Before barbed-wire fences became common in the early 1880s, elk, antelope, and prairie chickens were a part of the Erath County ecosystem. Enclosed cattle soon ate the native grasses down to the soil, then pawed up the roots. Into this void rushed grasses and weeds with tiny root systems that failed to absorb rainfall and led to massive erosion and the lowering of the water table. The result was the disappearance of many varieties of native plants and brooks, small streams that provided water for wildlife. In March of 1883 the last black bear was seen by T.J. Ross between Stephenville and Alexander. Dan Young; Stephenville Empire