Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1900-03-13
WEALTH IN GOATS
The 0nderdonk Goat Ranch At Lamy
Is a Success In Every
Respect,
1T is A UNIQUE ENTERPRISE
The Ranch Comprises Over $4,000 Acres
There Are Over $500 Goats On It
Seven Wells Supply Plenty
of Water.

| '~~~~ ~~ffAJ
| Of Water.
Owing to it's almost ideal climate
with sunshine nearly every day in tn
year, and the vast extent, variety ant
excellence OF Its ranges in the noun
tains, foothills and valleys and on tn,
mesas and plains, affording feeding
grounds peculiarly adapted to thu
changing seasons, New Mexico has Ions
been recognized as a region exception.
| ally well suited to sheep raising, anG
naturally this industry has become one
of the most important and profitable
occupations of it's people. For years ii
| mas been found advantageous to raise
| a limited number of native goats with
| most of the large tlocks of sheep, good
zeal as chickens are incidentally raised
oy most farmers, but only within re-
| cent years have the eyes of enterprise
| and capital been opened to the fact that
The exclusive culture of these hardy an
4mals can be made the source OF con-
slant and increasing profits in nearly
every county in the territory.
A PIONEER.
Among the first practically to grasp
his idea and undertake to utilize it on
/ large scale was Charles S. Onderdonk,
i shrewd and successful business man
Of Philadelphia. After making thor
ough study of the subject and careful
~ examining the various available To-
cations for his projected enterprise in
New Mexico, about three years ago he
organized and incorporated the Onder-
donk Live Stock Company under the
laws of New Jersey, and soon after ur-
chased the Lamy and Canada de los AL
amos grants, comprising about 2S,O0O
acres of grazing land, near Lamy
junction, on the Atchison, Topeka &
santa Fe railroad, in Santa Fe county.
since then, in the capacity of general
manager and one Of the principal stock
holders Of the company, he has sur
rounded this entire tract of land with
lhirty-five miles of substantial wire
fence; has developed plentiful supply
Of water by sinking at convenient
places seven wells, varying in depth
from 30 to 1S0 feet, from which the wa
ter is elevated by means of windmills
to huge tanks and thence drawn off into
troughs capable of watering focks of
l,o0e goals az a liLle; has built large
and commodious dwelling house for
nimself and family, an office, store and
warehouse 40x100 feet, and a dwelling
ior his foreman, fence rider and Other
assistants, besides large barns, ice
nouse, sheds and corrals, all fronting
che railroad, with sheltering hills in the
background.
PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS.
All these improvements are substan-
tial and manifestly intended to be per-
manent. Mr.. Onderdonks attractive
residence is built Of adobe, after the
Mexican fashion, around a spacious and
beautiful placita, which is seeded to
blue grass and ornamented with flow
sring plants, shrubs and shade trees,
and all surrounded with smooth stone
walks. The interior Of this model home |
s even more neat and inviting than the |
1t Is finished and furnished |
throughout in such way as at once to |
please the eye and satisfy the visitor |
hat the expenditures were all made ex-
,lusively in the interest Of solid COM
'ort. Indeed, everything about the |
place gives evidence of taste, refine
nent and good sense. The store and
are provided for the conven-
ent distribution of supplies to the men
or storing hay, grain, salt and pelts.
THE GRAZING LANDS.
Having secured the grazing lands he
wanted, developed water and provided
homes for himself and his
principal assistants, Manager Onder-
lonk began deliberately buying the
choicest 2, and year old native and
goats offered to him at rea-
onable prices, and then added thor
ughbred Angora rams for the purpose
II breeding up his f1ocks to half and
hree-quarter blood as rapidly as pos
ible. He now has $500 head Of native
Ind improved goats, all in excellent
besides ten registered Ango-
a rams from the famous goat ranch Of
:. P. Bailey at San Jose, Cal, and
twenty-five thoroughbred Angora rams
rom Texas. These animals are beau
les, and, being worth from $40 to $50
ach. are of course kept in corrals by
They have apparently not
Uttered In the least from the change of
Innate, and have wintered in fine con-
lition. They all carried from to
ounds Of the silkiest and glossiest kind
( mohair, worth 40 cents per pound in
Boston, when recently inspected by a
lew Mexican scribe. The natives are
vorth from $1.75 to 81 each, and the i'm
roved from Is to so per cent more.
DIVIDED INTO FLOCKs.
The native and improved goats are
erded in six fiocks Of about 1900 head
ach, three OF which have been win
cred on the nutritious gramma grass
ound in the foothills and canons Of the
ublic range six or seven miles away
rom the home ranch, and all of them
eing held several miles away, the OBJ
ect being to reserve untouched fully
1000 acres Of the ranch grass for feed
uring the kidding season in April and
fay. One of these fiocks is composed
xclusively Of pure white half and
hree-quarter blood Angoras, and the
theirs are mainly natives. Two men
nd three or four trained dogs handle
ach flock. Experience has proved that
be Isleta Indians are the most honest,
Aithful and unoomplaining herdsrs.
hey are paid ct the rate Of III per