The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-01
FARMING ON A Big SCALE
DAVID RANKIN HAS FOURTEEN
RANCHES AND $4,000 ACRES.
other SuccussfeI Men, Was
Born in Indiana.
Sunny South.

sou > OdNlu RANKIN VI ~ hb. II
doesn't know but what he is the largest
stock feeder in the world. Besides his
farming interests Mr.. Rankin is interested
in many other enterprises. David Rankin
is a typical practical farmer, being of
Scotch and German blood, in appearance a
Scotch-Irishman. He is six feet two inches
tall, and weighs $50 pounds. He wears
gold-rimmed eyeglasses, which fasten
around his ears. His beard is gray and
heavy. He wears a heavy vest and a
billed shirt with a roll collar, but no
coat, on his everyday trips TO his numer-
Gus ranches.
To those who have never visited a large
ranch the method of carrying on the work
would seem to be a great problem.
Mr.. Rankin has fourteen ranches, con-
tanning $4,000 acres of land. 1t takes about
700 teams TO till the soil and do the work.
He has 300 men employed to work these
ranches. Each ranch has a foreman, who
is rec cd to make out a monthly report
hllir. Il a printed blank. This report
is cass3 the monthly report" and it is
submitted to Mr.. Rankin about the 9Th of
each month.
An examination of the final statement OF
the past years work shows that a total or
1889 head of cattle had been sold for $172,-
500, and S,249 head of hogs for Sll1,S46.14. The
total clearance of his operation during 1900
brought him 100000, and he expects to do
about as we'll this year.
In reply to a letter dated July 8, he says:
1--WE are busy cultivating the corn at this
season of the year. We are getting over
about 1000 acres per day when our teams
are all at work. We use the double row
riding cultivators this year, and find them
to be a great help in the way of farming.
The double row cultivator referred to Is
a disc plough, so arranged as to plough the
weeds on both sides of a row Of corn. Mr..
Rankin has nicknamed them a snake
killer" They are used extensively in Mis-
souri, and Kansas. Possibly a rev are
found in the South where cotton is Guilt
waited extensively. They plough from
twenty to twenty-five acres per day
A LIBERAL GIVER.
Mr.. Rankin gave $4,000 to the Tarkio
College, which is among the leading edu-
cational institutions of the central States.
BY this he shows his appreciation of the
higher education and refinement of those
who have a desire to become more prof
cient in these a~ttainments. Although
there is neither pomp nor pride In Mr..
Rankin, he might be termed a practical,
everyday business man, possessing the
necessary ideas and qualifications TO make
things move in a business manner in his
business circles.
A tabulated statement OF his operations
for 1900 show some astonishing figures.
Besides the figures given of his stock
transactions is to be found the follow
Guiding interest, S91, S51.13; expense per acre,
SAT-; corn bought, 3S5, 7S9 bushels; amount
paid for corn, sos, 456.O9.
The most profitable ranch is the one
looked after by Foreman George Ross. In
this statement is to be found: Number of
acres, $3.50; number of cattle, 1,S2S; net
nrOCapdS of CATTLE S4 69S 90 net ner head
$24.39; number of hogs. 1,232, with proceeds
of same, $17,954.19; expense per acre, A.2l;
corn bought, IS, 40 bushels; amount paid
for corn. SIS, 1881.
Thus it will be seen that the operation of
this one ranch is a very considerable
think about. 1t costs Mr.. Rankin 1900 per
year to buy chain harness. He says he
can't afford to buy leather harness, as it
would keep a small army busy repairing
harness.
The barn at the home farm of Mr.. Rankin
is four stories high and is of the octagonal
shape. The Rankin home is an attractive
place and is handsomely furnished through
out. Mr.. Rankin states that it isn't his
idea" and that a man who borrows as
much money as he does ought not to put on
so much extras around him.. But Mr.. Ran
kin apOlogtically remarks that il is wOm-
ems ideas put into effect. To the question
of how he made his money he said:
Il made every dollar of it farming. No,
I'll take that back. When 1 was free my
father gave me a colt. L sold it and went
in debt for ar eighty-acre farm. When l
was married my wife made bread in the
top of the flour barrel. 1t was six weeks
before l had money enough to buy a bread
board. That's pretty poor, amt it? But
i kept on and finally got my land paid for.
L got my start in Henderson county. Hi
nois. l tried putting my money in banking
for q while, but didn't like it. and when [
got a chance bought land here for $40 an
acre or less. That was in 1869. l have
given away 10000 acres and have p, 900 left
CAME FROM INDIANA.
Mr.. Rankin was born in Sullivan county.
Indiana, May 2S.' 1925. His father moved to
Henderson county, Illinois, when David was
eleven years of age. Before coming to Mis-
souri, Mr.. Rankin served two terms in the
Illinois Legislature. and pictures of the two
assemblies are now displayed in his office.
Next to his father, Mr.. Rankin shows the
greatest interest in Tarkio College. On Nav
10, 1888, David Rankin, w. A. Rankin. Ed
ward F. Rankin, John A. Rankin, w. f.
Rankin Robert II. Baines, W. o.. Miller, r.
NJ. Stevenson, John L. Stevenson, S. H.
| Prather and j. +. Hanna bound themselves
with DR.. s. G. Marshall TO establish and
operate Tarkio College. The main building
was destroyed by fire in January, 1892.
Within three months from that date $50. 600
was raised for the erection of a new build
ing. Mr.. Rankin gave S27, 600 of this amount.
At this time Mr.. Rankin's contributions
had aggregated $4,000. He made a new
proposition to give 81 for every dollar raised
dS an dOulLlOnal endowment
fund, until $4,000 had been raised. His re-
cent contribution Of $50, 600 was i'm compli-
ance with this promise. The Tarkio Col
lege campus Of twenty acres OVerlOoks the
town. Rankin's ranches surround it on the
north, south and east.
Mr.. Rankin is a close observer of things
and he fully realizes the good qualities
of a man. He is both polite and accom-
| modating, and the writer feels under obIi-
cations 10 him for favors and for informa-
ton used in this article. Much could be
written Of Missouri's richest farmer and
his extensive undertakings.
In religion Mr.. Rankin has been a potent
factor in putting into effect some very
practical religious principles. The town Of
Tarkio will ever call TO memory i'm DAVIS
and years to come the many good deeds
and virtuous qualities possessed by David
Rankin. He has done much for his town
and county, and the State takes great
and energy coupled with business princi-
pies will accomplish i'm Missouri.
The running expenses of Mr.. Rankin's
ranches are $500 per day. He is a busy
man. busy but clever in the highest sense
of the word. Broadminded and unpreju-
diced. yet always c~Ontending for what he
thinks Is right. In the town where Mr..
Rankin p~redominates no intoxicating liquor
Is sold. which speaks highly of the moral
standing of a community in Missouri.
Comparatively speaking. David Rankin IS
considered the most extensive farmer i'm
the world. He is known throughout the
Mississippi valley AS the champion stock
raiser and feeder. His method of working
his vast army of men Is SO practical that
the results are always profitable. Then,
too. in his methods the small items are
very carefully looked after. which saves
his practical methods and close application
70 buSfueSS can be attributed his marvel