The New York herald., 1921-01-23
AN ESTATE THAT
MIGHT BE A STATE
100000 Acre Ranch in Texas
Makes Biggest Holding
Here Look Puny.
BY THE ODD PARAGRAPHER.

BY THE ODD PARAGRAPHER.
Several realty brokers were discussing
large privately owned land possessions.
In New York no conversation on this
topic is complete without prominent
mention OF the Astor holdings, and, Of
course. the belief was expressed that
the Astor family possessions were the
largest in the world.
THE trouble with you New Workers."
said broker who had spent much of
his life travelling" is that you view
everything outside of your own city
through smoked glasses. You just as
sumo that if man is the largest land
owner. or leading banker. merchant or
manufacturer of your city his suprem-
acy is worldwide The egotism of the
New Yorker in this respect Is quite
amusing to the we'll informed In other
parts of the country and abroad.
'As for the Astors being the largest
realty owners In the world, should say
that the persons holding that opinion
have little or no knowledge OF the vast
holdings under private ownership In
other cities I'm the United States and In
proved properties in important sections
of this city do not believe the Astors
rank even third in point OF realty
wealth In the world and in total area
their combined properties probably
would not compare with good sized
ranch In the open stretches OF the West
and South. In Canada hundreds OF
thousands of acres of forest land are
held In private ownership and In the
South and West ranches OF 10000 acres
and more are not uncommon.
~ woman IN Texas is said TO own p
ranch that contains more than 100000
acres. almost a whole State by itself.
Landlords in foreign countries own
prc~erties very much larger than the
cornt~ned holdings OF the Astors. In
London. for instance, there are several
improved tracts containing from zoo TO
400 acres each under individual owner
ship, the income from which ranges
from s2,0o0,000 to si5.000,o00 year.
The Astors are large realty owners. but
they are far from the largest In the
world"
The Texas tract referred TO above le
without question the largest ranch In
the world and probably tho largest single
property under private ownership. It
contains approximately 100000 acres
and covers every inch of three counties
Kleberg. Willacy and Cameron The
owner IS Mrs. Henrietta NJ. King OF
Kingsville. Tex. a city Of $500 people
located in the heart OF this vast acreage
and developed by the owner during the
last twelve OF her fifty years owner
ship. A better idea of the size OF Mrs.
Kings ranch Is obtained when It Is
pointed out that the entire State or
Delaware contains only 1.516.S00 acres.
or 241 800 more than the King tract.
To run from one end OF the property 10
the other by train requires three hours.
and still a two hour journey is ahead
before the fence posts of tho nearest
neighbor are sighted. Forty miles OF
the property is sanded beach. Mrs.
Kings home, Santa Gertrudis. is In
Kingsville. a huge castlelike structure
considered the most beautiful home In
southern Texas. Kingsvlllo has four
public schools. a high school, churches
of fva denominations. flne hotel cleo
trio lighting plant and water works and
many Industrial improvements