St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-18
A Well-KnoWn Horseman
Makes an Appeal to Twin
City Capitalists.
NJ. T. Gpattan Discusses the
Problem of Trotting Blood
for Coach Horses.
Death of Waltz, One Of the
Greatest Thoroughbred
Brood Mares.

SlOCh improvements anu iiOloO CooSollOi
to Twin City capitalists to interest
themselves, and preserve intact the
great breeding establishment in Waseca
county, known as the Lake Elysian
farm:
The greatest breeding farm in the
Northwest is unappreciated by the pub
lie, because generally unknown. PeO-
pie have an idea that Kentucky or Cali
fornia are the only states in which to
produce speed, and lots of it, and con-
SeQuently overlook what we have here
at home in Minnesota-a state so adj
mirably adapted to constitutional de-
Velopment-the base of all great and
continued performances.
The late lamented Charles A. De
Graft spent many years in profound
study, careful selection and unStinted
outlay of capital in improving and
stocking what would soon have been
known as one of the greatest breeding
establishments in America. Could he
have lived few years longer to enjoy
and develop the produce, the great
breeders of other states would have rec
OgniZed the fact that Mr.. De Graft was
operating with a master hand. Here is
a vast farm of 2,440 acres of very fertile
land located in Waseca county, adj
vile, on the Northwestern rail-
way, a part of which is in the
timber belt of the Big woods. 100 acres
heavy timber. in which are 240 feet of
wide sheds provided with racks for hay
where stock has its liberty and in
comfortable and thriving condition
must be seen to be appreciated; about
geo acres clearing seeded to and pro-
dncing a heavy growth of Kentucky
bluegrass pasture, about 400 acres UNI
der cultivation, balance building
grounds and outlet of ''Lake Elysian."
About twenty-five miles of good board
fencing devides the farm into suitable
sized pastures and paddocks. There are
two good dwellings and three tenant
houses, besides a connexions separate
sleeping apartment for the help. -Four
good wind millS-two at barns and
two in pastures. Barn No. l, 1S0X36
feet, with Is feet posts, known as cattle
and work horse barn, containing an
elegant 16X16 foot box stall for the priv
ate stallion Alexander 491. Barn No. 2,
1C0X32 feet. for cattle. No. 8 is the mag
nificent training barn, the main part of
which is 13SX5S. with 20 feet posts to
caves, containing 40 box stalls 10x11
ing department 27X58 feet without
posts and opening out to the elegant
three-quarter mile track. The east l.
6Sx34 contains eight box stalls and
two foaling stalls 12X16 feet,
The west L, 6SX22 feet. contains six box
stalls for stations, 11X12 feet. Hydrant
water supply Chat never freeZes) in
four convenient locations in the barn
and about 800 feet of hose, ready for
attachment in case of fire. Hay room
overhead for 300 tons of hay and bin
For on balo ofN t.,
one corner of the upper part is a fine
observatory with glass corner for view
ing the horses while exercising on the
track. An elegant harness case, made
of California redwood and butternut,
with plate glass center completes gen.
eral description of this well-appointed
training establishment, except that the
upper portion of the box stalls through
out are supplied with heavy wire graf
ing. instead of lumber. Barn No. 4
contains eighteen box stalls, supplied
with water and other modern cOnven-
fences, used for weanling colts, and
smith shop and ample buildings , for all
machinery used on the farm. The build
ings are all very substantially built,
well painted and in good repair. On
the east side of the training barn are
four paddocks 7X12 rods; ON the south,
six paddocks 4X6 rods; on the west,
two stallion paddockS, very large and
roomy, for exercise, and we'll set in
blue grass. The barns and paddocks
are SO situated and underdrained that
there is no danger of standing water,
consequently 10 mud. About forty-five
standard brood mares by such sires as
Alexander 491, Private) Empire Wilkes
Abdallah 1874, Strathmore 400, Logan
127, IrOnsides 1,247, Ericsson $50,
Lakeland Abdallah 351, Blackwood
Jr $50. Railroad 1.469, AIcador 1O3,
Wellington 2716, Sentinel $50, Bell
founder 60, etc. Sixteen of these
brood-mares have Clay crosses, which
to many breeders adds greatly to their
value. At the head of the stud is EN-
pire Wilkes, $40, by George Wilkes,
dam Jane Mosley, by Mabrino Patchen,
5S; second dam by Tom CroWder, third
dam by SAKE Weimer. This is a most
perfect horse in outline, finish, way of
ergy, and by those who have visited
Kentucky and seen about all of the
noted sires, as we'll as one of Ken
tucky's best-posted horSemen, acknowl-
edge that Empire is one of George
Wilkes best sons. Fourteeno of the above
brood mares are now in foal by Empire,
Alexander 491 private stallion), Rail-
road 1869, Ivica 1905, and Oriole 1927
constitute their principal stations.
Young stations, three years old, are
Snow Drift 1854, Agitator 1885, Alex
old colts Pride of Elysian 1904, Elysian
Boy 1905 and fifteen fillies, twelve
three-year-old FLIES and a fine lot of
WeanlingS.
There are about 100 head OF full blood
cattle, mostly Shorthorns. about l25
grades; few fashionable Jerseys, fine
flock of Southdown sheep and a herd
of handsome pure-bred Berkshire
hogs. Everything considered, this is a
most perfect plant, and now ready to
yield good profit. Why let the North
west be deprived of great breeding
center, so favorably and conveniently
located, by permitting the many years
labor of our stockmans' greatest friend
(the late G. A. DeGraff) to be scattered
to the -four corners of the EARTH" and
this fine stock farm divided into small
places by sale atpublic auction? Could
not several of our capitalists about St.
Paul and Minneapolis be induced to
form syndicate and keep this great
enterprise intact and continue in the
line its originator intended? A central
place for the Northwest, where the best
and purest bred stock of the land could
be obtained at reasonable prices. Let
those who are interested interest others.
and continue the work until we can saw
we have in Minnesota an establishment
where we can obtain the best of the land
without having to go to the expense and
trouble of patronizing Kentucky or Cali
fornia, If it will pay in the latter state
1t certainly will bere. Stockmen, CAPT.
talists and lovers of good horses please
interest yourselves at once, and see
what can be done to preserve this valu-
able enterprise of Minnesota's stock