The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-09-07

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firm, and is part of the tract extending
from Hills ferry on the north to point
above Firebaugh's ferry on the south,
a distance of 1876 miles along the river
bank, and comprising something like
POO, 900 acres. 1t seems almost mcred-
ible that one can travel for three days
on the lands of single firm, all under
fence, and stocked with cattle and
horses, yet such is the case. And this
is not all. Across the San Joaquin
River Lux & Miller own an immense
strip of land six miles wide and follow
ing the banks for nearly ffty miles.
Twenty-Five miles from Firebaugh's
ferry to the east on the line of the rail-
road, is Berando Station, in the neigh
borhood of which is &c, geo acres, own
ed by the same men. At bakersfield,
100 miles below, the firm own large
body of land, and in the vicinity OF Tule
Lake they have tract of b
~ 1925, 900 ACRES OF PAsTURAGE.p .
To enumerate any more OF the pos
sessions of these men would only prove
wearisome to the reader. Suffice it to
say that in the aggregate the firm hold
the right and title to nearly 100000
acres of lane, located in twenty different
counties of the State, and on which they
pay over $4,000 in taxes annually. In
the counties OF MERGED and Fresno they
pay one-sixth of the annual tax, and Tor
the other counties in which they own
land nearlyaiike rroportDn:F The OBJ
ject of the. ownership of so much land
is, not difficult, to comprehend when the
immense cattle business Of the firm is
taken into consideration. On the differ
enc fA5fches they now have d stock of
between so, 900 and 100, 900 head OF cat
tie, 5000 horses, 900 hogs, and from
5000 to 10000 sheep. In addition to
this immense showing they are purchas-
ing al the time, and nearly every large
band ofY-cattle. ins Southern California
eventually comes into their hands.
From 20, 900 to $4,000 of these cattle are
driven to the city every year, from
5000 to 8, 000 calves, and an indefinite
number ofisheep.s To keep this supply
for the city constantly replenished re-
qlires q large stock for breeding pur-
poses, to supplement the outside pur
| chases For the sustenance of these
large bands of cattle animmense amount
of feed is necessary, and, besides the
THOUSANDS OF TONS OF HAY
are cut, during the season, from the
tillagei area Of the ranches in, the San
Joaquin and Santa Clara Valleys. The
foreman of the Canal Farm informed
the writer that he expected to harvest
something like 900 tons rof hay this
season, and the Bloomfield and Santa
Rita Ranches will gather together like
amount. All this win be consumed be-
fore the grass on the hillsides and plains
appears again. The management of
the stock in the San Joaquin Valley is
presided over by a majordomo, who
has under his direction from $50 to 200
vaqueros, as circumstances require.
The agricultural force of the various
ranches lis directed by foremen, who
have supreme control in their depart
ments, keep a regular tot books, and
return monthly statements to the main
office lin San Francisco, where /. two
book-keepers and collector under the
direction OF Mr.. Lux manage the affairs
of the city department. and keep the
final accounts of the country business.
Henry Miller has charge obthe outside
business and does all of the purchasing,
besides having the general direction OF
the farming operations and the move
ment of the cattle. The men employed
by. the farm are variously estimated at
from 500to 1000, con prislng every oc-
cupation from common Labor er to book
keeper. Every thing is eystematized
n L s1~
farm hands do every thing connected
with agricultural operations; the va
queros attend exclusively to the cattle; a
certain number of hands ride along the
line of fences the year round to keep
them - repair. OF gMAa yS7As9
THE IRRIGATION WORKS
and general improvement Of land have
a full complement of men; the sheep
herders are ira departn1efft Bysthem-
selves, and then come the transfers,
the blacksmiths, carpenters and repair
Hefs~ef~maeiinesy q hsa~tAe- firsa~ let
hundreds of acres of their land to rent
ers for "a certain proportion ef thecrop
and all these, as well as the regular
employees, are Supplied from stores pro-
vided by the firm. At. each ranch is a
complete depot of supplies, and here
dtheenployee can purchase, at atrife
above cost, every thing that he needs
from one years end to the other. So
| well are the hands provided for that
they never care to leave the employ OF
thefirm, sapawhen theydo they, invari-
ably return at the first opportunity.
Even the tramps and misunderstanding
fpersp thatscome along ARE we'll cafed
for. FEhey are given plenty. to eat, a
place to sleep, ana II they feel disposed
to work zare1 Afforded AN oppertnhity.
By this means the firm never lose any