Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-07-03
@iseellaaeous 8eading.
BIGGEST SOUTHWESTERN FARM.

BIGGEST SOUTHWESTERN FARM
1t Is Owned BY Don Luis Terrazas oi
chihu ahua, Mexico.
The biggest 2arm-if farm it car
be called-is that owned by Don Luis
Terrazas in the state of Chihauhau,
Mexico, which measures from north
to south $50 miles and from east to
west 200 miles, or 100000 acres in
all.
On its prairies and mountains roam
! 100000 head Of cattle, 100000
sheep and 100000 horses. The farm
house" Is probably the most magnifi-
cent in the world, for 1t cost $4,000
900 to build and is more richly fur
nished than many a royal palace.
| On the homestead alone are en-
| ployed a hundred male servants. The
gardens are superbly laid out, the
stables are magnificent, and there
are accommodations for 500 guests.
Scattered over this vast ranch are
a hundred outlying stations, each one
Of which has charge Of certain por-
| ton of the estate. The horsemen,
cowpunchers, line riders, shepherds
and hunters number 1000, and the
Terrazas ranch Is the only one in the
| world which maintains its own
slaughtering and packing plant.
Each year 10000 head Of cattle
are slaughtered, dressed and packed
and 100000 sheep. Don Luis person.
ally superintends the different indus
tries on his ranch, covering many
thousands of miles on horseback dur
ing a 12-month.
Don Luis was at one time governor
of Chihuahua, but public life did not
suit him; he preferred to spend his
life riding over the plains and look
ing after his own enterprises. He is
three times as rich as any other man
in Mexico, and has the name of being
liberal and generous towards his
workpeople.
Don Luis Is a very handsome man,
married to a beautiful wife. He is
the father of IL children-seven sons
and five daughters. The sons are all
associated with Don Luis in looking
after the ranch, while the daughters
said to be the most beautiful 'wo-
men in Mexico-remain quietly at the
homestead All the children were ed
ucated in the United States, are high
ly accomplished, have travelled
through Europe ard speak several
languages.
Don Luis founded his cattle ranch
about fourteen years ago, and four
years later he sought to import the
finest cattle from Scotland and Eng
land. But the import duty on foreign
cattle was so heavy that 1t was i'm
possible to bring over the animals in
quantities sufficient for his purpose,
so Don Luis appealed to the Mexican
government, pointed out the absurd
ity Of restricting the importation Of
good stock into the country and sue
ceeded in getting the import tax re-
increased his stock by the importa-
ton 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, cost
ing 100000, besides which there are
800 wells scattered over the huge
farm some of them going down to a
water from which is raised by means
of windmills cost another 100000.
Every kind Of grain is grown and
Don Luis is constantly experimenting
in the raising Of different foods for
supplying the wants Of his immense
herds during the rainless seasons.
An enemy which has to be sternly
fought on this great ranch is fire, and
scarcely a summer passes without
great tracts Of prairie being laid
waste by it's destroying advance.
Throughout the torrid months there
is a man stationed on the lookout"
at every station each hour Of the "a,
and as soon as he sees indications
that fire has started he rings mas
sive 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
sideways from the line Of the oncom-
ing fire, and then the enemy is at
tackled from the rear. 1t is no good
attempting to stop prairie fire from
the front, for it's progress is too rapid
and too annihilating.
Heavy chains are dragged along the
ground, which help to weaken and
dissipate the fire. Across the prairie
long burrows so feet apart are quick
ly made, and these also 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 usu-
ally to be seen working like demons
and urging their men to greater eff
forts. Fighting a prairie fire has all
the elements of danger, and for eX-
citement it has few equals. For this
reason Don Luis takes fierce delight
in combating the flames, and declares
that it Is one of the destinations of
prairie life.-St. Louis Post Dispatch.