The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-30
From Tit Bits.

From Tit Bits.
 T HE biggest farm-if farm" it lo can be called-is that owned by
 Don Luis Terrazas, in the state of Chihuahua, Mex, which measures from north to south 150 miles and from east to west 200 miles, or S,00O,0O0 acres in all. On it's praires and mountains roam 1000, 900 head of cattle, 100000 sheep and 100000 horses. The farmhouse" is prob ably the most magnificent in the world, for it cost e4O0O0O to build and is more richly furnished than many royal pal ace. On the homestead alone are em- poyed 100 male servants. The gardens are superbly laid out, the stables more magnificent than those of the German Emperor. and there Is accommodation for 300 guests if necessary.
 Scattered over this vast ranch are 100 outlying stations, each one of which has charge of certain portion of the estate. The horsemen, COW punchers, line riders. shepherds and hunters number 20O0, and the Terrazas ranch is the only one in the world which maintains it's own slaughter ing and packing plant. Each year 15o,oeO
  and packed, and 100000 sheep. Don Luis personally superintends the different in- dustries on his ranch, covering many thousands of miles on horseback during twelve-month. Don Luis was at one time governor of Chihuahua, but public life did not suit him; 1t was too quiet and he preferred to spend his life riding over the plains and looking after his own en- terprises. He is three times as rich as any other man in Mexico. and has the name of being liberal and generous to- ward his work people.
 Don Luis Is very handsome man, mar ried to beautiful wife. He is the father of 12 children-seven sons and five daughters. The sons are all associated wit Don Luis in looking after the ranch, while the daughters, said to be the most beautiful women in Mexico, remain quiet ly at the homestead. All the children were educated in the United States, are highly accomplished, have travelled through Europe, and speak several lan- guages.
 Don Luis founded his cattle ranch about fl years ago, and four years later he sought to import the finest cattle from Scotland and England. But there was considerable difficulty in the way. The import duty on foreign cattle was so heavy that it was impossible to bring over the animals in quantities sufficient for his purpose, so Don Luis appealed to the Mexican government, pointed out the absurdity of restricting the importa- ton of good stock into the country and succeeded in getting the import tax re- pealed. Since that time Terrazas has in- creased his stock by the importation of something like 5000 bulls of the best breeds from the famous studs of Europe.
 Five years ago Terrazas installed on his ranch four big reservoirs, costing f10O,O00, besides which there are 300 wells scattered over the huge farm some of them going down to depth of 800 feet. These wells, the water from which is raised by means of windmills, cost an- other e1Oo,oOO. Every kind of, grain is grown, and Don Luis is constantly ex- perimenting in the raising of different foods for supplying the wants of his immense herds during the rainless sea- sons.
 An enemy which has to be sternly fought on this great ranch is fire, and scarcely a summer passes without great tracks of prairie being laid waste by its destroying advance. Throughout the tor rid months there is man stationed on the .1ookout'' at every station each hour of the "A. and directly he sees indications which tell him that fire has started he rings the massive alarm bell. and in an incredibly short time men come riding in. ready to fight the danger with their lives if necessary.
 The frightened cattle are driven side ways from the line of the oncoming ire, and then the enemy is attacked from the rear It is no good attempting to stop