The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-05
.FINE KNNSAS RANCH
Mr., -ROckefeIIer's Ranch in
Kiowa County Described.
IS LIKE A PARADISE
Of Earth With Its Beautiful
Equipments.

There are ranches of every kind in the
West. some covering counties, other
townships. The one owned by Frank
Rockefeller. of Cleveland, O., may be ex-
ceeded in acreage, but for equipment II
is about the finest thing one cares to
feast his eyes upon. Not detail to
make it an earthly paradise in the
the country home is lacking. It is a
place one would least expect to find in
the famous short grass country, notable
for its reported drouths and grasshoppers
but which, as matter of fact, has come
to be the ranchmans paradise.
The Rockefeller ranch is the home of
fine blooded cattle and the purpose of the
owner IS not to raise countless herds of
scrawny steers, but rather well bred cat
tie. The wild life Of the COW puncher in
the roundup is nowhere visible on this
ideal stretch Of grassy plain which COM
poses the 14,000-acre ranch of Soldier
Creek park.
Frank Rockefeller came TO Kansas first
in 1876, and ever since then he has been
in the cattle breeding businss in a small
way. Each year finds a better class of
stock surrounding the ranch, until it has
come TO be recognized as a center of fine
stock Mr. Rockefeller was last December
elected president of the Hereford Breed
ers' association and not a little of his
time is spent in elevating the place of
premier cattle.
The happiest moments of my life are
spent in this ranch out here in Kansas"
he said recently. When l first visited the
state 1 believed it was to be the best
state In the Union at not far distant
time, and now that day is almost at
hand. In no manner whatever is it far
behind the other states, and in many re-
spects it is ahead. have always loved
stock. AS long as can remember I have
been a lover of all animal nature. I have
bred chickens, rabbits and pigeons, taking
great delight in it. bred bantams to
mako them as small as possible Thus,
I grew from breeding chickens to Short
horns and Herefords to trotting horses
So it was a desire to fulfill a youthful
ambition that brought Mr.. Rockefeller to
the plains Of Kansas twenty-five years
ago, and when he purchased the 1900
acre ranch in Kiowa county he at once
began to fix it Up 10 represent the ideal
type Of country home. The ranch is
ideally situated as to natural advantages
In the southeast corner OF Kiowa county.
en- the Englewood branch Of the Santa Fe
railway. 1t includes the land on both
sir of
stream that empties into Medicine Creek
at the south end Of the ranch. Soldier
creek journeys across the Rockefeller
ranch in a-beautiful and picturesque zig
gag manner. The water is not deep. but
it is clear and swift. The surface of the
land is not painfully level, but knobs
break the evenness, here and there being
a high bluff at the foot of which plays
the sparkling water Of Soldier creek. The
beauty of the ranch cannot be surpassed
anywhere in the west except in the Rocky
mountains or the canyons of Arizona.
Mr.. Rockefeller and his family spend
some time on the ranch every summer.
far away from the heat Of grimy city life;
therefore he has taken pains to make the
improvements the best. He has a large
A amt 4lbL'tr l-ptclu III every particular.
surrounded by houses for his assistants
and barns for his stock His house is
heated by steam, lighted by gas and
piped for hot and cold water. Back of the
house arises a large bluff, upon the top of
which is built a water tank This fur
nishes water power to the house and all
other buildings on the premises. Mr..
ROckefeller's house is surrounded by a
bluegrass lawn. on which are a tennis
court and other Fairgrounds, which are
in constant use by the family and their
guests in the summer months. Mr.. Rock
efeIer has erected at considerable expense
two galvanized iron barns for his stock. /
On the Rockefeller ranch is raised all
the Necessary grain to fed his stock !
There are 800 acres under cultivation. 500 |
acres being in cultivation for alfalfa. a |
desirable feed for fattening purposes. He /
can raise three crops Of alfalfa in a single |
season and then have a good fall pastur- |
ase on the field. There are also 800 ceres
Ia wheat, 800 acres in rye and the remain /
der il katiir corn. The qualities Of these !