The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-10-15
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along the river and more than once used ariheo
cowboys The state supreme court sustained
most of his water rights
Miller began the building of his empire Sy pur-
chasing LOO acres Gilroy, about 20 mes
south of San Francisco. Later he expanded inns
to 10000 acres and made 1t his nome rahch. n
profits accrued, he put the money back into lano'
cattle and sheep BY 1886 the operations OF uie
partners had reached their peak. They owneo
about 100000 acres in California and mao iatse
holdings in Oregon and Nevada
IT once thought that / should own the Whole
state Of California" said Miller about 1910. !
would have owned half Of it, had not mace the
mistake Of buying in Oregon and Nevada anu
INV son, if he had lived could have bought the
other half
II was in 1886 that Miller and Lux had soooo
cattle and 100000 sheep For years their annual
sale of meat had averaged $1,5OO,OOO Ihey hau
organized water companies, had laid out TOWN
sires and had built towns. They had constructed
roads and irrigation canals and bitches
The ranches were famous as models Miller
snent most of his time in their inspection. Each
ranch had foreman. with three sub-foreman 1or
cattle, sheep and farming Every group OF rahch
es had a general manager. There was geherai
superintendent of the sheep interests. But no
bodv ever doubted that Miller the boss. AT
oacb ranch was a bedroom for the boss, kept In
nerfect order for his coming which might be night
or day. He usually travelled in a buggy behind
a fast team; at eighty-fve he frequently drove
so miles in day
Miller,s men were well fed and well LOGGED.
The superannuated were pensioned. he was ilp-
eral and he demanded efficiency in return. he
cove his foreman practically free hand; the
man who s.made good" could have anything within
reason Order neatness cleanliness were Miller
watchwords. At one ranch he became interesteu
IN a flock of newly-hatched chicks On MS next
visit he asked for them. 1.-The rats got EN-, sala
the foreman rats are sign OF decay re-
marked Miller Shortly afterward that ioreinan
was looking for Job.
Charles Lux died in 1887 Thereupon the busl-
ness was Incorporated. Miranda Lux his widow,
took half OF his milliOn-dOllar estate. The otner
half went to four brothers and sisters OF Lux III
Germany. and another brother, Henry Lux OF San
Jose. Henry Lux died In 1902 leaving his nfth
share to his three children. Miranda Lux left
son by her first husband; he left widow and
SON. By and by these claimants began to press
Miller for an accounting and for larger dividends
The autocratic old eInpire-builder resented this
interference. and took his battle into the courts.
His only ally was his son-inaw, j. Leroy Nickel
who had married Nellie Sarah Miller
M,ller's first move was to allow the California
CORPORATION to lapse through nonpayment OF IL
ceuse fees. He then reorganized $Iz,OOUVOV cor
roration under the laws of Nevada. After mucn
nticat,on. In 1910, he agreed to a Ave mon-do
lar bond issue through the Bank OF California 70
enable him to purchase outright all the inter
cots of the ~ heirs of Charles Lux IN Germany
and the United States This gave Miller abso
int control Of. all the vast property. The mex
Ave wears we're practically continuous battle II
tho courts over boundary claims, water rights ant
other matters. -,
iron the death OF Henry Miller in 1915 at GIL
~ new struggle began. When his will wa
aed for probate It was found that the bulk OF thu
ostate hnd heen transferred to trust created IL
1q1a il which he held life interest and OF which
hia daughter and her husband were trustees Tn
: ent,re estate was estimated at $4OOOOOO0. ant
,federal and state authorities Immediately bega!
proceedings In an attempt to collect inhertanc
fax on the full amount instead OF on the compare
lively small estate set down in the WILL The rec
eral government claimed $4,000.OOO and Caiiforni
claimed $8.o00O00
Tho amount claimed In taxes by the federa
royernment increased rapidly by penalties
Arm o. 1918 the claim was nearly VOO.ON
That year there vas decision against the estate
tie property wss ordered ssised and sold at ~
10. An iz1unetian vas szantsd 81 teoese