Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-03-06
VISITORS FROM MEXICO
JUAN SIMMONS AND PRINCE AUER
SPERG RETURN FROM VISIT TO
FORMERS STAR COUNTY RANCH.

- lAh SOo&N
Juan Simmons of Mexico City, and one
of the owners of the San Domingo ranch
i'll Starr county, returned last night from
the ranch, where he states that he went
to inspect the progress a model farm of
1900 acres which he is establishing. He
says that the farm will be completed
early this summer, probably in June. Mr..
Simmons reports that 500 acres of the
tract has been cleared and plOwed, and
the first planting will be done On 200
acres, which is TO be planted in onions,
and the owners plan is to put at least q
thousand acres of the ranch in cotton.
He states that there is on the tract an
irrigation plant, or pumping station,
which cost approximately a hundred
thousand dollars besides other improve
ments done and contemplated. With Mr..
Simmons in the proposition and actively
engaged in its management are his wife's
father, ID. ID. Jones, and the ~lattcr's son,
Knox Jones. The latter gentlemen give
their entire attention to the operation Of
the farm.
The Mexico capitalist declares he has
in mind a model farm Oh the San Domin-
90 ranch, and will spare no money to
reach that height.
Accompanying Mr.. Simmons on his
present visit it Or" Francis Auersperg
of Vienna. The doctor. Mr.. Simmons in
forms the reporter, is in reality a prince,
though not of the royal house of Hap
burg, now ruling Austria. The prince,
he says frequently visits Mexico, and
is his guest at present for a long stay.
The titled traveller is decidedly modest
when it to his station in life, and
travels under the name Or. Auersperg,'
as he says he does not court the motor
iety that might follow in some places
should his real name become known.
He expresses himself as elated with
the Improvement work he saw on the
San Domingo ranch. He says he has Il
hobby on the chicken raising PROPOSE
ton, and has promised himself a return
trip sOon to the San Domingo ranch, to
engage for a time in that humble Occupa-
ton. In his home country. the prince
says he has many chickens, and he gives
them considerable of his time.
Mr.. Simmons and his guest leave this
afternoon for Philadelphia where they
expect to remain a month or six weeks.
They probably will return to Mexico by
way Of Brownsville, and at that time the
prince says he probably will 90 to the
San Domingo ranch for his round with
chickens.
Speaking Of the Mexican situation
yesterday Mr.. Simmons said:
Il have lived in Mexico fifteen years
and though | have been through several
revolutions. / have never been molested.
During many Of them I have Travelled
through the country and met with ne
harm. | believe that Mexico is facing an
era of prosperity, Notwithstanding the
pessimism on the border. Reports have
been very much exaggerated as affecting
Americans and their property. Where
foreigners have been mOlested and their
property destroyed. there have been hun
dreds of Mexicans killed and millions of
dollars of Mexican property destroyed.
"You might say that many Of these
sO-called hair breadth escapes, accounts
of which have been published in the
United States papers, existed only in the
minds of some of those people.
II was not in Mexico City during the
recent troubles there. tut my friend.
Prince Auersperg was there all during
the revolution. He was in his hotel, the
Isabel, at nearly all times. and the ho-
tel was in the line Of fire. The hotel was
shot into frequently but Notwithstanding
that the prince many times vent into the
streets. He assisted the Belgium minis
ter to a place of safety by driving the
minister through the turbulent streets
in his automobile
Mr.. Simmons hays that he has many
interests in Mexico. and he intends 10
remain there. He apparently has no fear
that anything will happen greater than
the revolution which has just seemingly
ended.