The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-08


miles and from east TO west goo miles,
or s,000,0OO acres IN all, On les prair-
les and mountains roam 100000 head
pt cattle, 100000 sheep and 100000
horses, The farmhouse Is probably
the most magnificent IN the world, for
il cost almost 81 600, 900 20 build and
Is more richly furnished than many u
royal palace On the homestead alone
afe employed 100 male servants. The
| gardens are superbly laid out, the
stables more magnificent than those Of
the German emperor, aud there is ae-
eemmodation for 500 guests If neees-
sary
Scattered over the vast ranch are a
hundred outlying stations, each one Of
which has charge Of certain portion
Of the estate The horsemen, cow
punehets, line.riders, shepherds and
hunters number 2,O00 and the Terrazas
iQheh is the only one IN the world which
maintains It's own sloughtering and
packing plant Each year 10000 head
OF cattle are slaughtered, dressed and
packed. and 100000 sheep Don Luis
personally superintends the different
industries ON his ranch covering many
thousands Of miles on horseback during
a twelycmonth. Don Luis was at one
time governor OF Chhuhabn, but public
lite did not suit him; it was too quiet,
and he preferred to spend his life rid
ing over the plains and looking after
his own enterprises. lie il three times
as rich as any other man in Mexico and
has the name Of being liberal and gen
erous TOWARD his workpeople.
Don luis is q very handsome man,
married to a beautiful wife. He is the
father of i9 children-seyen sons and
five daughters. The sons are all asso.
eiated with Don Luis IN lool,ing after
the ranch, while the daughters said TO
BE- the most beautiful women in Mexico
remain quietly At The homestead
III the children were educated ia the
United States. are highly accomplish.
cd. have travelled through Europe and
speak several languages. Don Luis
founded lis cattle ranch about IA years
ego. and four years later he sought to
import the finest cattle from Scotland
and England But there was consid
erable difficulty in the way The inn
Tart duty or foreign cattle was 50
heavy that it was impossible TO bring
over the animals IN quantities sufficient
for his purpose, so Don Luis appealed
TO the Mexican government pointing
out the absurdity ot restricting impor.
tation of good stock into the country,
aud succeeded in getting the import tax
repealed Since that time Terrszas has
increased his stock By The Importation
IF something Ike 5000 bulls Of the
best breeds from The famous studs Of
Europe.
Five years ago Terra2as installed on
tis ranch four biz reservoirs. costing
500 900. besides which there are 300 /
wells scattered over the huge farm, |
some Of them going down to depth Of |
500 feet The wells. the water from /
which is raised by means Of windmills
cost another $50O.000. Every kind OF I
grain is grown, ard Don Luis Is con-
tantly experimenting in the raising Of /
different foods" fot supplying the |
wants Of his immense herds during the
rainless seasons. An enemy which has
TO be sternly fought on this great ranch I
j. FIRE and scarcely a summer passes
without great tracts Of prairie being
laid waste by its destroying advance.
Throughout the tmFid mouths there Is
a man>etationed on the lookout at
every station each hour Of the ~. and
directly he sees indications which tell
him that fire has started he rings
the massive alarm bell and in an IN
c~ediahly short time men come riding
~, ready to fight the danger with their
lives il necessary
The frightened cattle are driven side
ways from the line d tle oneoning fire.
end then tie enemy is attacked from
the rear. It Is no good attempting to
stop prairie from the front. for its
progress is too rapid and too annihilat-
ing Heavy chains are dragged along
the ground, which help to weaken and
lissipate the fire, Across the prairie
long furrows 50 feet apart are quickly
made and these also help TO stem the
progress Of the fire, All night the fight
is kept MP. and not until the last spark
II quenehed are the men able to take
fool Or rest. II these his sons are us
ually 70 be seen working like demons
md urging their men to greater efforts.
Fighting 4 prairie fire has all the ole
ments Of danger, and for excitement 1t
las few equals. For this reason Don
Iuis takes fierce delight in combat
ng the flames, and declares that ii is
me OF the destinations Of prairie Lite.