Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-11-02
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FRIDAY EVENING, NUVEMBEK2
A Feuuul Border Farmer,

A Feudnl Border Farmer,
Col. King is a fair type Of ono Of the former
fcudal knights of our Mexican border. tie
found his way to Mexico during the Mexican
War as camp follower 10 the wake Of the army.
Subsequently, be became z cabin boy on steam.
boat ou the lower Rio Grandc. lie picked up
a little money in this pursuit, and soon had &C.
cumuatcd enough to beg in stcamboaliug on Lii
CWl accouot. The accumulated earnings of his
steamboat he Invested in Spanish land grant,
saving his grants until lie had secured a large
amount CT acreage which lie settled in Ole
locality. From the time Of the Mexican war
until CUR late civil war he devoted himself to
agricultural pursuits. At the outbreak Of the
last war lie commenced operations in cotton. iu
which he made another tortuac. The excite.
mept Of The border, aud the love of speculation
| together, helped to make him rebelliOus during
the war, and he became rebel of that passive
| sort which permitted other people 10 DO the
fighting while he pocketed the gsins. am
Informed by an officer in command along th,
border that during the war Col, King found
more congenial residence south Of the Rio than
north of lie is man ff,y-6 years OF age,
| of Irish parcntage. lie has family Of three
| daughters whom he is educating ut Louis
| Vile, Kentucky, and who arc the hcresscs
| to the most magnificent feuda estate in
| republican America. AS might be expected
| from his life, King is man Of little eduta.
| lion, but possesses much natural ability, an!
| has acquired considerable polish from contac;
| with the world. lie has had no time for cul
| tivation. Ilc now owns most OF the steamboats,
on the Rio Grandc, and controls the gulf trade
between Galveston and New Orleans. His
ranch possesses the magnificent proportions
| which can be best appreciated BY the ambitious
Western farmer. His estate itself comprises
100000 acres. OF this 10000 are under fence,
10 one inclosure there arc one hundred miles
of fencing, built at cost OF 5000 per mile.
Tho ranch is situated in diversified country
on the Lower Rio, made up 10 part OF rich Low
lands, and in part Of wooded rolling hills. The
figures which represent his stock are OF such
would make no appreciablc difference in The
imagination Of the ordinary reader lie ha!
%, 900 horses, LOCO COWS, Go 900 stock catll;
sc, 600 mules, $4,000 sheep, and iackasses anu
pigs in countless numbers. lie employs 500
Mexicans TO manage his rancho. They ara ol
peculiar tribe or clan, from which tho herds
men of tho border arc usually chosen, and ars
of very different character from the rowing
bandit clans whose occupation consists 10 PR
datory i1cursoGs upon our territory. These herd
crs arc tame quiet, inotftnslvc and faithful, al"
constitute in themselves al army either ioT
otfcpsc or dcituse which the isolated bands ii
pIundcrcrs do not nc1dlcSay attack.
The rauchc itsclf is a large brick butlng'
uurretentous il appearance, but comiortaoie III
its appointments. a larg, brick warehouse ia
necessary to contain tho stores OF this plauta
ton. 0ae section o! this *torthonse strnnglY
built. is called the "treasary." la it this tarn
er knight Of the border keeps lis money, most
Iy ia the shape OF gold and silver co!us packed
In bags.
The Colonel" had OCCASION, when my 10
formant was there to 60 to the nearest large
town on commercial business. lie travels IN
style corresponding 10 lav5huesJ with tho ey
| tent Of his owo broad estate. 1h, spending
money for the trip was contained in fifteen or
twenty bags OF considerable siZ,, filled with
gold and silver c)os. On arriving at the littl"
town lie threw out these bags on the ground
with careless unooncern, aud directed the hotel
man 20 take care of them. They were slowed
away by the landlord with equal careessnesS
behind the bar on the h)or as ii they were so
much pig lroD, useless lis pocket money and
difficult to be carried away.
The Occupant Of an adjoining room, the neXi
morning, found drifting about the tl)or, IN 4
dark corner, wad of brown paper, which, up
On picking up, h. discovered 10 be- roll Of
the door of the ranchcr, aud asked if he had
lost anything. The reply was that nothing had
been missed Ills friend showed him the brown
roll! when Kiug replied :--"WcIl. | VOW Ill
bet that is my roll of grccnbacks. 1t amt in my
pockct, sure" lie spent $4,000 Oh that
trip.
King pays his taxes with great regularity,
and takes special pains to aid the assessor to
make his assessment. IL takes several days tn
get the herds together in order that they may
be assessed and valued. With all his vas'
tato ki0g has very little idea OF business ~ Il
commercial sense, and is easily gullcd. IL"
came very near losing his ranch recently through
| q. California spcculat0r, who almost succ:cdr!
| 10 giving him worthless bonds tor II.
The ranchers 10 that couO;ry, from necessity
rather than arist0cratic tendencies. have ADOPT
! cd the custom of the Engsh lords. They have
| their manor houses or ranches IN the c0untry,
| and maintain besides residence III town. ll'c
dangers of the border country are 80 great, ira
| vel so beset with peril, and the conditions OF
human life so uncertain, that duriog q large
portion of the time the families OF tho great cs
tate owners reside 10 the nearest town where
there is military post.-Chtcd0o Tribune.
| RB- THERE IS DANGER AHEAD when those
| usually active little organs, the kidneys, are
,reglectful of thoir duties, and grow sluggish.
Fatty degeneration, Brights disease, diabetes
and other dangerous maladies. arc the result OF
neglect to remedy this inactivity by medicinHl
means When tho all important functions ol
| tho kidneys are imperlectly disc harged thoso
organs need stimulating and the bost possibln
agent for thst purposo-sincc it performs ITS "l-
ice without exciting thcm--is Hostettar's Stonl-
ach Bitters, which, in combination with its :on,r
| and cathartc properties, possesses valuable
| qualities as diuretc. Both Kidneys and blad-
dor arc strengthened by it, and tho vigor which
it impsrts to Them, and tho genLlo but eiioctual
impulse which it gives TO their operations, is the
best possible guaranty against their becoming
| diseased. The Bitters are Invaluable in other
| respects as we'll as the above, since they remedy
general debility, uterine troubles, chills and TO-
YER, dyspepsia, constipation, gout. rheumatism
/ and other ailments. oct 29-oooL
tNNEAT CUTTERS AND STUFFERS Az