The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-11-04
WOMAN OWNS BIG FARM.
,25O,OOO Acres in Three Texas Coun-
ties Operated by Woman.

Rockefeller and Morgan may have
near-corner on the worlds money,
says Kingsville, Texas, dispatch.
Mrs Henrietta NJ. King has a near
corner on the worlds land, or at least
so it seems.
For three hours by train one rides
across her ranch. And still a two
hour journey is ahead before the
fence posts of her nearest neighbor
is sighted.
For Mrs. King, a sweet-faced moth
erly woman of 70, widow of Capt.
Richard King, soldier and stockman,
is the owner of the worlds largest
ranch.
1t has nearly 1,250,000 acres
nearly the size of Delaware. Forty
miles of it is sanded beach.
1t covers every inch of three coun-
ties-Kleberg, Willacy and Cameron,
But, most remarkable of all is
Mrs. Kings city-Kingsville. 1t is
the only city of it's kind in the world,
residents say. For Kingsville, a mod
ern city, lies in the dead center of
the King ranch, surrounded on four
sides by the 1,250,OO0 acres belong
ing to one person.
At Mrs. Kings palatial ranch home
and mansion of Spanish beauty
one learns the story of the biggest
ranch" from it's owner.
Fifty years ago my husband and
settled here" she said. eve had
but five neighbors in all south Tex
as. They owned ranches of approx
imately the same size as ours. Land
was free then Nobody wanted it;
in fact, it was impossible to give it
away.
Then my husband died. My
daughter married the finest man in
all south Texas. He had vision. He
showed me how 1 could aid so many
people through my land. I gave him
full charge"
Later the finest man in south Tex
as''-Robert j. Kleberg, was inter-
viewed.
'tMrs. King is the most wonderful
woman in the world,' he said. Il ex-
planned to her my dream-the build
ing up of this great ranch. She set
aside 100000 acres in the center of
it and told me to experiment with it..
"Today $500 people live here.
They cultivate $4,000 acres of the
finest land. Fifty thousand head of
their cattle have free range on the
rest.
my mother-in-law cultivates 1900
acres more, in cotton, cane and kaf-
fro. Her 100000 head of cattle are
spread over the remainder of the
property"
Kleberg then pointed out the
things Mrs. King has done:
Twelve years ago one had to trav-
ell by wagon from Corpus Christi to
the Mexican border. Mrs. King Of
fered the St. Louis, Brownsville and
Mexican Railroad property if they
would build. A good railway and a
100000 depot resulted.
Built new high school and gave it
to the children of the community. 1t
cost S125,CO0.
Four other schools, one an indus
trial and agricultural school for Mex
lean children, cost her 100000 more.
She now provides teachers for all
of these.
Two Catholic, one Presbyterian, a
Methodist, a Baptist and a Christian
church stand upon ground she gave.
Built Casa Ricardo-a 100000
hotel.
Built "Santa Gertrudis," the mag
nifcent King home, said to have cost
100000, and is admitted to be the
most beautiful dwelling fl south Tex
as
Cotton gins, owned by the people,
were made possible through her gifts
and aid.
Were never bothered with legis-
lators probing the housing question
here" the natives say. "We've found
the garden of Eden-their official
name for Kingsville-and, while city
folks worry about their two-room
apartments, we're living in happiness
on our ranch of l,250,000 acres
making money and growing-all in
IL years."
Off the Dot.