Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-12-04
A Mutton Millionaire.

A Mutton Millionaire.
The Kansas City Times recently in
terviewed Mr.. p. G.. Armijo, of New
Mexico, WHO'S probably the largest sheep
raiser in America. The herds roam over
of territory, and in numbers are beyond
human count. The Times says:
The ArmijOs are one of the wealthiest
families in Bernanilla county, New
Mexico. They have been engaged in
the raising of sheep and wool for export
alton East for several generations past.
They are unable to estimate their herds
accurately, but a..rough guess aggregates
the actual number at something over
half a million. 1t seems almost incredi-
BILE for people living east of the great
plains to realize the vast extent and in
Vulnerable herds of sheep raised yearly
In the mild, dry climate of New Mexico.
Three families claim nearly two million
head of sheep, which are scattered over,
range of country more than 800 miles
square.
In reply to a question as to whether
the Indians troubled their immense
herds, Mr. Armijo replied We are not
troubled by Indian depredations to any
serious extent. The Indians are trouble
some at times, but we scarcely ever miss
what they drive off or slaughter They
seldom xii our flOcks wantonly, and only
take for food when they pass one of our
herds. He relates an incident, in 1885,
when the Apaches and Navajoes drove
off 35, 900 head at one raid, and thought
that not less than 80, 900 head had been
stolen by Indians since then. The In
dams drove off about half that number
between 1861 and '65. "But," said Mr..
Armijo, 1--WE hardly miss them"
The Mexican sheep-raiser generally
handles his herds in small tiocks of
about three thousand head. Each of
these herds is under the personal
overseer, who is assisted by shepherds,
for whom the sheep have a fond affec-
ton. AT night these immense focks
collect close together around their shep-
herds, and sleep peacefully, guarded by
well-trained dogs.
These shepherds are paid from ten to
fifteen dollars per month the year round,
the overseer about twenty-five dollars
per month. These herds roam at will
over the boundless dry plains of New
Mexico, without shelter all the year
through. They require no feeding, the
short, nutritious gronanao grass, peculiar
to New Mexico, aforling good pas
turage in winter as well as summer.
The Mexican sheep is smaller than
American sheep, but is more healthy
and hardy. They clip about two pounds
of wool to the fleece; their wool is
short and fine, and, from all that can be
ascertained by tradition handed down
through several generations, were pure
Spanish merinos brought from Spain by
Cortez' expedition. 1t is the intention
of the sheep-raisers of New Mexico to
improve their herds by direct impor-
tation of pure Spanish merinos.
Armijo's family have sold upward of
10000 pounds of wool during the
past year at forty-one cents per pound,
which Melted him the neat little sum of
of 81 900. The entire wool clip of
New Mexico is sent eastward through
Kansas City over the Kansas Pacific.
These great sheep-raisers are now en-
gagged in shipping large herds of sheep
to Colorado. Mr.. Armijo last season
drove about twelve thousand head to
Denver, and signifies his intention of
doubling his drove next season. He
says that with proper care and attention
sheep in sufficient numbers may here
after be raised upon the plains of Kan
sas and Colorado to supply the entire
world with mutton and wool. During
the conversation he related an incident
of man who, three years ago, purchased
1000 head of sheep from Armijo and
Baca at the low price of 50 each. To-
day that man has 10000 sheep, worth
SAC, 900, to say nothing of the enormous
profits accruing from the sale of wool
during that time, And again he demon
strated the profits accruing from the
purchase of 5000 head. A man buys
this number, and in six months he finds
himself possessed of 10000 sheep, one
half of the 5000 ipcrease being ewes
and the others wethers. Here is an in
crease of 100 per cent. in six months in
natural increase. The heeces on the
5000 head will be worth SO cents each,
and the 5000 lambs can be sheared in
the fall, yielding two pounds each.
The increase of sheep is more than COM
pound INTERESTINGLY times compounded.
Mr.. Armijo says that, allowing for
losses, there is nothing in the world to
prevent a man from getting rich at
sheep-raising in FIVE years.