The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-18
A MEXICAN ESTATE.
Containing Nearly 100000
Acres of Land.
San Rafael del salado-A Description in
Brief Of the Land, the Mines, and
its Many Products.

lAe NhUI fPNhNAe'
The hacienda or estate of San Rafael
del Saado contains an area of 200 sitios,
or $4,000 acres Of land in one body. 1t
Ia situated In the four States Of COahuila,
Nuevo Leon, san Luis Potosi and Zac-
atecas, on the main highway from Sal
tillo, tho capital of the state Of Coahuila,
to the City OF Mexico. 1t is in the juris-
dlotion OF tine District Of Cedral In the
State of San Luis Potosi, Republic Of
Mexico. and is the property ofcx-Govor-
nor, Of the state Of San Luis Potosi. Don
Juan Bustamnnte. who resides at Salado,
the main ranch on the estate.
WATER.
Being situated on the table lands OF
Mexico, there are no running streums on
the same. Ii Is watered by springs,
wells. and tanks or artificial lakes.
Water is found In abundance IN ali the
valleys or plains OF the vast estate nj n
depth ranging from to 80 feet, and In
inexhaustiDe quantities, which prove
the existence Of subterranean lakes at
no great depth below the surface Of the
soil of the valley.
TIMBER.
No forest, according to the true mean
ing of the word, are to be found on the
estate, but abundance OF small trees and
shrubs that are used for fuel. The prin-
oipal timbers consist of mesquite. elms,
oaks, willow and mulberries, etc., and
In the mountains, oak, pines and noun
tain cedar.
The whole area of this estate consti-
tutos one 0fthe best grazing properties In
Mexico, over one-haf OF which could he
cultivated.
CHASSIS.
| here give the native names of the
variety OF grasses that cover the lands of
this estate, viz: Iacate chino, mesquite
grass; zacate tobOsO, granny; Zacate
colorado, sage grass; zacaie sieIe veina,
wild clover; zaCate cola dc zorra, QoX
tail; ZaOate vervena, (bunch grass) zaOate
saladillo. a species OF small weed, salty
which sheep are very fond Of, and when
they use 1t are not subject to lombriz,
us il destroys the disease.
JAuJA.
Soap plant, horse cattle and sheep are
very fond of It,.
PALMA CHINA.
Palma loca palma samanOquo, are
plants of the Palm family that furnish
very nutritive food for all kind of stock
HUAIILIA.
A small bush furnishes very good food
for cattle, horses and sheep, and they are
very fond Of it.
Cactus, better known In Texas as
prickly pear, and in Mexico us the nopal.
This estate produces principally the va
rieties known as the NOpal Tapon.
Nopal durasnillo and, Nopal ciujn, the
figs and leaves furnish at all times good
food for cattle and sheep.
FmRUoUs PLANTS.
Among the nbruous plants produced
by the estate Is the nopal, the palma,
sotol, above mentiOned; but the prinOi-
pal one now worked is the lechuguilla
and the mageuy. The pulp of the above
plants can be distilled into alcohol.
MEDICINAL PLANTS.
The lands of the estate produces also
valuable medicinal herbs, among which
are found the laurel, mayoram, anisseed,
the huaoo; that is saId TO cure snake
bite, and the tianguis, which is said to
cure yellow fever.
MINERALS.
The mountains situated on the estate
are the foot hills OF the sierra de Catoroe
and are very rich in minerals; some mines
situated Oh II have produced In the last
century millions; the miners Of the cs-
tate are said to have counted on the hills
and mountains of the same over two
thousand metallic veins, principally OF
silver ores.
CRops.
Crops can be raised on this estate of
wheat, oats barley, beans, corn; cotton
can also be cultivated. All kinds of
grain and fruits that grow in temperate
climates do well; corn fodder and oat .
constitute the principal forage.
RANCHES.
4 L..
estate are SaladO, san Salvador, San
Pablo and La Presita, and 80 smaller
ranches.
IMPROVEMENTS
Consist of houses constructed of stone
and adobe, used for residences, offices,
granaries, stables, yards houses used rs
residences for renters, servants and rs
schools; also stone dams, wells, and
troughs, constructed of masonry.
LINK, MARBLE, BRICK, ere.
This estate produces the best quality
of lime and hydraulic lime rock, good
marble, excellent earth for brick and
fine brick; also kaoline, suitable for
choice porcelain.
The present owner, whose agent and
attorney | am, reside at Salado, on the
estate, and has in his possession the
vi llilts W HIS thlilts lChNl W DC
exhibited to the purchaser. They are
perfect.
ADVANTAGES.
The north boundary line of this estate
Is situated about 50 miles south of Sal
tillO, on the main highway to the City of
Mexico. Ire line of the Mexican
National railway, when completed be-
tween the above mentioned cities, will
run over the lands of the estate for
over 90 miles, and has n station at
Salado. The owner owns the exclusive
privilege of trading on his estate which
Is matter of no little value. The
iibrous plants, out of which the lechu
guilla alone produces to, the owner over
S2i 900 per year could be made to pro-
cure much more. The corn crops have
often produced the owner enormous
sums, ps an examination of his book will
show. The stock raised on his estate
brings always u better price than that
raised on the neighburing estates. and
In the year 1883, when that portion of
Mexico suffered greatly from the
draughts, and lost nearly one-fourth of
their stock, 1t Is notorious that the
Salado did not suffer ut all and graZed
the stock Of some their neighbors.
This offers a fine chance for safe in
vestment by home or foreign syndicates
to purchase valuable property at less
than 60 cents per acre, and 1t is different
from wild lands because the buyer steps
into improved property with buildings,
etc, and his income commences with his