The Topeka state journal., 1901-01-04
Being Seeded Down to Blue
Grass For a Park.
A PLOT OF $4,000 ACRES
Has $500 Under Cultivation
and 500 in Alfalfa.
House is Modern With Hot
Water and Gas Plant.
Proprietor Regained Health
There and Likes the State.

Kfowas Jan. 4-The Rockefeller ranch,
the beauty spot Of Kiowa county. skirts
the little station of Belvidere and COM
prises all the land for eight or nine
miles along both sides of Soldier creek,
a small but clear and picturesque
stream that empties into Medicine river.
With nearly 800 head of registered
Hereford and ShorthOrn cattle large
numbers of thoroughbred horses sheep
and hogs, and hundreds of fine range
cattle, all at home on an elegantly inn
proved tract OF over 1900 acres. it is
almost an ideal stock ranch. It is the
property Of Frank Rockefeller. one Of
the Standard Oil magnates. and upon it
he is spending thousands OF dollars in
improvements and indulging a million
aires fancy for an ideal estate. OF the
1900 acres comprising this ranch, $500
are under cultivation, and of the culti-
waited land 500 acres are in alfalfa.
Mr.. Rockefeller became Interested in
Kansas about twenty-five years ago,
and like everyone who has become inn
bued with the Kansas spirit. delights
to sing praises of the state. In 1876 he
came to western Kansas to visit an
old-time friend, and from this visit has
grown the present Soldier creek park.
He spent two entire winters there. and
his health began to improve. which he
attributed to the Kansas climate. My
object in selecting western Kansas for
my ranch was primarily to make
money! he said. second, on account of
its healthful climate. 1t has brought
me both. 1t has brought me money and
I have regained my health" And he
certainly looks the latter. He is some
thing over so years old but so strong
age is half concealed. His paeaps of
Kansas, of her present and future.
would put even Mr. Coburn to rout
Mr.. ROckefelIer'S residence strikes the
comfortably arranged frame building,
modern in every particular The rooms
are nicely arranged for comfort.
Everything inside tine house gives way
to comfort and not to style The build
ing is heated by a hot water plant. The
lighting is by gas. which is manufac-
tnred on the premises. The house is
thoroughly piumbed throughout and is
a model country residence in every par
ticular
To the north of the residence is the
boarding house for the hands employed
on the ranch. This building is a very
comfortable one. and not to be com
pared in any way with the average
ranch house 1t is of frame, as are
most Of the buildings, though not
modern.
The residence building and grounds
are surrounded by a. white wooden fence.
Some 300 feet east Of the residence is
ANta~e4 the Eeuerdi IdrIn Darn- DllII
partially of red sandstone, quarried on
the ranch. and partially of wood. Here
are kept all of the farm horses and
wagons. To the right are the cattle
barns. Two of these are built of gall
vanized steel. One is built entirely OF
steel-sides and ROCKVILLE the other
has only the sides of steel. They are
all large, conveniently arranged barns,
and well adapted to the purposes for
which they are used.
Some day. and not far dist..nt this
ranch is to be an immense park. The
improvements already made are direct
ed toward that end. It is to be use
full as well as ornamental park. Sol
der creek. with its clear. swiftly run
ming water and its banks of trees and
shrubbery, forms the foundation Of this
park system At the north end of the
ranch are a number of small lakes, with
water clear as crystal These form the
source of the creek. On either side
timber is found. A course of expert
ments carried on through years has de-
veloped the fact that bluegrass can be
grown luxuriantly in this locality. and
today this embryo park is entirely