The Washington herald., 1908-07-19
BIGGEST FARM IN MEXICO
Has 100000 Acres and Feeds
100000 Head of Cattle.
Don Luis TerrazaS Owns IL in the
State of chihuahua, and Has
Big House.

The biggest farm-If farm it can be
'caIled-is that owned by Don Luis Ter
razas in the state Of Chihuahua, Mexico,
which measures from north to south
80 miles and from east TO west 30 miles.
or S.oO0oo5 acres in all. On its prairies
and mountains roam 100000 head OF
cattle, 7OaOO sheep, and 10000 horses
The farmhouse is probably the most
magnificent in the world, for il cost
almost SI.6O0,9o0 to build. and is more
richly furnished than many a royal pal
ace. on the homestead alone are en-
ployed 100 male servants. The gardens
are superbly laid out. the stables more
magnificent than those OF the German
Emperor, and there is accommodation for
800 guests if necessary.
Scattered over the vast ranch are 100
outlying stations. each one Of which has
charge Of a certain portion Of the estate.
The horsemen. cowpunchers, nne-riders.
shepherds. and hunters number ZOO. and
the Terrazas ranch is the only one in the
world which maintains its own slaughter
I ing and packing plant Each year I50O00
I head Of cattle are slaughtered. dressed.
and packed. and 10000 sheep Don Luis
personally sUperintends the different in
{ dUstries on his ranch. covering many
thousands Of miles on horseback during
a twelvemonth. Don Luis was at one
/ time governor Of chihuahua. but public
I life did not suit him; 1t was TOO quiet.
and he preferred 20 spend his life riding
over the plains and looking after his
own enterprises. He IS three times as
rich as any other man in Mexico. and
has the name Of being liberal and gener-
Gus toward his workpeople
/ Don Luis IS a very handsome man.
married 10 a beautiful wife. He Is the
father OF twelve chndren-seven sons and
lfve daughters. The sons are all asso-
ciated with Don Luis in looking after the
ranch, while the daughters. said 10 BE-
{ the most beautiful women in Mexico. re-
main quietly at the homestead. ALI the
children were educated in the United
/ States. are highly accomplished. have
{ Travelled through Europe. and speak sew
/ eral languages.
! Don Luis founded his cattle ranch about
Z fourteen years ago. and four years later
/ he sought TO import the finest cattle from
| Scotland and England But there was a
/ considerable difficulty in the way The
/ import duty on foreign cattle was so
l heavy that il was impossible 10 bring
over the animals in quantities sufficient
l for his purpose, so Don Luis appealed 70
] the Mexican government. I,,intine out the
I absurdity Of restricting importation of
I good stock into the country. and succeed
/ ed in getting the import tax repealed
Since that time Terrazas has increased
1 his stock by the importation Of something
I Ike 1900 Of the best breeds from the IA
/ nous SrT1ds ~ E-rr-o7a
/ Five years ago Terrazas installed on
4 his ranch four big reservoirs. costing 500. o.
I Ooe besides which there are 800 wells scat
I tered over the huge farm. some OF them
going down TO a depth Of 800 feet These
wells. the water from which is raised by
I means Of windmills, cost another. sea 0so
I Every kind OF grain is grown. and Don
/ Luis Is constantly experimenting in the
I raising Of different foods" for supplying
| the wants Of his immense herds during
| the rainless seasons.
An enemy which has to be strongly
| 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
/ nd months there IS a man stationed on
/ the lookout at every station each hour
! OF thes stwenJy-fouT, and directly he sees
/ Indications which tell him that a fire has
/ started he rings the massive alarm bell.
| and in an Incredibly short time men come
riding in. ready 10 fight the danger with
/ their lives. If necessary.
/ The frightened cattle are driven side
ways from the line Of the oncoming fire,
| and then the enemy Is attacked from the
rear Il is no good attempting to stop a
prairie fire from the front. for its prog
! ress IS too rapid and too annihilating.
/ Heavy chains are dragged along the
ground, which help to weaken and dissi-
/ pate the FIRE. Across the prairie long
/ burrows fifty feet apart are quickly made.
/ and these help to stem the progress OF
/ the fire All night the fight is kept up.
and not until the last spark is quenched
are the men able to take food and rest.
| In these efforts TO subdue the flames
/ Don Luis and his sons are usually to be
| seen working like demons and urging
/ their men to greater efforts. Fighting a
/ prairie fire has all the elements Of dan
/ ger, and for excitement it has few equals.
/ For this reason Don Luis takes fierce
I delight in combating the flames, and de-
! clares that 1t is one of the fascinations OF
Z a u-a i-fa life