Bismarck tri-weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1881, 1877-11-19
AMA1GlGOTH RARH1


Wahi1stss letter - s. st.LssisHepsbBesn.
A FEuDAL BoRD1x EARslzR.
Col King Is a fair type sf one Of the
border. He found his vsY to Aexics
during the Mexican war ass camp fol-
lower in the wake ofthe a.my. Subse-
|quently he became: q. cabin boy on q
steamboat on the lower RieGsande. He
picked up little money in this pursuit,
!and soon had accumulated enough to be-
Igin steambeating ON his own account.
,rhe accumulated earrings Of his steam
Rboat he invested in Spanish land grants,
saving hi grants until he had secured 4
large amount Of tacrease," which he set
tiled in one LEGALITY. From the time Of
the Mexican war until eur late civil war
] nc devoted himself to agricultural pur-
suits. At the outbreak Of the last war
Ehe commenced operation in cotton, I'm
which he made another fortune. The
exeitements of the border, and the love
Of. speculation together, helped to make
him rebellious during the war, and he
became arebel Of that passive sort which,
permitted. other people to do the fight
ing while he pocketed the gains. am
informed by an officer in command along
the border that during the war Col. King
found, more congenial residence south
of the Rio Grande than north Of it. He:
is man of fifty-fve years Of age, of Irish
parcntage. He has family of three
daughters, whom he is educating at LOU
isville, KY, and who are the heiresses
to the most
MAGNIFICENT FEUDAL ESTATE
in republican America. AS might be
expected from his life, King is man oflit-
tie education, but possesses much natural
ability, and has acquired considerable
polish from contact with the world. He
has had no time for cultivation. He new
owns most Of the steamboats, on the RE
Grande, and controls thegulf trade be-
tween Galveston. and New Orleans. His
ranch possesses the magnificent proper
lions which caa be best appreciated by
the ambitious western farmer. His es-
ta;e itself comprises 1909 acres. OF
this, 100000 are under fence. In one en-
closure there are 100 miles of fencing,
built at cost Of 5000 per mile. The
ranch is situated in diversified country
on the Lower Rio, made up in part OF
rich low lands and in part of wooded
rolling hills. The figures which rcpre-
sent his stock are such that the adding ol
"a cipher or two would make no apprecia-
bic difference in the Imagination Of the
ordinary reader. He has $4,000 horses,
10000 cows, $4,000 stock cattle, 3o,ooo
nules, 5000 sheep, and jackasses and
pigs IN countless numbers. He employs
2c Mexicans to manage his ranch. They
are Of peculiar tribe or clan, froa which
the herdsmen of the border are chosen,
and are of 4 very different character
from the rowing bandit elan whose occu'
patton consists in predatory excursion,
rpon our territery. These ,herders ar<
tame, quiet, inoffensive and faithful, and
constitute in themselves an army eithe1
for offense or defense which the isolated
band of plunderers do not nesdlessly at
tack. 80
THE RANCH ITSELF
is large bri!ding, unpretentious IN aP
pearance, but comfortable in its appoint
ments. A large brick warehouse i
necessary to contain the stores of thi:
plantation. One section of this store
house. strongly built, is called the "treas
ury." In it this farmer night Of the bor'
der keeps his money. mostly in the shape
o. geld and silver coins packed in bags.
HOW HE SPENcS HIS MONEY.
The eecoloner' had occasion, when my
informant was there, to go to the nearest
large town on commercial business. He
travels in 4 style corresponding in lavish.
ness with the extent of his own broad
estate. The spending money was con-
tained in fifteen or twenty bags of con-
siderable size, filed with gold and silver
coins. On arriving at the little town he
threw out these bags on the ground with
careless unconcern, and erected the hotel
man to take care Of them. They were
slowed away by the landlord with equal
c.relessness behind the bar on the floor,
as If they were SO much pig-ir3n, useless
as pocket-money and difficult to be car