The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-06

acted rs IL he had nothing to conceal IJr
tpl.aared TO live for the purpose of as
founding and mystifying those who wcrc
watching him. In the course of eight or
Ten Gays The news came to town that the
i,hHSitsrlons Ertnchman, after a few days
,lrGd or following the flock for wages. lie
nii purchased 10000 head OF sheep and
paid for them in good San Antonio paper,
SO the story ran. Next he bought the IA
nous Los Floretas grant and soon after
ward AIT. carlecn came to town, confirm
ing al these stories and making arrange
ments TO put barbed wire fence around
one OF The largest pastures In western
Texas. Could 1t be possible that the man
was going to actually, fence $1,000 acres
81 land! This happened back in the carly
i0s, before the cattle kings and big syn
olcateS began 10 string barbcd wire
around whole counties. The Frcnchman
Spenl the night in E'enardvilic, and long
before sunrise on the next morning lie
was on his road to San Antonio, accom-
panied by half dozen cowboys, driving .
nero or ponies In front of them
Ten days aftcrwarl traveller reported
on the San Saba that an army was NOV
ing across the pratrieS of western Texas
1t was an army, but an army Of labor
efS, stonemasons, carpenters, painters
machintsts and transfers. The French
man was returning with 200 teams and
more than 800 people Menardville went
only ten miles aEay, presented scene
OF hustle and activity which made the
natives stare In wonder and Arrangement.
thousands OF square miles Of grazing
lands. and around all this vest scope of
country he began to erect wire fence
lie Instantly broke ground for the pur-
pose OF establishing home place on the
banks of the San Saba. Hundreds OF la
b9rSrs were set to work quarrying rock,
while other hundreds We're engaged in
digging Tor The foundation of hts house
~ look him TWO years to complete this
immense structure It covers at least a
half an acre Of ground. and is five stories
h!Sh. ana altogether one OF the most
beautiful ana astounding pieces of archt-
lecture IN America to-day. The walls are
OF pure white marble. while great col
limns OF hluish granite support n magni-
licent porch extending around two sides
OF me entire structure. Artists came from
iaIis to exert their skill on the ceiling:
iitn1 walls; During the Time that he was
building the place away out here on the
frontier Of Texas, Cariccn never said a
a word Of his own history. His tongue
ran IKE Enli-ciapper on all subjects but
enc. ana that one was CarIcen. His
;ttcntS had purchased cattle all over cast
tIh lcEas. and as n consequence at the
emu or Il year or more his immense estate
WIS well stocked AT ina; time he was
men on the frontier
ne strange man did not limit his ny-
iTaordlhary improvements TO the palace
KIM iH ne erected. lie kept large force in
, sons we're employed for Several years in
puiiains long lines of stone fences. These
s'tlHtt"icS were not erected after tho
manner Of such old tumblc-down affairs
! as one often sees in some of the o!dc:.
statos. The walls were OF solid dressed
! stone, and there were great stone pil-
ihrs around the cntabaturc on which
We're trailing vines, clusters OF Erar,s
ana icst0ons OF flowers exhibiting i'm the
! hEhtcst style of art and skill of the
! sculptor Between these pillars swun,
massive iron gates. These are not vet
ruins, but here on the wild hills Of San
! S3"hL. where wolves howl at night and
deer sleep beneath the shade or oaks.
hiIeS ana miles OF these magnificent walls;
may be seen winding over the undulat TING.
pran!es and through the green valleys,
Wniic M there on the mountain, stands
Wh,te against the western sky that Gil
Eahuc pile of stone and mortar Of which
no man cen sry whether Il Is II monu-
! ncnt TO the genius of folly OF the French
man Carlcen. He was certainly n rrca
advantage to this particular part of TEX
Us. lie brought an abundance of money
INTO the country. ana he gave thousand,
OF people employment As long as III.
! prosecuted his gigantic schemes this was
me most prosperous portion of the State
| AZ one time more than 600 INeople were
/ employed upon the ranch. lie kent tho
road open To san Antonio. n distance OF
nearly aO miles. and relays OF homes
miles. lie had a daily mail, and the road