The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1885-06-18


Kentucky, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri
and Kansas. His hog lot consists Of
500 acres, under board fence. At
present 500 head are running in It,
and such a thing a. disease has never
been known among them during his
management.
The cultivation Of the far M at pres
ent consists Of 700 acres in corn, put
in chiefly by tenantry, 100 acres in
rye, which he pastures IN winter, and
then cuts for hay, 500 acres In oats,
and about fifty acres in tame grasses,
which re-seeds itself, and has proved
to the entire satisfaction Of the Cap
tain that they can be grown as sue
cessfully here as in Kentucky II
properly cultivated. The pastures
are sub-divided In such q way that he
can keep all families separate during
the proper season, and he says he will
not have an animal on his farm that
Is too good TO turn out in the pastures.
His headquarters are pleasantly To-
Gated on a little elevation on the
banks Of Bluff creek, and consists Of
e fine large nine-roOm house built in
the Southern style, with galleries rum
ming around the building, both at the
first and second landings, a few
tenement houses, Out-buildings and
two large barns, with a stabling ca
pacity Of 500 head, and numerous cor
rails and feed lots. About 40 rods up
a canyon Immediately back OF the
house is located a large and beautiful
spring, which sends supply Of water
coursing down through the rocks, in
and through the milk house and
finally into a large carp pond at the
side Of the house. Away up the
rocky sides OF this canyon can be
seen autographs from various lands,
and dates that carry one back into the
early history Of the country. II Is
one Of the most beautiful and pietur-
esque places we have ever seen, and
one forgets that they are I'm Kansas
while hidden between its walls, but
could easily imagine themselves in
the mountainous regions Of the West.
He has seventeen tenement houses
scattered over the rancho, and they
are all occupied by a prosperous and
satisfied tenantry. The rancho is
located just equal distance between
the Kansas Pacific and the Santa Fe
Railroads, Is miles south OF Brook
Vile and II north Of Little River.
Il is bounded on the north by Eden
Farm, on the south by Rice county,
east by Saline county and on the
west by Walnut Sheep Rancho. 1t is
watered by Smoky Hill River, Bluff
Creek, Yankee Run, Spring Creek,
and numerous springs which abound
all over the rancho, and in every
pasture there is fresh water In mex
haustible quantities. The Captain
has also discovered coal Of very good
grade on his farm, which he will at
some future day open up, as he is sat
isfied that 1t abounds I'm paying guam
titles.
The Millett Bros. also have a
ranche in PresidiO county, Texas,
near Fort Davis, with 5000 head Of
cattle on 1t, and one in La Selle and
Trio counties, Texas, Of 10000 acres,
all under q fOur-wire fence and at
present stocked with about 5000 head
Of cattle. He considers it a great
drawback that he should be forbidden
by the State authorities to bring his
PresidiO county cattle TO this country,
as they are located at an altitude Of
/ 900 feet above where Texas or Sple-
netic fever, il there is such On ing,
was ever known, and he says he
would be just as particular about driv-
ing them through Southern herds as
he would his ShOrthorns.
His Kansas fanche, which he has
so neatly named Ida Vale, in honor Of
his wife. is certainly a most delight
ful place TO visit, and the Captain
never tires showing visitors around
the place. On Saturday morning in
company with Mrs. MiIlett and her
little daughter, Mr. MilleIt AMI his
brother. we started on tour over
the rancho. 10 was one continual
surprise, and the sights could not
help but be appreciated by any one
who delights to see fine stock. In a
shady tame-grass pasture he had a
few choice cows with their calves,
and they presented a rare picture "
beauty rs they lazily brOWsed upon the
clover aud blue grass. A little farther
on in another pasture Ofa few thOus-
and acres we came upon a herd Of
several hundred ShOrthOrn cows with
their calves, some standing in the
shade Of the trees and others wading
in the waters of the Smoky Hill. II
was a grand sight, and a regular
down easter" would nOl believe it
IL you should tell him that Kansas
had such cattle as these. In an ad-
joining pasture, scattered over hills
and i'm ravines were a herd Of Here
fords, their white face plainly show
ing to what family they belonged.
And so Ou-the Jerseys and the POlled
Angus were represented and had
their respective fields i'm which to
roam at will. In one pasture he has
a fine lot Of choice twO-year old steers
which are in excellent condition. In
pasture a herd Of mixed
steers, in another he has his mules,
In another his horses, and 1t Is 80 di-
vided that none Of his pastures are
over stocked, but stock can find plenty
Of grass everywhere. The most beau
tiful part oft is the abundance Of
water, a stream Of pure, cold water
through each and every pas
ture. 1t is seldom one sees a place
where so many natural advantages
abound for a rancho OF this kind as Ida
Vale. Nature certainly intended 1t
for n stock farm-the large, rich val
Ieys furnishing an abundance Of win
ter feed, while the surrounding bills
wit b their numerous springs, are a fit