The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-01
BIG RANCH IN TEXAS
1t is Run Successfully by Two Pennsyl
vanians Who Own 1t
Letter to the Philadelphia Journal.

Letter u lIc IHlduelplid JOuIudl
Fifteen years ago A. j. and ]. j. Dull, of
Harrisburg, Penn, bought of the Widow
Burke her many acres of land in the coun-
ties of La Sale, McMullen, Encinal and
Duval, in southwestern Texas. These two
brothers were millionaire iron and steel
workers in the Keystone state, and were
able to operate a vast ranch and stock it
with the finest cattle, and they did. They
have been constantly adding to the ranch,
until now they occupy land in four coun-
ties in a country drained by two rivers, the
Nueees and Frio. These two streams are
perfectly dry nine months in the year, but
when a heavy rain comes they bank
full. Frequently, when the wet spell
comes, the rise is sudden that there is
great danger to life and property, as was
the case two months ago, when the whole
of this country was flooded as never before
in the history of either white or red men.
The water of these two streams contains
much oil, and cattle will not drink it
less very thirsty, and, when a match is
applied to it, combustion occurs. For this
reason they have a large number of wind
mills, where abundant supply of water
Is obtained from driven wells at but slight
expense. The character topography of
this huge range Is undulating and slightly
rolling in general, and as the ranch runs
adjacent to the county seats of these four
counties, the Messrs. Dull have established
several general goods stores and supply
their many cowboys with all needed goods
and supplies, thus making not only profit
on the labor of Cow punchers," but also
on the merchandise they dispose. of.
The Mexican male heart pines for fine
boots and a gaudy sombrero, as the head
piece is called, and very often the last dol
lar is spent in personal adornment. The
work of the herders is so we'll systematized
that each one has certain work and knows
al NH c,
characterzes the best paid fire departments
in the states. Here we see four different
classes of labor. called outfits as follows:
Fence, tank, cow, and feeder, over each of
which is an experienced and fearless boss
who, while being nail fellow well met and
''one of the boys will brook no opposition
to mis- commands.
The Mexican cowboy is usually thought
to be treacherous, but, be this as 1t NAV
If he discovers you are afraid of him it will
go hard with you Your chances of good
treatment from them are increased a hun
dred fold if you be good Castilian lin
guist and can parIey with them in their
much-beloved Spanish tongue. The mana
ger of this large cattle breeding establish
ment is s. R. Walker, a man who knows
his duty and does it, In the summer
months no feeding is done, the vast herds
being allowed to range at will where they
find the best grass. being watched over by
the numerous outriders. AS winter comes
the feeding commences, and this Is an I'M
dertaking of gigantic proportions in which
many men are engaged. The pear-shaped
leaves of the cactus plant are grouped up
and mixed with cotton seed meal, making
a nourishing diet for their 1900 head OF
cattle. During the summer months twenty
five men are employed, but the duties of
feeding in winter, in conjunction with the
regular work, require 100 hands.
Two hundred ponies are kept in readiness
for immediate use, 1t Is often necessary
to change a tired animal for a fresh one.
These two brother capitalists make year
every March and go over the whole broad
extent to note the progress and view the
methods of work. They own two other
ranches of smaller acreage in the same
portion of the state, the "Sanderson," or
"Big Canon" and adjacent TO 1t the Pecos
ranch. 1t Is not an easy life, but the 'es-
perridion guerra" Cow boss) and his I'M
dergraduates get accustomed to 1t and
have the hardness to sleep out the
ground in all kinds off weather. The poi
sonous tarantula and venomous rattlesnake
are common experiences and many barve
man goes down under their deadly bite.
We were sitting out one night around a
camp fire, when our leader told me to sit
still while he knocked a tarantula from
my collar I did So and he knocked 1T into
the fire, to my relief, 1t had been in the
pocket of my main coat. which I had
Just put on My life was saved by the
good-hearted Mexican