The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-10-04
A BEAUTIFUL RANCH
IS TAT'S
COUNTRY PLACE OF PRESIDENTS
BROTHER, DOWN IN TEXAS,
is AN IDEAL PLACE.
(By George 4. Schreine-. }

Down on the beautiful Corpus Christi
bay within easy reach of the rnetropo-
lis OF the great southwest. san An
tonic. where the days are warm and
make things grow, and the nights cool
tn give them resin one of the gar
den spots Of Teyas-is located the Taft
ranch. 1t is a priIcely domain. one.
which in the olien days would have
been coveted by kings and might have
cost the head of the holder. Large
enough To accommodate many a small
European principality within its Dor
aers, it has IA soil and climate hard to
equal, let alone surpass. Being 10
Gated in the rainbelt along the Gulf of
Mexico the many acres on the ranch
produce anything maf wishes Frost
and snow are unknown and winter is
a season when flowers bloom and men
walk around in their shirtsleeves OF
course. in the summer the sun beats
down pretty generously. But there is
the breeze from the gulf that makes
the shade delightfully."- cool and the
nights Arabian.
For the average man 1t is hard to
form an idea of the surface represent
ed by 10000 acres. In the language
Of the vcrnacular there is some land
to such stretch. Yet this is only
part of the Taft ranch. This section
is located in san Patricio county and
is known as La Quinta." On IL is
located the Taft home recently com
pieted. La Encinai.' a tract located
i'm Encinal and webb counties. is larg-
er than the former by many acres.
t.,
exranses of rolling pasture land slight
ly timbered with mesquite and hui
sache.
How Charles =. Taft acquired this
immense property is a very simple
though interesting story. Dave Sinton.
"A pioneer ranchman of Texas acquired
these broad acres in the days when
land i'm the southwest sold for as many
cents. and more often less than 1t now
costs dollars. Dave" as he was
known all over. had an only daughter
and she later on became Mrs. Charles
T.. Taft. Simple enough. is 1t not?
For many years the ranch was of no
more value than any other range.
Then 1t struck Big Bits brother that
he might be able to turn the property
to some account by bringing it i'm
touch with progress. This was done.
Today the ranch is practically self
contained little domain. In a few
months it will be this in a greater
degree. The packing plant which has
been in operation for three years viii
be increased to a capacity of $50 head
of cattle per day and at least as many
hogs and sheep. The expenditure nee
essary exceeds 100000. There Is now
being installed n s5-ton refrigerating
and ice making plant with access tn as
pure a supply of water as ever came
to the lips of man and an electric
light and power plant Was completed
some time ago. Cotton gins. oil mills,
storage houses and the like are going
up constantly. A vast producing and
manufacturing center. enjoying every
convenience and comfort of the city.
is thus being created.
Many People.
Naturally a vast number Of people
live on the estate. In the little town
of Sinton live 1900. at Gregory 500. Al
Taft 500 and at Portland 400. All III
these work on the Taft ranch. In
the case of Sinton, however. this il
not altogether true for the reason that
the land in its vicinity was recently
cut up into small tracts and rented
to northern farmers.
The administration of such an es-
tate is no small affair A. matter al
fact the Taft ranch enjoys Il govern
ment of its own. John +. Green. ths
SUPERINTENDENT of the estate. exercises
in some respects the authority of &
county judge. He is the man who
settles all disputes and acts as peace
maker generally. He designates jus
tees of the peace. a number of con
stables and about 20 deputy sherisfs
Though liquor can be secured in tbs
towns. intoxication means deportation
from the property and for this reason
is almost unknown. Crime is rarely
met with on the estate. Tndesirables
are dealt with in practical fashion
Superintendent Green orders them Il
move on and after that the Taft rancf
sees them no more.
The industrial department of ths
ranch is managed in the same thor
! ough manner. There is head IL
every branch of activity. man whs
has gained his promotion by merit
and seniority. All. however. are re-
spo1sihle TO Mr.. Green At the pres
ent time j. Tumlinson is in charge OF
the cattle department and c. NJ. VIII
/ liams manages the agricultural depart
ment. while a number If other people
look after the packing. dairy. cottof
and other industries. The smooth
manner in which the affairs of this
Taft ranch are being run j.. indeed, 1
! valuable lesson in practical sociology
Ground for new acres is being
/ cleared every day in the year. On tbs
Taft ranch there will be located mex
year the largest cotton field in tbs
! world. 1t viii be IS miles long ana