The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-28
MING c.frrLE RfNGE Tyrrrfs.
1t is the Largest ia the World and Owned
by Woman.

A wandering Texan, speaking Of the inn
mcnsity of his State, had che following lo
say regarding the great King ranch.
cone Representative in che next Com
gross will be nominated aud elected uy
woman. She Is the widow of capt
Richard King and owns a principally
in Southern Texas. Her lands consist OF
about llN,VoD acres, nearly $50 square
mil s. For taking care or this small
army Is required. Their votes are con-
trolled by Mrs. King, who Is practically
"a Queen.
The records at Washington reveal
some extraordinary facts with regard To
that part of Texas. which seems ou the
map 10 iutruie into Mexico. terminating
in a p0iuf at the mouth OF the 1880 Hrauar.
This region. nearly az biz as Sc" Eng
land, comprises four great counties ana
is owned by four families tle hlnss,
the kennedys, the Collinscs. ana lne
Armstrong; Much the largest OK the
four shares belongs in fee simple 10 Mfs.
King. The ancient road from san An
tonic 10 Brownsville has been closed py
Mrs. Kings fences, AMI ineie are no
gates There Is no road law ii'fs Z. Inc
only way 10 get from. Brownsville 10
Alice is by stage route OF ioity hours.
The stage carries mail fOf large part
81 Mexico. In the entire distance there ~
noe a single scttl ment because inc TER
ritory belongs 10 Mrs. KIDS. Inc ttzion
is Wholly Wild, being used for cattle
|. The owner is a genaro IS and liberal
minded woman about sixty years OF
axe. She does much good lnd takes care
Of her people. To each laDOrtr on Aff
estate she gives a COW. Her ranch OF
Santa Gertrude Is the largest ia the
world. IL IS BOUNDED by Corpus christi
Bay for forty miles and b. barbed Wire
fences for 800 miles more.
From her front door 20 the front
gate Is thirteen miles. and she can drive
IN her carriage siNty-fiye miles on a
straight line without going or ner own
premises. Hcr house looks Ike castle
or the Rhine. II Is situated on slight
cmincncc surrounded by the modest
dwellings OF her dependents and By fields
OF waving corn. Beyond on every side
is a green wilderness Of mesquite ana
cactus.
."The house is completely furnished and
as handsomely equipped as any mansion
on Fifth-Avenle in New York. No lux
ury Is lacking. Mrs. King Is a daughter
Of the first Presbyterian missionary 10
the Rio Grande. Corpus Christi Is The
terminus OF railway. and from that
point a stream OF wagons, carrying Ice
and other necessaries, goes 10 the ranch.
Mrs. King lives for several months facn
year IN a palace at Corpus Christi. her
s0n-in-law. Robert j. Klegerg, - genera!
manager OF the ranch, on which are W.
90 cattle Of improved breeds. Long trains
OF freight cars are made up at Corpus
Christi 10 carry Mrs. Kings cattle 20 the
East. $1,000.
''ro run this estate costs about $4,000
a year For every twenty miles OF barO-
ed wire fence there Il man 10 make
repairs and see that no break occurs.
In the old days 10 cut fence WAS an
offence likely to result in the death Of the
perpetrators OF the act. Three hundred
cowboys are regularly employed. Loo po-
nies being set aside for their use. Every
spring all the calves are rounded up
for branding They are driven into
pen through wooden chute. and as
they leave IL each one Ia caught by the
leg and thrown upon It's side. Then one
OF dozen irons that are kept hot In