Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1909 — RANCH IS LARGER THAN ALL INDIANA [ARTICLE]

RANCH IS LARGER THAN ALL INDIANA

Signor Don Terazzous Has Such a Ranch In Old Mexico, and It Is All His Own and Well Stocked.

A short letter from W. N. Pence is the inspiration for a very good newspaper story. Mr. Pence is well known in Rensselaer, having for some years been the Nelson Morris foreman in this county. He exhibited so much talent in the managing of vhst acres and mammoth herds of cattle that he was assigned to a much larger task in Texas, and he is now one of -the best known and most capable ranchmen in that great state. After speaking of the weather, which was quite cold the day he wrote; that is quite cold for Texas, he stated that that country was filling up very fast with farmers and land is advancing in price all of the time. He then states: “Tell Fred Phillips that I expect to go to old Mexico soon and would like to have him go along to rope a few long horns, ride some bronchos, and kill ten or fifteen Yaka Indians.” When the invitation was communicated to Col. Phillips he jumped almost out of his boots with delight. But it was only for a second, for be realized that this is his harvest season, and that he will be having public sales all this month and all next and well along into March. Fred spent some months of his earlier life in the west, and liken a ranch next to his wife and* baby, and last year he made a long trip up through Yellowstone Park on horse back. And he feels ready to start out again and save for the demands of business he would be off for the land of bronchos and aborigines as soon as he could get his buckskin breeches find a bandana handkerchief in knapsack. Fred knows something about the land that Mr. Pence will visit and grew enthusiastic as he talked to the Republican about it. "Why,” said he, “the ranch he Is going to visit in old Mexico is 250 miles wide by 300 miles long, larger

than the state of Indiana, and the owner, Signor Don Terrazous, is the whole thing there", the governor, the court, the treasurer, and what he says in that great territory is the law. Don is the first part of his name and Terrazous is the last, but that is not nearly all the name; there is a string of middle names of Spanish type that would reach from here to Remington. Well, sir, that ranch is stocked with a million sheep, a half million cattle and 200,000 head of horses. “The Morris ranch in Texds is a great affair and they raise many thousands of cattle there and ship them to another mammoth ranch of some 500,000 acres in North Dakota where the cattle are fattened for market They are unable to raise all they need and each year, or perhaps oftener, Mr. Pence makes ‘ a buying trip to Mexico and purchases some 10,000 head. This is doubtless his mission in going there this time. A year or so ago the Morris ranch was in the market for 300 horses for herding purposes, and Mr, Pence consulted the Mexico ranch owner about purchasing them of him. Terazzous offered to furnish him 300 four year old geldings, all the same color and so nearly alike that one could scarcely be told from the other. “Pence offered me a chance last year to go with him, and if he don’t want me to go, he had better stop asking, for if an invitation ever comes when I can get away, it’s me for Mexico.” And as the reporter left Col. Phillips’ office the latter gave a far away look as though he was imagining a scene where Texas steers, brown hills, bucking bronchos ridden by daring cow boys and the jovial W. N. Pence were outlined against a blue sky. j —- Mr. Pence closed his let f er to the Republican by sending his regards to all his old friends.