Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-12-21
THE LARGEST RANCH.
EXCEEDS IN AREA ALL OTHER
RANCHES OF THE WORLD.

VT vVSnIO.
How the Capitol of Texas was BuiIt-A Tract
Larger than Delaware Given the Syndicate
but They Built the Best State Building in
the Nation.
1t seems natural that the largest
ranch in the world should be found in
the largest State in the Union-Texas
Indeed, this ranch is 80 extensive
that some States could not contain it.
Connecticut, for example, could not
hold it by several thousand acres.
The two States of Rhode Island and
Delaware combined could not contain
this immense ranch, which consists OF
over three million acres, or almost
five thousand square miles.
About dozen years ago, when
Texas needed a new State capitol, the
Legislature adopted novel plan to
get it. A promise was held forth that
vast tract Of unappropeiated land
would be given in exchange for suit
able granite building at Austin.
Among those tempted by this offer
were Ex-senator Chas. B. Farwell and
his brother John, who ultimately
formed syndicate in Chicago and
took upon themselves the responsible
ity of erecting the proposed capitol.
Their part of the agreement appears
to have been carried out to the salts
faction of the State, and in due time
they came into the possession of the
immense domain now known as the
X. !. T. ranch.
The ranch is situated in the ex-
treme northwest corner of the Pan
handle of Texas, and covers or touches
nine different counties. Its northern
boundary is "No Mans Land" now a
part of the Territory of Oklahoma,
and its western limit is the line be-
tween Texas and New Mexico. In
width Qrom east to west) it averages
about twenty-five miles. In length it
is about two hundred miles. The
land lies in what is known as the
Staked Plains, a high plateau. The
soil is mostly of black or chocolate
color-very fertile, and covered with
thick coat of buffalo, mesquit, grama
and other grasses which cure on the
ground and furnish winter as we'll as
summer pasturage for stock of all
kinds. At the southern end of the
tract the altitude is about 1890 feet,
and at the northern end about 4,7OO.
The climate is pronounced to be gen.
orally delightful, the air being bracing
though dry.
When the Farwells obtained the
land they inclosed it with a substan-
tial barbed-wire fence. There are
many cross fences upon it, separating
the territory into from twenty to
thirty large divisions, besides many
small ones. To make these fences it
required just 1900 miles of barbed
wire. The syndicate also built ranch
houses; bored and dug wells, of which
there are now about 300, averaging
l2O feet in depth, and having earthen
or wooden reservoirs and drinking.
trough attachments; erected wind.
mills ever the wells; built dams across
arroyos to conserve the rainfall, and
in various other ways made the place
suitable for a ranch. They placed
cattle upon it as fast as it could be
put in safe condition to receive them,
and have since continued to add to
the herd from time to time by pur-
chase and breeding until they have at
present about 10000 cattle. besides
almost 1900 horses. The calf crop
branded in 1897 exceeded 81 900 head.
The whole property is valued at $10,-
OOO,OOO.
These figures afford an idea of the
extent of the business. The Farwells
attend to the chief affairs at their Of
flee in Chicago, but have general
ranch manager, Mr.. A. G. Boyce, at
the ranch headquarters, which are sit
uated at Charming, in Cartley Co., on
the Fl. Worth & Denver R. R. Mr..
Boyce has supervision over the whole
property. being assisted by seven fore
men, each one of whom is responsible
for one of the principal divisions.
Each of these divisions OF itself would
form large ranch.
There are raised on these plains
three breeds of cattle-namely, Here
ford, Aberdeen Angus and Durham.
At the present time the herd is un-
equaled, it is believed, either in quail
ty or size, anywhere in the United
States. The hundreds of horses are
bred, not, as may be supposed, for the
market, but rather for service In trav-
cling between widely separated points
on the ranch. No sheep are raised.
When the cattle have reached such a
size as to become marketable they are
sent to Chicago. Not all stop there,
however, as many go still farther
East, and are eventually shipped to
distributing points in Europe.
One OF the surprising things in con-
nection with the enterprise is the fact
that all the duties are performed by a
force of about 125 men, or, on an av-
erage, only one man for every 24,OOO
acres. There are houses, barns, ETC.,
lat the seven division headquarters, as