Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-06-09
A WONDERFUL FARM.

"A WUNDEKfUL FARM.
"I.uc' Baldwin's" Great
Ranch in California;.
A Princely Domain, Fourt,en Miles Long,
Containing $4,000 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 a half dozen
great enterprises under full h,adway.
He owns the largest and finest hotel in
San Francisco, with the single exception
of the Palace and which contains q the
atrc 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 a 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.nccly
domain extends fourteen miles cast and
west and twelve miles north and south,
and embraces 5S, 900 acres. lie shears
thousands of sheep every year, raise,
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 81 day, and the few Chinese who
remain-not over dozen, all told-gct
81 day and board themselves. What
adds to the likeness to the Southern
plantation is the appearance of young
darkics driving carts or hcrding stock.
These are members Of colony of North
Carolina negroes whom Baldwin brought
out here from their old homes two years
ago. lie paid their fares and made
contract with them to work for him
for a term of years. He built them
neat houses, and here are installed the
ten families comprising about sixty MEM
bcrs. They have made excellent hands
in the field and the orchard, because the
women and children can be counted on
for good work in cultivatng and pick
ing fruit.
The man who has charge of all the
practical details of this huge place is ].
F. Fulby, shrcwd, energetic Californian,
who knows wheat growing and fruit Gu
turc so thoroughly that he is a terror to
all incompetent hands, aad who keeps
his small army Of workmcn under regular
military discipline. Judged by the re-
suits, his management is the best of any
that l saw in the southern country.
The wine ccllcr is always an object of
curiosity to the average tourist, but even
though one enjoys the companionship of
the 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,
even when mellow with agc, that unless
one is seasoned vessel tic chances are
that he will be overcome before he knows
it. The cellar is piled high with them
ten years old. All tn! latest machinery
for distilling is here, and the place is in
charge of q 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
to extend his observations to the great
wheat and sheep ranches on the Santa
Anita. You may drive for miles through
fields whcrc the whc 1t is now knee high
and shows an even stand which would
delight the eye of Dakota wheat grow
or. Beyond the whclt farm the visitor
comes to the Pucnto sheep ranch, COM
priscs about 80, 900 acres of g!ntly roll
ing foothil land reaching back to the
mountains. The old Scotchman, named
Cameron, who has cared for sheep all his
life, going from Scotland to New Zoaland
and from New Zealand coming here. lie
is man of wide information, and he
seemed liked an anachronism in this free
md easy California life for he adhercs
10 the Calvinism in which he was bred.
An example of the rigid insistcnce upon
MS creed was furnished last summer
when Baldwin had party of friends at
Inc ranch. The supply of meat ran out
md the millionaire sent over to old Cam
,ron to slaughter four sheep. The an
'wer was returned in broad Scotch: I,
There will be ma killing of the sheep on
he Sawbath," d." and Baldwin had to send
o town for his meat.
BALDWIN is engaged in splitting up a
portion of the ranch into small tracts of |
rom twenty acres upward and selling
hem to Los Angeles people for summer
'illas and to Eastern people who wish n
winter home in one of the most beautiful
alleys of southern California. A rail
Dad will be completed through the
anch this fall, and then one my reach
he city of Los Angeles in fifteen min
ties. The only drawback to rapid set
lement OF the ranch is the price charged
or the land, With perpetual water
ight, $3.50 per acre is asked for uuim-
'roved land, The majority of those
Who buy this land will be wealthy peo-
lie, who can afford to spenl from $10-