The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-04
ONE W0MAN'S EMPIRE
Mrs. King Has a Ranch in Texas Of
Considerable Size.
BIGGER THAN RHODE ISLAND
About 100000 Acres Under
FenCe-The Land Is Worth
100000 Countless
FlOCkS and Herds.

Think of it a million and n quarter
acres of land owned by one woman. All
in one body and under fence. Reaching
into three counties in southern Texas,
and pastured by 10000 head of cattle,
horses and sheep.
An empire in which the state of Rhode
Island could be put and there would still
be nearly 100000 acres outside of the state
line. Eighteen hundred and seventy-five
square miles of absolute domain, in
which one woman's will is law. This
seems incredible. but such are the realty
holdings in farm lands alone of Mrs.
Richard King of Corpus Christi, Tex.
The southern point of Texas is q coun-
try of great pastures, says LesLie's Weekly.
In Nueces county alone there are 10 per-
sons who own over 100000 acres of
land each, some of these individual estates
amounting 10 over 800, 900 acres, and are
reckoned by the square miles. How and
by whom we're they acquired? By men
who came to Texas in the SOS and '60's.
Men who were willing to risk death or
shattered health for the sake of adventure
and for gain.
Capt. Richard King, who died in 1885,
leaving to his widow, Henrietta NJ. King,
his vast possessions in land and personal
property, was a good specimen of a typo
that conditions of to-day do not produce.
He was born in 1926 in New York state,
and when 10 years old ran away to sea.
In 1S47 he appeared on the Rio Grande as
a pilot, later as n boat owner, and in 1852
he bought what was known as the Santa
Gertrudes ranch, a vast possession in it,
self. BY determined and aggressive poll
icy combined with daring speculations,
he added rapidly to this until he died.
After his death it was found that he
owned about 1 200 600 acres of land under
fence, on which ranged $1,000 head of cat
tl9, 10000 horses and 10000 sheep. His
estate also included a large amount of
other possessions in the shape of money
and other personal and real property.
This all went to the widow, daughter
of the late Rev. Hiram Chamberlain, who
established the first Presbyterian church
on the RIO Grande, and under her careful
management the property has increased
In value.
Mrs. King is 60 years of age, a lady of
kindly instincts and admirable character
istics that have made her greatly beloved
by the community. She lives very plainly
and does not spend title of her income.
The division of these pastures will be
of great benefit to tho country, but it will
destry the entity of as remarkable prop
erty as exists in the United States to-day.
The land alone is worth full S5,00a000 as
it is. 1t will be worth untold millions
when it is devoted to viniculture, a possi-
bility 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 last five years that
any of the owners of these great tracts of
land would part with a corner of their
possessions. Now many realize that they
must give way to the inevitable, 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 few years before the en-
pires now known by tho name of ranches
will become beehives of industry, thickly
studded with populous little villages, the
inhabitants of which will be kept busy the
year round shipping fruit and vegetables
to the less tropical zones.