Why did Texas Ranchers want to get their cattle up North Chicago?

Texas Ranchers did not want to get their cattle up North to Chicago. Chicago was a major livestock market, and Texas ranchers wanted to get their cattle there to sell them.

The Chisholm Trail was a famous cattle trail that ran from Texas to Kansas. It was used by Texas ranchers to drive their cattle to market in Abilene, Kansas. From Abilene, the cattle were shipped by rail to Chicago.