The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-11
WRICHT'Seucfkvwshheat.
Wright's Mills, Berlin. Wis.
DIVISION OF LAND HOLDINGS.
Large California Estates Being Partittoned
Among Small Farmerx-


One of the most notable incidents of
| recent occurrence in California is the
division of large landed properties,
with ultimate plans for colonization.
This comes about from causes beyond
the control of the great land owners.
who part reluctantly with their prince
ly realities. These causes are in opera
ton all over the United States, but are
more efficient in California for various
local reasons, one being the higher price
of land, and another being that it is not
a corn country, which crop gives en-
ployment to laborers during a large
part of the year. In the hands and UNI
der the watchful eye Of an industrious
owner there is no part of the world that
will better repay the small farmer who
engages in mixed husbandry on the in
tensive system. But this is far away
from the theory of the great ranchers.
Some of these owners have sought to
cultivate their land by hired Cinnamon
or by leasing to tenants, largely for
eigners; but the great acreage has been
given over to vast herds of cattle, horses
and sheep.
This state has her share of electric
railroads, with certainty of great in
crease in the near future, While towns
Of asphaltum pavement and level or
easy country grades over almost mud
less roads for cycling have conspired TO
bring the price of common range horses
below the cost of raising. Beef pro-
ducers still find profit if they have,
alfalfa fields for finish" but this
calls for an investment in seeding and
irrigating. Grain growing formerly
yielded large returns by means of the
machinery used, which first attained
perfection in this state, but is now out
of the question on lands held at these
prices.
Fruit growing, for which California
is and ever will be distinguished above
all the other states OF the union, re-
quires an investment on each acre equal
to or greater than the price of the land,
and also the constant oversight of the
owner, or of an interested high-grade
manager. Good lands have been con-
sidered frst-class security, and the
owners had no difficulty In placing
mortgages of $1,000 TO 100000. Pay
day comes finally, however, when prin-
cipal, as well as interest, must be met,
and there is ne alternative except to let
the property go ut reduced prices.
While this is disappointm to many
families, who hoped TO see the mag
nificent estates 60 TO their children,
perhaps for generations TO come, yet it
will be OF incalculable benefit 10 the
state.
These great landed estates in
clude many of the most desirable lands
in the valleys, which selections were
made in early days and purchased as
Spanish grants, often at a nominal
price. Other ranches, sometimes COM
prising hundreds of thousands of acres,
were purchased in part from railroad
grants of every alternate or the odd
numbered sections or square miles,
while the even numbered sections were
acquired from the United States
through the various land laws. and
finally gathered into the miiiionaires
estate This land monopoly. which has |
so retarded real development, IS Ger
tainly giving way under the pressure |
of the new conditions
Most OF the great lords Of the soil |
have passed already into the scar and |
yellow leaf, while several have dropped |
by the way. and. and their surviving |
partners, or heirs. evince less and less |
desire 20 pay taxes on the whole world. /
Much of the land which Is coming CT /
the naTse; 4; prices within the reach |
of people who are looking for has.-~ :
already under irrigation. and canals are
extending their beneticen, waters over
other dry but wonderfully fertile tracts
Hitherto the subdivision Of lands and
weicomilz es immiyrsEts has taken