Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-12-18
A Mutton millionaire.

The kGnsns City Times recently in
terviewed Mr.. P. c. Armijo, of New
Mexico, who is probably the largest
sheep raiser in America. The herds
roam over range of three hundred
m les square of territory. an their NUNS
bers are beyond human count. The
Times says:
The ArmijOs arc one of the wealth
lest families in BerRaAitla county, New
Mexico. They have been engaged in
the raising of sheep and wool for ex-
portation East for several genera tions
past. They are unable to estimate
their herds accurately, but a rough
guess aggregates the actual number at
something over half million. 1t
seems almost Incredible for people liv-
ing east of the great plains to realize
the vast extent and inRumerable herds
Of sheep raised yearly in the mild, dry.
climate of New Mexico. Three fami-
lies claims nearly two million head of
sheep, which are scattered over a
range of country more THAN 300 miles
square.
In reply to a question as to whether
the Indians troubled these immense
herds, Mr.. Armijo replied We are
not troubled by Indian depredations
to any serious extent The Indians
are troublesome at times, but we
scarcely ever miss what they drive off
or slaughter They seldom kill our
fOcks want0nfyr aTtl only take for
food when they passaone 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 10000 ffead had
been stolen by the Indians since then.
The Indians drove off about that
number between 1861 and '65 ssBut,"
said Mr.. Armijo, 1--WE hardly miss
them"
The Mexican sheep-raiseF generally
handles his herds in small focks of
about three thousand head Each of
these herds in under the personal SUI
perintendence af major dono or
overseeI, who is assisted by shepherds,
for whom the sheep have warm affec-
ton. At night these immense focks
collect close together around their
shepherds, and sleep peacefully, guard
ed by well trained dogs
There shepherds are paid from ten
to fifteen dollars per month the yea-
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 feed.
| ing, the short, nutritious gramma
grass, peculiar to New Mexico, afford
| ing good pasturage in winter as we'll 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 he ascertaiped by tradition
handed down through several genera
tions, were pure Spanish merinos
! brought from Spain by the Cortez' ex-
sheep raisers of New Mexico to i'm
prove their herds 10y direct Imports
ton Of pure Spanish merinOs.
ArmJO's family have sold upwards
Of 200. 600 pounds of wool during the
past year at ferty one cents per pound,
which ncttGd him the neat little sum, OF
81 900. The entire wool clip of New
Mexico is sent eastward through Kan
sas City over the Kansas Pacific.
These great wool-rsisers are now
engaged in shipping large herds 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 atten-
ton sheep in sufficient numbers may
hereafter be raised upon the plains of
Kansas and Colorado to supply the en-
tire world with mutton and WOOL
During the conversation he related an
incident of man who, three years
ago, purchased 4.500 head of sheep
from Armijo and Baca at the low price
, of 50 each. To day that man has 90
600 sheep, worth $40, 900, to say moth
ing of the enormous profits accruing
from the sale of wool during that time.
And again he demonstrated the profits
acruing from 5000 head. A man buys
this number, and in six months he
: finds himself possessed of 10000
: sheep, one-half of the 5000 increase
} being ewes and the others wethers.-
Here is an increase of 100 per cent. in
six months in natural increase. The
fieeces on the 5000 head will be worth
so cents each, and the 5000 lambs
can he sheared in the fall yielding two
} pounds each. The increase of sheep
is more than compound interest TWEEN
: ty times compounded. Mr.. Armijo
/ says that, allowing for losses, there is
:, nothing in tue world to prevent a man
from getting rich at sheep p-raisiDg in
l five years.