Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-08-10
BIG FARMS In AUSTRALIA.
ONE "SQUATTER" WHO OCCUPIES
THREE MILLION ACRES,

IN the East, Middle, and Southern
| States Of America sheep ore raised
1 on the "farm," in tho West they
are raised on the "ranch, while
in Australia they are raised on the
Station" AS the ''ranch" of our
great West is but the extended past
ure of the Eastern, Middle State, or
Southern farm, so the "station" is
really but an enlarged ranch, though
the social and business Importance Of
the great "station" owner of Australia
is neither shared nor even dreamed of
by tho active, intelligent, and indus.
trious sheep raiser of any portion of
tho United States. OF course, the
whole "estate." or land devoted TO
pastoral use by the head or manage
ment. comprises the 'station," and
yet the idea conveyed In tho word
''station" is the central point OF what
may be regarded as the capital.
Tho "stations" In Australia are as
large as the principalities of tho mid.
die ages, or as many modern duke
doms. I incline to think that ten OF
tho largest Australian stations, II
united, would equal the whole of Bel
GUM.
One James Tyson has about 2,00O,-
600 acres, or territory nearly as largo
as three States like Rhode Island. one
and one-half Delawares, or even one
third the size of Vermont, or one.
seventeenth the size OF Iowa. He has
nearly 1,000,0 900 sheep or the equival-
ent In cattle. One Mr.. McCaughey
has one station of 1.214, SIT acres
with some 100000 sheep. james VIII
son has 8l0,000 acres, or Just 1000
square miles, in ono station, and over
400, ,00O sheep. ] have o friend In the
interior, whom / visited recently, who
has 100000 acres and 100000 sheep.
One can drive 100 miles on q straight
line on his estate. OF this 500, 900
acres, 10000 are freehold, and the
rest is leased from the Government of
New South Wales on long time, for
definite annual rental.
All these stations, like tho petty
dukedoms of Europe, are named, and
tho names, when pronounceable, are
not easily forgotten. But their names
serve better purpose than mere orna-
ment- AS there is considerable diff
ference In altitude, lntitude, soil, vege.
tation, breed or care of sheep, there is
o very noticeable difference in the
wool, and the reputation on the station
has no little influence on the price OF
the respective clips, In the English
trado reviews, or prices current, the
names of the stations of Australia be-
come as familiar to large business
class as are the names of tho Nations
OF tho globe to the average educated
man.
The Minister OF Lands has boon
making tour through the interior.
In his party there were several relia-
bic newspaper men, and the following
Is an extract from tho Sidney Daily
Telegraph. The communication was
sent from the headquarters of one of
Mr.. MoCaughey's stations and fol-
lows:
"Mr. MoCaughey is o leviathan
among squatters, the king of sheep
owners, the largest shearer of sheep in
the whole world. Including freehold
and leasehold, he has 100000 acres
of land. This big station in the River
ina he calls o mere stud farm. 1t is
only trife of 40, 900 acres of freehold
and 5000 of leasehold. The rest OF
his land is on the Darling, where he
has two stations, ToHralie and Dun
lop. A million OF the acres are near
Hughendep, in Queensland. In the
last drought of eighteen months in the
west his losses in sheep and lambs
totalled no fewer than 100000. All
the same, he can still bonst that he
shears his 100000 year. This is
the record, not only for Australia,
but for the world. Mr.. McCaughey
can claim to be the greatest single
sheep owner on earth. Out of his
wealth he hos beautified his home,
cultivated the breeding stock, and ex-
perimented In irrigation on his sta
tion. He has spent e20, 900 in testing
what water will do in the western
country. The visitors wore taken
round the station, and were shown the
splendid Vermont sheep that Mr.. Nc.
Caughey imported some years ago, ut
q cost of thousands Of pounds sterling,
for breeding purposes. The party
were also shown the irrigation plant
that pumps the water from Coonong
Greek, which has been damned for the
purpose"
The area of MoCaughey's estates, as
described, almost equals the area of
Connecticut, or nearly one-half the
entire area of Belgium, the latter of
which supports q population of over
10000 of highly civilized and we'll
provided-for people. But the report
says-and truthfully-that Mr.. Nc
Caughey "sheared 100000 sheep,
though the same season he lost $50. 900
head" AS the drought cnme early,
most OF these sheep must have per-
ished before shearing. SO the normal
number of sheep kept by this ''modest
grazier' must be fully 1850, 900.
Thus, about as many sheep ere kept
by this one Australian as are kept in
either of the great "wool- ol-raising"
States of Pennsylvania. Now York,
Kentucky, or Colorado. and the Num-