Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-11-19

hundred and twenty thousand acres. SO
far as the right of possession by Max
well is concerned, | shall not discuss
here; that question the several courts,
during a series of years, have tediously
argued in reams of legal cap and it's
rehearsal would be devoid of interest.
] state as fact. merely. that the once
primitive herder of sheep-who after
wards owned so many that he had no
conception of their number-acquired
his monarchical domain publicly known
as "Maxwells Rancho" but in law as
''the Beaudien- Miranda Grant," by mar
riage and legitimate purchase.
The 'ranche" is situated in one of
the most charming and picturesque por-
tions of the Rocky mountains, and at
the time Maxwell came into possession.
the whole region was an almost I'M
known, certainly an unexplored coun-
try. Except to the limited number Of
traders with remote Santa Fee, New
Mexico was then as much of "a sealed
book" as are the hieroglyphics of
Uxmal or Palenque to-day; for until
Capt. Emory. of the United States to-
biographical engineers, returned from
his expedition to discover the sources of
the Red river-which was organized
Immediately after the Mexican war
our people knew no more about that
newly acquired territory than they did
of the North Pole.
Emory went as far as the ruins on
the Rio Pecos 1.-THE Cicuye of Coronado's
march), and was the first to sketch the
ancient Aztec temple tn ere, with which
SO many tourists now confound the old
To- h.1t al> a. "a Ill
Of which may be seen from the car
windows as the overland train passes
through the historic valley.
Lucien B. Maxwell was the compeer
and comrade Of Kit Carson. belonging
to that host of prominent "border men"
long since dead, famous in the history
of the early invasion of the far west,
both he and Carson having done more
than any other to place Gen. John G.
Fremont in the front rank of American
explorers.
Maxwell when at the zenith of his in
duence and wealth-a period during the
war OF the rebellion, when New Mex
leo was isolated and almost independent
of care or thought by the government
at Washington-lived in sort of bar
barrie regal splendor. akin to that Of the
AOoiSS Va GhS ldAO dt tuS tlIuc Vi inc
Norman conquest This continued for
and was compelled to sell out, but
was still a very wealthy man.
The thousands of cultivable acres
comprised in the many fertile valleys
of his immense estate were farmed in a
primitive. feudal sort of way by native
Mexicans principally. under system
nj ..
ritory. These semi-serfs were as much
his 'thralls" as were "Gurth and
Wanda" of Cedric Of Rotherwood,"
only they wore no engraved collars
around their necls bearing their names
menials of the old Saxon. But Max
well was not hard governor. his peo-
pie really loved him as he was ever
their friend and advisor.
His house was a palace when COM
pared with the then prevailing style Of
architecture In that country and cost
an immense sum of money. It was
large. roomy, purely American in its
construs ton. but it's usages strictly
Mexican-a juste nailieu between the
customs of the higher and lower castles
of those curious people.
SOlAC Vi itS WCIS CAdOO-
rately furnished. others devoid of every
thing excepting a table for card play.
ing and a games complement of chairs.
The principal room. an extended rec
tangular affair, which might properly
have been termed 1.-The baronial hall"
was almost destitute of appointments
save few chairs. a couple of tables and
an antiquated bureau. There Maxwell
received his friends, transacted bust
ness with his ''vassals" and held high
carnival at times.
] have slept on its hardwood door
rolled up in my blanket with the
ssmighty men" of the Ute nation lying
'sheads and points" all around me As
close as they could possibly crowd after
a days fatiguing hunt in the noun.
tains. have sat there in the long
winter evenings when the great room