The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1882-12-21
A GREAT FARNa.
Eeaping And Sowing from 10000
Acres.
From the Agricultural Review

lFrom the Agricultural Reviewl
The largest farm i'll the world is Mr..
Hiram Sibley's 40,0OQ-acre Burr Oaks
farm. 1t is situated in Eastern Illinois,
about sixteen miles east of the Chicago
81 Alton railroad, one of the best or
ganized and equipped lines in the State
and about one hundred miles south
Of Chicago. 1t Is what was formerly
known as the Sullivan farm, and has
the most extended reputation Of any
in the country. Its original ploprie-
tor, Mr.. NJ. l.. Sullivan, moved from
Columbus Ohio, To Champaign coun-
ty, H., about 1860, and there started
the Broadlands farm of %, 800 acres.
In 1861, having previously located 81
quantity of land in Ford county, that
State, where Burr Oaks is mainly sit
uated, he sold the Broadsands farm to
John II. Alexander, w hG subsequently,
failed, and removing thither, estab-
lished himself i'll "a small hut and
commenced operations. He added to
the tract, by parcaase, until he had
secured over 10000 acres. Some Of the
original land was bought as low as So
cents and 81 so an acre.
Mr. Sullivan had conceived the idea
that he could produce corn at q cost of
II cents per bushel, aH d he devoted all
his energies 30 its reg lization. He be-
gan at onca TO break up the land, en-
ploying large force of men and teams,
and planting it as fast as men and
means could do it, until he had at one
time 5000 acres IN corn. One crou.
that of 1871, aggregated 800, 900 bush.
els, and required 1000 cars to carry 1t
to market. The work on the farm was
all done by hired labor, as many as 4 10
men being emRloYed ut Il time, all OF
whom We're lodged and fed ON the
premises IN buildings put up for that
purpose. His ambition was to b. the
la gest grower OF corn in Ihe gC,rid. as
well as the greatest farmer, and he
would allow no settlement OIL the place,
nor hire out any of the land The policy
was a mistaken oLes no man could
farm on such a scale s'lec essfullv bv
hired labor. His Interest account on
borrowed capita Was enormous: the
breaking up of t4ae land, draining an d
erecting buildings required large ex-
pehditures, aTAa Increased the original
cost greatly while land bought Later,
costing fr".a SIS to $25 an acre, togeth-
ef with tneinprOvements, made still
nlShet interest account, 50 that the
largest results from the land Were nee
esSaEY. His system only interested
hlrAssa4, Manufacturing and many
branches of industry may be conduct
e1 by u single mInd, where the prin-
&pai' instruments are machinery, but
an iarning there is more necessity for
Intelligent thought, and only small
quantity of land can be properly man
aged with one mans brains.
These lntuences-toe,et e,ether with three
successive bad crops, caused Mr.. Sulli-
wants failure in 1877. The estate was
carried on two years by his assignee.
and thelA Mr. Sibley, who had for ma
ny years supplied Mr.. Sullivan with
money to improve the farm, became
the owner. He had advanced over
SoOO,N0, and before the assignment Of
fered 10 throw off 500, 600 of the
amount and back interest if Mr.. Sulli-
Van would pay the remainder, but he
Gould not. Mr.. Sullivan died in 1879
and Mr.. Sibley made an arrangement
by which his widow was able 10 retain
3,0O although the estate was bank
rupt. He practically gave her $40, 900
Dy releasing his second mortgage on
her land, and made her comfortable
for life.
About three years ago Mr.. SibIey
became the proprietor of the farm from.
beyond his control.
Instead of hiring all the labor, Mr..
Sibley adopted the plan of interesting
as many as possible in the working of
the farm by apporti0ning off psrts of
1t into tracts of 80 to $50 acres, erect,
ing house and barn on each, locating,
good men with their families on them, i