The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-01
WHAT ONE WOMAN OWNS.
A Million and II Quar,cr Acres ol
Land in Texas.

n million aud quarter acres Of
land owned by one woman. Think of
it! Reaching into three counties in
Southern Texas. aud pastured oy l50,-
600 head of cattle, horses and sheep.
An empire in which the State of Rhode
Island could be put and there would
still be nearly half a million acres out
side the State line. Eighteen hun
drcd and seventy square miles OF abso-
lutte domain, in which one woman's
will is law. This seems incredible.
writes James ID. Whelpley in Frank
Leslic's Illustrated Weekly, but such
are the realty holdings in farm lands
alone OF Mrs. Richard King OF Corpus
Christi, Tex.
The Southern point OF Texas is a
country Of great pastures. In Nueces
County alone there are fifteen persons
who own over 100000 acres OF land
each, some of the individual estates
amounting to over 100000 acres and
are reckunCd by the square miles
How and by whom were they acquired?
by men who came to Texas in the sos
and COS. Men who We're willing to
risk death or shattered health for the
sake OF adventure and for gain.
Captain Richard King, who died in
1885, leaving to his widow, Hcnrietta
Nj. King, his vast posses .ions in land
and personal property, was good
speciman ola type that conditions OF
to-day do not produce. He was born
in 1873 in New York State, and when
10 years old ran away TO sea. In 1874
he appeared on the Rio Grandc as a
pilot, later us Ii boat owner. and in
lSo2 he bought what was known as the
Santa Gertrudes ranch, a vast posses
sion in itself. BY determined and
aggressive policy, combined with dar-
ing speculations, he added rapidly to
this uutil he died. After his death it
was found that he owned about |, POO
600 acres of land under fence, on
which ranged $4,000 head of cattle
10000 horses and 10000 sheep. His
estate also included large amount of
money and other personal and real
property.
This all won't to the widow. n daugh
ter OF the late Rev. Hiram Chamber-
lain, who established the first Presby-
terian Church on the Rio Graude, and
under her careful management the
property has increased in value.
Mrs. King is 60 years of age. Il lady
OF kindly instincts and admirable
characteristics that have made her
greatly beloved by the community.
She lives very plainly and does not
spend Il tithe Of her income.
The division of these pastures will
be Il great benefit to the country, but it
will destroy the entity Of as remarkable
q property as exists in the United
States to-day. The land alone is
worth untold millions when it is de-
voted to vinticulturo, a possibility OF
the near future, for which it is better
suited than it is for the purpose of
raising "scalawags" or long horned
steers.
1t is only within the past five years
that any of the owners of these great
tracts of land would part with q corner
of their possessions, Now many realize
that they must give way to the in
evitabie and some sharper than the
rest are pushing colonization schemes
that will net them many times the
profits from their herds. 1t will be
but a few years before the empires
now known by the name of ranches
will become bee-hivcs Of industry,
thickly studded with populous lutte
villages. the inhabitants Of which will
be kept busy the year round shipping
fruit and vegetables to the less tropical
zones.