Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1900-12-22
CHAMPION AMERICAN RANCH
Deal by Which it Built the New State
Capitol at Austin, Tex.

The largest ranch in the world is to be
found in Texas. This immense domain
is known as the Y. /. T. ranch, and is
owned by Chicago capitalists. This
ranch is so extensive that some states
could not contain it. Connecticut, for
example, could not hold it by several
thousand acres. Tine Two states of
Rhode Island and Delaware combined
could not contain this great ranch, which
consists of over 100000 acres, or al
most 5000 square miles.
About twelve years ago, when Texas
needed a new state capitol, the Legisla
ture adopted novel plan to get it. A
promise was held forth that vast tract
of unapprOpriated land would be given
an exchange for a suitable granite build
ing at Austin Among those tempted by
this offer were ex-senator Charles h.
Farwell and his brother John, who uiti-
mateIy formed a syndicate in Chicago
AID took upon themselves the RESPONSE
biilty Of erecting the proposed capitol.
In due time they came into the posses
sion of this domain, known as the y. /.
T. ranch.
The ranch is situated in the extreme
northwest corner of the Panhandle of
Texas. and covers or touches nine differ
emit counties. Its northern boundary is
ritory Of Oklahoma, and its western limit
IS the line between Texas and New
Mexico. In width from east to west)
IT averages about twenty-five miles. In
length it is about 200 miles The land
lies in what is known as the Staked
plain. : high plateau. The soil is most
~ OF black or chocolate color-very fer
tile-and covered with thick coat of
buffalo, mesquite. grama and other
grasses. which cure on the ground and
furnish winter as well as summer pas
ture for stock of all kinds At the south
ern end of the tract the altitude is about
800 feet. and at the northern end about
400 The climate is pronounced to be
very delightful, the air being braciDg,
though dry.
When the TarwelIs obtained the land
tney lncloSed ii with Il substantial barbed
wire fence. There are many cross fences
upon II. separating the territory into
from twenty TO thirty large divisions. be
sides many small ones. To make these
fences it required 1900 miles of barbed
wire. The syndicate also built ranch
houses, bored and dug wells. of which
there are now about $50 averaging 120
feet III depth, and having earthen or
wooden reservoirs and drinking attach
ments: erected windmills over the wells :
built dams across arrOyOs to conserve the
rainfall. and in various other ways made
the place suitable for successful ranch
OAi d Adi 80 StdIC. ueE plicp Callle up
on 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 purchase and breeding until
they have at present about 1875, 900 cat
tie, besides 1900 horses. The calf crop
branded in 1899 exceeded 10000 head
The whole property is valued at $4,000
900.
One of the surprising things in connec-
ton with this huge enterprise is the fact
that all the duties are performed by a
force of about 125 men, or. on an aver
age, only one man for every $4,000 acres
There are houses. barns, etc, at the sew
en- divisions, as well as line camps. where
there are small buildings. Then men as
signed to the camps repair the fences, oil
the hundreds of windmills. and busy
themselves IN other work of this sort
Some of the squads have no house in
which to stay, but are provided with a
chuck wagon to carry their food and
beds as they move from place 10 place.
All are fed by the company, each diyis-
ion having freight wagons TO haul sup
plies from points on the railroad where
they are bought.
One might naturally imagine that the
yearly loss Of cat:le would be enormous
on such a ranch. As matter Of fact,
it is not. being claimed in this instance
only from > 80 = per cent. This loss is
chiefly due not to disease, but to the
occasional severe weather in winter
Charming TEX Correspondence Of The
Chicago Record