of here. They had gathered about 1,500 head of assorted horses. They were driving them to the stock yard at the railroad in Durkee. In his book he said they brought them down Big Rock canyon (my place). As they got closer to the valley about 200 of them broke loose and were running between the Oxman ditch and the Banks ditch. Oxman being up hill of the two. The running horses came to a spot where the Oxman had washed out leaving a steep deep cut in the hill. The horses in front tried to stop but the ones coming behind pushed them off the edge. He figured they ended up with 150 horses piled on top of each other. He said the squealing and other noise was terrible. But there was nothing they could do. He said they were just glad there wasn't someone riding in front of them. This happened on my place 100 years ago.
First picture is the old ditch. About 4 feet deep and 10-12 feet wide. Hand dug mainly by Chinese laborers.
Second picture the Oxman is that line mid slope and the Banks is at the foot of the slope. The wash out happened to the right of this picture
First picture is the old ditch. About 4 feet deep and 10-12 feet wide. Hand dug mainly by Chinese laborers.
Second picture the Oxman is that line mid slope and the Banks is at the foot of the slope. The wash out happened to the right of this picture
