Connecticut western news., 1886-06-16
A WONDERFUL FARM.

A WONDERFUL FARM. "Lucy Baldwin's" Great
 Ranch in California.
 A Princely Domain, Fourteen Miles Long,
 Containing 58,00o Acres.
 A letter from California to the St. Louis Globe -Democrat says: Lucky Baldwin's possession from the control of mines on the Comstock have gradually grown until now he has half dozen great enterprises under full hcadway. He owns the largest and finest hotel in San Francisco, with the single exception of the Palace, and which contains the atre within it. He has fine summer hotel on Lake Tahoe, and he has shrewd- ly bought up large strip of the shore of this beautiful lake, which in few years will be sought after for villa sites. Fin ally, he owns the great Santa Anita ranch, near Los Angeles the breeding place of the string of swift-footed flyers with which he goes East to contest for the prizes on the chief racing circuits, and one of the best general fruit and stock ranches in the State. This pr.ncely domain extends fourteen miles east and west and twelve miles north and south, and embraces 5s, 900 acres. He shears thousands of sheep every year, raises wheat enough to charter entire ships for conveying it to Liverpool, and makes more brandy than any one else in the State, besides turning out large quanti- ty of wine.
 The men who are boarded on the ranch get $1 a day, and the few Chinese who remain-not over dozen, all told-get $1 day and board themselves. What adds to the likeness to the Southern plantation is the appearance of young darkies driving carts or herding stock. These are members of a colony of North Carolina negroes whom Baldwin brought out here from their old homes two years ago. He paid their fares and made a contract with them to work for him for term of years. He built them neat houses, and here are installed the ten families comprising about sixty mem- bers. They have made excellent hands ln the field and the orchard, because the
 
 women and children can be counted on for good work in cultivating and pick lng fruit.
 The man who has charge of all the practical details of this huge place is J. F. Fulby, ashrewd, energetic Californian, who knows wheat growing and fruit cul- lure so thoroughly that he is terror. to all incompetent hands, and who keeps ais small army of workmen under regular military discipline. Judged by the re- ults, his management is the best of any chat saw in the southern country. The wine ccller is always an object of curiosity to the average tourist, but even though one enjoys the companionship of ;he manager and the hospitality of the ranch, it is very dangerous to sample California wines. There is SO much strength in the juice of these lusty grapes, sven when mellow with age, that unless one is seasoned vessel the chances are shat he will be overcome before he knows t. The cellar is piled high with them zen years old. All ths latest machinery for distilling is here, and the place is in charge of French expert, of lifelong experience in wine and brandy making in his native country.
 After one has seen the orange groves, the orchards, vineyards, and the other features of the home place, he is prepared so extend his observations to the great wheat and sheep ranches on the Santa Anita. You may drive for miles through fields where the wheat is now knee high and shows an even stand which would delight the eye of a Dakota wheat grow sr. Beyond the wheat farm the visitor comes to the Puento sheep ranch, com. prises about 30, 900 acres of gently roll tng foothill land reaching back to the mountains. The old Scotchman, named Cameron, who has cared for sheep all his life, going from Scotland to New Zealand and from New Zealand coming here. He IS man of wide information, and he seemed liked an anachronism in this free and easy California life, for he adheres to the Calvinism in which he was bred. An example of the rigid insistence upon his creed was furnished last summer when Baldwin had party of friends at the ranch. The supply of meat ran out and the millionaire sent over to old Cam eron to slaughter four sheep. The an swer was returned in broad Scotch s'There will be na killing of the sheep on the Sawbath," and Baldwin had to send to town for his meat.
 Baldwin is engaged in splitting up a portion of the ranch into small tracts o1 from twenty acres upward and selling them to Los Angeles people for summer villas and to Eastern people who wish a winter home in one of the most beautiful valleys of southern California. A rail :oad will be completed through the ranch this fall, and then one may reach the city of Los. Angeles in fifteen min ltes. The only drawback to rapid set clement of the ranch is the price charged |
 for the land. With perpetual water right, $25o per acre is asked for uuim- proved land. The majority of those l uho b,,v this land will he waa1thy ,,o,