The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-03-13
SENATOR STANFORD
And His Wonderful Ranch in
California.

Mr. Henry i. Shackelford, OF California, i
making three weeks visit to Atlanta, and j!
staying at his mothers residence, No. p Pine
street.
Mr.. Shackelford is native OF Charleston
| S. c., but when he was boy lac came TO Geor
gia, and when scarcely fourteen years Old left
Atlanta rs member Of the Atlanta GaYS
commanded byiCaptain Thomas Cooper. lie
went through the war and when it was tnded
settled in Macon. Here he lived till 1868,
when lie emigrated TO northern California.
Soon after reaching that state lie got employ
ment with the Central Pacific railroad, which
was owned principally by Leland Stanford g.
| Co. Eight years ago he entered the service OF
/ this treat millionaire and has been in his
/ employ ever since.
Mr. Shackelford talks interestingly about his
( experiences in California He tells some
wonderful but true stories Of the mammoth
farms, vineyards and ranches owned by his
distinguished employer
senator Stanford said he, Gowns tie
largest ranch in the world. 1t contains So, 0C0
acres, through which run one hundred miles
Of ditching, Some :, $50 acres are planted in
grape vines, and 1900 acres arc devoted to
alfalfa, which uakes the best sort of hay for
cattle In this Vineyard were raised countless
tons OF grapes, which pressed made one mil
lion gallons OF wine. We have n wine cellar
which holds ,Oc0,700 gallons in two thousand
gallon packages. The crushing machine can
mash four hundred tons day. In one bonded
warehouse we now have about 10000 gallons
of brandy. This is the product Of the vineyard
for this year The inc is not for sale yet; IS
not Old enough"
What about fruit?'
1--WE are not in the fruit business extensive
IT, for we have only some 10000 fruit trees
planted. These arc mostly peach and plum. F"
amy other ranches?"
South OF the ranch | have described lies
another one, immediately ON the line of the
railroad, This is "A comparatively small one,
containing 10000 acres. wholly planted III
wheat. This wheat is Of superior quality, and
extraordinary crops are made This is shipped
in bulk"
"What about tho stock farm ?"
"This stock ranch is known all over tho
world 1t is known as i'alo Alto, and is sit
uated thirty miles south OF San Francisco
Here are to be found horses OF the finest blood ;
in fact ALI are blooded. This collection of
horses is worth ono million dollars. Just TO
think of that, Here are some of the most val
liable racers in the world. Tho fastest two
year-old three-year-old, and fouryear-old
horses are here. This ranch contains 1900
acres The cattle is of course, of the finest
strains, and is worth nearly quarter OF
million
'Tel me something about the owner OF these
vast estates. What manner of man is he"'
Leland Stamford, everybody knows is a
United States senator from California. How
much money he is worth IL is impossible to
state. He IS rated anywhere from T50,0G0,000
10 500 100000. | do not think this
is an extravagant estimate. He is a
man. every inch Of aim. A beneiactor, he is
ALWAYS racking his brain to devise some now
plan ftr helping the rcople. He has given to
the state OF California these three ranches
have described, and his university, which cost
several million dollars. His home IS in San
Francisco but he has residences at each OF his
ranches. He is always giving to charitable in
sttutons, and can trathfully say that he is
one of the best men | ever know. ] am his
paymaster and civil engineer. To give you
some idea of the expenses he has TO meet in
running his mammOuth concerns, will state
that he employs about four hundred men.
paid out in January ON his vineyard ranch
$4,000"
California must be q great country"
at is. The climate i'll some parts OF the
state is not unlike that of Georgia. In San
Francisco you find the most equable climate
IN the world In the northern section of the
state il is pretty cold, and in the southern part
pretty warm. The immense tracts of land are
very productive, and their owners amaSS for
tunes in few years. But do you know the
key of the situation, the one thing to which
may be ascribed the success of farming i'll Cal
ilornia?
40; what is it -
Irrigation But for irrigation many OF The
farms which now blossom as the rose would be
drenry sterile wastes. Take the San joaquin
valley for example. Much OF this land was
unproductive and given over as worthless
When the modern system of irrigation was in
truduCed ii was applied to vast tracts of this
territory What was the result? Why, the
transformation was phenomenal? These bar
rem stretches were at once converted i'll fruitful
ranches, yielding pentcous crops OF grain and
hay Irrigation is regarded rs necessity in
California. The truth is, it would not pay to
farm but for this mode OF artl-
fetal Watering And it has
been reduced TO an art Now, | will
tell you something else about its value. Land
which a few years ago was untitled because 1t
would not pay to cultivate it, now is planted
in alfalfa This is a sort OF grass which has
been fo,..id to make the very best kind OF hay.
Here we raise five crops year. -Four tons 10
the acre is not infrequently cut, aud this sells
for ten dollars IL ton. What farming lard in
! the south yields so profitable a crop rs this ?
| Tho hay is in request by the ranchmcn, who
! prefer il TO all other kinds for cattle. 1t is II
! great milk-producing feed.
/ whats the matter with raising alfalfa in
/ Georgia? Would il not payT'
There is nothing the matter with raising IL
I in Georgia, and most asSuredly ii would pay.
| But. 10 do this successfully, we must irri-
gate the land upon which it is planted This
! would ensure crop regRfulesS OF the seasons,
Irrigation makes us independent of the caprices
/ of nature Ii il rains, we are albright II q
/ drouth come, we are all right, for We can sup
/ PLY all the moisture wei need. Even should we
have exceptionally favorable seasons we can
/ increase the yield of almost any crop 10y irrg3
ton. This is my pet hobby and | know all
about it, for l have had a long experience
! can speak authoritatively as one who has
given 1t practical test. tell you that II irri
I CATION should be tried in Georgia il would rev
omtoni1e the agricultural methods now ii
I vogue. Several prominent gentlemen of At
( h,nta, to whom have talked on the subject
/ are interested and will co-opeiase in an ettor
60 induce the farmers Of Georgia 10 give irriga
tion trial.
Did YOU meet many southerners in Caliior
. MAJ
"A great many especially Alabamans
! About htteen years ago colony Went from
/ Alabama TO California Most Of the member
/ OF this party have done well some of them ar
/ rich have noticed that most of the south
/ erners who have gone to California are pros
/ porous
"Of course you are glad to be among yoo
old friends again.'
YES il gives mo pleasure to return 80 Al
iaute and see what wonderful strides the civ
has made Away ont ON the Pacific Slope
4 Frequently heard Atlanta talked about Nh