Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-09-03

Caughey's fine merinoes, has not more
than one-third as many sheep as this
sheep king Of Australia
In Australia, as has been observed in
previous letters, the stations or sheep
runs m the land of which they are
comprised, are called "squattages, "
and the owner or master is called a
'squattef"
! acre are many interesting feature
ard eser-yarying charms connected
Wltn these squatters lives. OF course.
with such enormous holdings, the cot
tages" or managerial residences are
far apart, usually from ten to fifty
miles. These cottages are almost all
ways large, low, buildings, of but one
story, with several good-sized rooms,
with broad verandas on two or three
sides, and they are rooted with cor
rugated or galvanized iron. Save DUR
ing the excessive heat of midsummer,
December, January and February,
these homes are models of comfort.
ease and contentment.
In all save the barbarism of armed
retainers and symbols of warfare these
station homes resemble the baronial
retirement, luxury and dissatisfaction
OF the old feudal ages. No prince eyer
offered a more generous or splendid
hospitality to friends of equal position
than these squatters offer to the inteui-
gent and worthy traveller, or to their
invited or accepted guest They Go
not live like farmers, even of the most
wealthy class, but like petty princes.
The family is surrounded with troops
or servants, governesses, companions
and visitors. The social set" is as
scrupulously organized among many of
these world holders" as among the
most fastidious snobs of Europe and
America, the "shopkeeper''- which
means all retail dealers tradesmen,
and the common herd being given The
cold shoulder or the tips of the fingers
AS entertainers these squatters are Law
ish in expense and scrupulous in forms
and ceremonies.
What would the wealthy farmer
think to drive up to a cheap-looking
habitation, twenty miles from no
where, and, if entertained for the
night, he should see the ladies at din
ner in full evening dress-low neck,
very low-and the gentlemen with
swallow-tailed coats, expansive shirt
bosoms and white "chokers," with the
walters and fiunkeys in the toggery of
the evening lackey at a Washington
beer garden?
At these luxurious homes there is
the best of everything" not only Of
solids, but of fluids as well. No table
is complete without wine, whisky, ale
and other tasty beverages. But of
late years many OF these erstwhile
princely squatters have become man
ayers" as the banks have closed the
old order of things, and if l should
venture to suggest that in no small
number Of failures this Style waste
and extravaganza has been a potent
factor l would offend only by speaking
disagreeable truths.
The legitimate expense of running
these stations is very considerable. il
the land is purchased, it means about
fl, or $3.50, per acre to begin with. If
leased, as much of it is, the annual
rental is a farthing an acre in some
parts of Queensland, to pence, or 6
cents, per acre, in much Of New South
Wales. This seems cheap enough, but
when we remember that nearly all
these lands need clearing and fencing
against rabbits, with expensive water
tanks, paddocks and Sheds" the cap
ital needed as a modest beginning as
squatter would start a splendid bank
in our country. The man with sutEi-
cient capital to raise sheep on ire
spectacle scale" in Australia has
enough to enable him TO retire in any
country outside of Australia.
In good seasons and with good prices
the sheep station is a bonanza, out
with low prices and bad seasons /
have seen nothing in all my travels
more destructive to happiness or more
ruinous to hopes than half-million
acre station, With quart u of a mil
lion sheap, and f40,0 600 overdraft, m
less it would be a station with twice
the acres, twice the number of sheep
and twice the overdraft
While the climate, soil and vegeta-
ton of Australia seem to be especially
well suited to the production Of the
finest qualities Of wool, the uncertain
ties Of the season leave an eff in all
the calculations and a constant gloom
over the whole business structure of
the continent.
A few months ago | was several
hundred miles in the interior, among
the big stations" There had been no
rain to speak of for seven or eight
months. and we drove over thousands
Of acres as bare to all appearances as
a freshly plowed Iowa field. 1t did not
seem that hundred-acre pasture
woul1 keep a goose. The grass was
gone, the water tank had dried up, the
heat was seorching everything, and the
sheep We're dying like flies" according
to the colloguial expression For over
100 miles IN all directions there was
not an elevation of even a few feet.
The sky was cloudless by day an
night, and the slight wind seemed to