▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁heads ▁of ▁cattle , ▁and ▁a ▁stable ▁for ▁their ▁horses . ▁The ▁Kansas ▁Pacific ▁put ▁in ▁a ▁sp ur ▁line ▁at ▁Ab il ene ▁that ▁enabled ▁the ▁cattle ▁cars ▁to ▁be ▁loaded ▁and ▁sent ▁on ▁to ▁their ▁destin ations . ▁The ▁first ▁twenty ▁car loads ▁left ▁September ▁ 5 , ▁ 1 8 6 7 , ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁Chicago , ▁Illinois , ▁where ▁Mc Co y ▁was ▁familiar ▁with ▁the ▁market . ▁ ▁The ▁town ▁grew ▁quickly ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁" cow ▁town " ▁of ▁the ▁west . ▁ ▁Mc Co y ▁encourag ed ▁Texas ▁cattle men ▁to ▁drive ▁their ▁her ds ▁to ▁his ▁stock y ards . ▁From ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁to ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁the ▁Ch ish ol m ▁Tra il ▁ended ▁in ▁Ab il ene , ▁bringing ▁in ▁many ▁travel ers ▁and ▁making ▁Ab il ene ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁wild est ▁towns ▁in ▁the ▁west . ▁The ▁stock y ards ▁sh ipped ▁ 3 5 , 0 0 0 ▁head ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 7 ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁largest ▁stock y ards ▁west ▁of ▁Kansas ▁City , ▁Kansas . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 1 , ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁cow bo ys ▁her ded ▁from ▁ 6 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁ 7 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁c ows ▁to ▁Ab il ene ▁and ▁other ▁Kansas ▁rail head s . ▁Another ▁source ▁reports ▁ 4 4