The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-10-31


cool to give them resin one OF
the garden spots of Texas-is located
the Taft ranch. II is a pTincely do
main, one which in the Olden days
would have been coveted by kings
and might have cost the head of the
holder. Large enough to accOmmO-
date many a small European pTinCi-
pality within it's borders, it has a soil
and climate hard to equal, let alone
surpass. Being located in the rain
belt along the Gulf of Mexico the
many acres on the ranch produce any
thing man 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 it is hard to
OTm an idea of the surface repre-
scented by 10000 acres. In the langu-
age of the vernacular there is some
land to such a stretch. \ ct this is
only a part of the Taft ranch. This
section is located in San PatTicio
county and is known as La Quinta.
On it is located the Taft home re-
Gently completed. la Encinal," a
tract located in Encinal and Webb
counties, is larger than the former by
many acres. No less than 100000
acres form its vast expenses of rolling
pasture land slightly timbered with
mesquite and huisache.
Easily Acquired.
How Charles P. Taft acquired this
immense property in very simple
though interesting story. Dave Sin
ton, a pioneer Tanchman of Texas &C
quired these broad acres in the days
when land in the southwest sOId for
as many cents, and more often less
than it now costs dollars. Dave,
as he was known all over. had an
only daughter and she later on be
came Mrs. Charles p. Taft. Simple
enough, is it not?
For many years the ranch was OF
no more value than any other range
Then it struck Big Bills brother that
he might be able to turn the prop
erty to some account by bringing 1t
in touch with progress. This was
done Today the ranch is practically
seIf-cOntained little domain. In
few months it will be this in a great
er degree. The packing plant Wnich
has been in operation for three years.
will be increased to a capacity of 900
head of cattle per day and at least as
ture necessary exceeds 100000.
There is now being installed 75-ton
refrigerating and e-maAing plant
with access to as pure supply OF
water as ever came to the lips OF maa
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 COM
fort of the city, is thus being Gre
ated.
Naturally a vast number of people
live on the estate In the little town
of SintOn live 1900, at Gregory 500, at
Taft 500 and at Portland 400. All OF
these work on the Taft ranch. In the
case of SintOn, however, this is not
altogether true, for the reason that
the land in it's vicinity was recently
cut I'D into small tracts and rented 20
northern farmers
The administration of sucn an estate
is no small affair. AS a matter of fact
the Taft ranch enjoys d government
of its own. John F. Green, the sup
erintendent of the estate. exercises IN
! some respects the authority of cOun-
tv Judge He is the man VINO settles
all disputes and acts as peace
maker generally. He designates JUS
| tees of the peace, a number OF con-
! stables and about twenty deputy she~-
Lifts. Though liquor can be secured IN
the towns, Intoxication means depor-
tation from the property and for this
reason Is almost unknown. crime Is
rarely met with on the estate. Unde-
sirabIes are dealt with in practical
| fashion. Superintendent Green or
| ders them to move on and after that
/ the Taft ranch sees them no more.
The industrial department of the
ranch is managed IN the same
! thorough manner. There Is a mead
to every branch of activity, man
VINO has gained his promotion by mer-
it and seniority. All, however, are re
sponsible to Mr.. Green. At the pres
ent time J. Tumlinson is IN charge OF
the cattle department and C. NJ VIII
iams manages the agricultural depart
ment. while a number of other people
look after the packing, dairy, cotton
and other industries. The smooth
manner in which the affairs Of the
Taft ranch are being run is, indeed,
valuable lesson in practical socloloSy-
Largest Cotton Field.
Ground TOR new acres is being clear
ed every day in the year. On the
Taft ranch there viii be located next
year the largest cotton field IN the
world. II will be twenty-five miles
long and Will extend one mile on each
side of the tracks of the San Antonio
and Arkansas Pass railroad, which ira
verses the estate. Corn, milo maize
Kafir corn, sorghum cane. COW bean
and other fields viii take up large
areas. Truck viii be grown in great
Quantities Nevertheless the big pas
lures of the property Will not be mar
rOUed down TO any extent. These
arc now divided into $4,000 10 30
000-acre ranges and support over 81
600 head OF cattle and many thous-
and of smaller animals, such as sheep,
goats. hogs and all sort Of fowl The
Dackerv now in course OF erection will
g, 1-,-,f 1,-7zz- IA king care of these. The