Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-11-15
VOL. IXXIV.
urIA. GAZETTE & VIRGINIA ADVERTISER
4 MUTTON MILLIONAIRE.

MU1 lON MlLLlONAlhE.
The Kansas City Times give the following
,,count Of the man and bis possessions:
Senior P. G. Armjo, of the great sheep and
wool raising firm Of Armiio & Baca, of Albur
,usroue, New Mexico, was 10 Kansas City
re,terday, ou his way home from New York.
This gentleman represents more pastoral
wealth than any other Individual 10 the western
states. and may justly be termed a mutton mil
iooaire since his wealth in sheep, mutton, and
wool is almost beyond correct estimation.
With view to giving our readers some slight
idea of the extent to which wool-raising is ear
Tsd on iu New Mexico condensation of an
interview held between this gentleman and a
reporter for this paper is given below
Mr.. p. G.. Armijo is justly eutited to the
title of the largest sheep-raiser of America.
lis fathers herds roam over range of 800
miles square OF territory, and IN numbers are
beyond human count.
The Armiios are one of the weathlest fami-
lies 10 Berpana county, New Mexico. They
have been engaged in the raising of sheep and
wool for expectation East for several genera
t;ons past. They are unable to estimate their
herds accurately, hut rough guess aggregates
,he actual number at something over halt q
milGup. Years ago, when Kansas City was
The shipping and trading point between New
Mexico and The East, Mr. Armijo, sr, used to
ship his thousands Of heeces from this city by
river to St. Louis. AT that time N1r. 2. c.
Arp,io, ir, become, connected with the house
of Chick e. Co., OF this city, and, after tho
rough commercial education, joined his family
in their PASTORAL pursuits beyond the Rio
Graude; in which he intends to devote his life
Hereafter. 1t seems almost incredible for peo-
pie living east of the great plains to realize the
vast extent and innumerabe herds of sheep
raised yearly in the mild, dry cIimnte of New
Mexico Three families claim nearly 1000, 900
head OF sheep, which are scattered over range
Of country more than 800 miles square.
lu reply to question as to whether the ln
dams troubled their immense herds, he replied:
We are not troubled by ludian depredatlous
to any serious extent. The Indians are trouble
some at times, but We scarcely ever miss what
they drive off or slaughter They seldom kill
our hocks wantonly, and only take for food
when they pass one Of our herds. de relat-
ed an incident in 1885, when the Apaches and
Navajoes drove off $4,000 head at one raid d,and
thought that not less than $4,000 head had
been stolen by Indians since then. The ln-
dams drove off about half that number between
ls6l and '65 But" said Mr.. Armijo, I'VE
hardly miss them
The Mexican sheep raiser generally handles
E.herds in small hocks of about 5000 head.
E4ch of these herds are under the personal su-
perntendence OF major domo, or overseer,
who is assisted BY shepherds, for whom the
sheep have fond affection. At night these
immense focks collect close together around
their shepherds, and sleep peacefully, guarded
by we'll trained dogs.
these shepherds are paid from $40 to $l5
Der month the wear round, and the overseer
about S25 per nonth. The herds roam at will
over the bouudless dry plsius Of New Mexico
without shelter all the year through. They re-
guire no feeding, the short, nutritious gramma
grass, peculiar to New Mexico, affording good
pasturage 10 winter as we'll as summer.
The Mexican sheep are smaller than the
American sheep, but are 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 asoertained by ira
dition handed down through several gene
rations, were pure Spanish merinos, brought
from Spain by Cortez's expedition. 1t is the
intention of the sheep raisers of New Mex
ico to improve their herds by direct lmporta
,ion of pure Spanish merinos. 1t was this
Grand that has taken Mr. Armijo east this
fall. Several hundred head of foe sheep
we're sent to him this summer, and with proper
crosses made, Mr.. Arujo expresses himsel con-
6deut of being able to produce Heeces from half
breed Mexican sheep weighing four aud a half
pounds to each fleece.
Mr.. Armjo's family have sold upward Of
100000 pounds of wool during the past year.
One of the family sold upward Of 100, 600 pounds
OF wool last year at forty one cents per pound,
which netted him the neat little sum Of $4l 900.
the eutire wool clip of New Mexico is sent
eastward through Kansas City over the Kansas
Pacific
These great sheep raisers are now engaged IN
shipping large herds of sheep to Colorado: Mr.
Arnjo, last season, drove about twelve thous-
aid head to Denver, and signifies his Intention
ofdoubing his drive next season.
He says that with proper care and attention
Sheep in sufficient numbers may hereafter be
raised upon the plains of Kansas and Colorado
10 supply the entire world with mutton and
Wool. During the conversation he related an
Incident OF a man who, three years ago, pur-
chased 1870 head of sheep from ArmUo ba-
ca at the low price of So each. To-day that
man has 10000 sheep, worth $40, 900, to- say
nothing Of the enormous profits accrulng from
the sale of wool during that time. And again
he demonstrated the profits accrulng from the
purchase of 5000 head. A man buys this num-
Der, and in six months he finds himself pos
se>sed Of 5000 sheep, pe-half of the 5,OOOln.
crease, being ewes and the other wethers. Here
Is au increase of 100 per ct. IN six months IN
natural increase. The 6eeces of the 5000 head
will be worth SO cents each, and the 5000 head
can be sheared in the fall, yielding two pounds
each. The increase of sheep is more than COM
pound interest tweoty times compounded. Mr..
Armljo says that, allowing for losses, there is
uothlng IN the world 10 prevent a man trom
getting rich at sheep raising In FIVE years.
- Y. T. CoRBETT County Treasurer, will
oe Oe ~ the Custom House on Saturday next to re-
JsSe JaE taxes due by persons in this city and in
.DeIefson township upon property in the coun-