The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-09
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.

The hacienda or estate Of San Rafael
del Salado contains an area of 200 sltioe,
or coo acres OF land In one body. 1t
is situated In the four States Of Coahuila,
Nuevo Leon, San Luis Potosi and Zac-
ateoas, on the main highway from Sal
tillo, tho capital OF the State of Coahula,
to the City OF Mexico. 1t is in the jurls-
diction of the District Of Cedral in the
State of san Luis Potosi, Republic of
Mexico. and is the property of ex-Gover-
nor, Of the State Of San Luis Potosi, Don
Juan Bustamante, who resides at Salado,
the main ranch on the estate.
WATER.
Being situated on the table lands of
Mexico, there are no running streams on
the same. 1t Is watered by springs,
wells. and tanks or artificial lakes.
Water Is found In abundance In all the
valleys or plains Of the vast estate at u
depth ranging from to 30 feet, and in
inexhaustible 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 constl-
tutes one ofthe best grazing properties In
Mexico, over One-half OF which could be
cultivated.
GRASSES.
here give the native names of the
variety of grasses that cover the lands of
this estate, viz: Iacate chino. mesquite
GRASSY; Zacate toboso, (grama); Zacate
colorado, (sage grass; zacate siete veina,
wild clover; Zacate cola de Zorra, (foX
tall);zaoate yeryena, (bunch grass zaoate
saladillo. a species of small weed, (salty)
which sheep are very fond of, and when
they use it are not subject TO lombriZ,
as 1t destroys the disease.
JAUJA.
Soap plant, horse cattle and sheep are
very fond of 1t.
PALMA CHINA.
Palma loca palma samanoquo, are
plants of the Palm family that furnish
very nutritive food for all kind of stock.
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 as the nopal.
This estate produces principally the va
rieties known as the Nopal Iapon.
Nopsl durasnillo and, Nopal ciuja, the
llgs and leaves furnish at all times good
food for cattle and sheen,
FIBRUoUs PLANTS.
Among the fibruous plants produced
by the estate is the nopal, the palma,
sotol, above mentioned; but the princi-
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 huaco; 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 Catorce
and are very rich in minerals; some mines
situated on ii have produced In the last
century millions; the miners of the es-
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.
The principal ranches belonging to the
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 as
residences for renters, servants and ms
schools; also stone dams, wells, and
troughs, constructed of masonry.
LIME, MARBLE, BRICK, ETC.
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.
TITLES.
The present owner, whose agent and
attorney | am, reside at Salado, on the
estate, and has in his possession the
chain of titles to his estate, ready to be
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. The line of the Mexican
National railway, when completed be.
tween the above mentioned cities, will
| run over the lands of the estate fol
over 60 miles, and has station al
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 ovel
S24,0 per year could be made to pro.
cure much more. The corn crops have
often produced the owner enormous
sums, as an examination Of his book will
show. The stock raised on his estat,
brings always a better price than tina
raised on the neighboring estates, and
In the year 1883, when that portion o
Mexico suffered greatly from tn,
draughts, and lost nearly one-fourth Of
their stock, 1t Ia notorious that the
Salado did not suffer at all and graZet
the stock Of some their neighbors.
This offers Il fine chance for safe In
vestment by home or foreign syndicatel
to purchase valuable property at les
than 60 cents per acre, and II Is dilferen
from wild lands because the buyer step
into improved property with buildings
etc., and his income commences with hi
nnggegainn