The Oregon daily journal., April 21, 1907, SECTION FOUR, Image 45

TllZ CIILGOri SUrDAY JOURNAL.
FOaTLAr SUNDAY LICZKIHG, ATZ.IL 2i,
J?C7
3
Ml):
W1M
i 'A m n .. 7 is. ay r i wwt.. v.a ti v xtTri asr..i . i r
IunahDoorwm
s w vx
tj7er front
SK any Texan the question "JVho is
'the most remarkable woman in the
country ?' and he will promptly re
spond: "Mrs. Helen M. King." .
For Mrs. King and her career are always
erred to with pride by Texansby the
people of the entire Southwest,, for that mat
ter. Ndt only is she the pioneer woman ranch
er'of that vast territory of great cattle king
doms, but she is numbered among the world i
richest women, having run i close race 'with
Mrs. Hetty Green in the accumulation of
millions. V
V. Her successful business career stamps
her as the peer of any of the famed American
captains of industry 'who now dominate the
industrial, corporate and financial affairs of
the; United States. Left the nucleus of her
now vast fortune by her husband, who has
COUNTIES In Texas ar not small, yet to large ar
th real estate holdings of tbia progressive worn
' an that ' thy extend Into four , co untie Duval, 1
' Numm, Zapata and Starr. , :,'' ,
I lar llrat possession, th Santa Gertrude ranch -: la
her prido. To It. a few ysars ago, aha added an ad
Joining property, th Vom Laureloa ranch, thus bringing
bar land property to 1.000,000 acres. ' ' '
' Over three million aoraa ar scattered mora than
KAfOO head of beef cattle. In addition, there are hun
dred of horses, mustangs, Texaa ponlca and live a lock
, cf other kinds. Moat of thia stork la of excellent quality
-there la very little of the kind known as fscrub, and
It brings the highest prices at such centres as Kansas
City. St, Louis and Chicago, to which polnta the ranch
queen makes regular shipments.
Few sheep are raised on the two ranches, but there
'are thousacda of hogs, chickens, geese and ducks. Much
of the fowl product la retained for the tables of the King
household and the homes of the employee, but the surplus
'is sent to market. While Mrs.' King Is generous, even
. open-handed la - relieving the needy and In giving to
worthy objecta, nothing goes to waste anywhere oa her
great estate. . V ' - .., V ' '
' In laying the foundation of hr present great fortune,
Mrs. King was a helpful aaslatant of her huabaad, the
late Captain Richard King, whose . memory Is highly es
teemed by all Texana. i ..' '. '
When be died, leaving her extensive land tnteraati.
aha bravely continued the work that bs had begun, and
haa seta her wealth Inerease by Ira pa and bounds. By
common repute aha la rated as worth at least $30,000,000. ,
; y BRAVED INDIANS AND OUTLAWS '
Almost from the time that Captain Xing located la
that section of Texaa bordering on Mexico, his wife was
with htm and ahared with the settler lha bardahtpa and
dangers that beset them In the days of lawlessness for
which the period following the nhort-Uved republic of
Houston, Crockett and Bowie became notorious, and the
years aubsequent to the Mexican and the Civil Wars.
i .When aba went there with ber husband. Indian bands -roamed
at will on the land which la now ber own. . But '
the Indiana were far less dangerous, and not so much.,
a menace to the safety of the Klnga a ad other settlers
'as were their neighbors oa the border, the desperadoes of
1 that Wild period. . '. , ' . ' v ( , ,.;.,-..; .
. Front Mexico flocked outlaws, cutthroats, amugglers,
cattle thieves and revolutlonlats; and from various parts
of the Vntted Btatos criminals and renegadea of society
all of whom sought refuge from the grip of tha law la
the then almost ur penetrated Southwest.
It was In BrownavUls that Captain King and ' bia
young wife lived when they began farming and cattle
raising, acquiring by degrees the land which formed the
aurltua for the. vaM ewiate which the latter now control.
Beownsvtllc was In the very centre of border ruffian
ism, but the sturdy settler and his yourg wlfs were
ridiiatrtaua and knew not fear. Captain King was not
long la eeubllahlng a reputation tar and wide for bis
bravery and ability to take ear of himself and his fajn-
117. - N
His handsome yeang bride, a Southern belle, educated
la the select schools of New Orleans, was Just as cuuragt
eua, and could handle a. rifts with as great skill aa the)
frontlersmea of that day. She was accounted' a euro
shot, and the deareradoe who crowded Brownsville had
a wholesome regard for her.
Never by word or act waa she molested either la
Brownsville or on the famv Bhe was a Diana oa bora-,
back, and few of the men could excel ber In borsemaa
shlp. Ie her eld age she still haa a splendid and perfect
mount on the back of the most spirited steed.
Captain King waa noted for his honesty, fairness and
ability to taks care uf bla Interests la any business
transaoOon. H fought his way through the long period
nf terrorism carried on by the bdrdor ruffian, who oom
baled nim at every atep for tho eomln civilisation and
ivehpmcni oX that eectioa of the Southwest.
BATTLES WITH DESPERADOES
Innumerable etortea of 'bl battle with the bands of
desperate outlaw who preyed a bla roaming herds of
eattle ar told today in the eamrnres of cowboys in the
employ of hi Woiow. Uy bard work Sud cM attention
1 eualr he addVd to lls ortamai aanaU parcel of land.
oy aoriio aiut traci v tract, until at ne time
M iu wain, a quarter i a century ago, n owned halt
a million acrva. and hla henls f cattle had grewa trocs .
a few hundred to many thousand In number.
Hlkly eduvated and rerod In hi x wry, Mts. King waa
a atrooa. proarenslv asvl eelf-rettant dlapoaltloa. goexl
alra. tut dtrmlna. Thw charsctkristir wer of
tnvaluanle amletani' to her husband, store especially aa
1 hid a natural gift tor bvetne, and was m maatr
hand at undrtandiag and grMprng dvtallav
Ptiiinit all th time Uiat Captain King waa strssajltng
for th future welftre of bis fan lly and battltns wltlt ho
leeporttxloe Inftatln the retrloav -tnf to enrich tem
selve hr rolthing aim ef hi rattl and Uv stock, bla
brav ye una; wife was btw constant companion andlWur
tenant. la a littl ahark h-rrvl eon fared with tb
fme- old 9outlurn manatnn tn whirk- ah Sad relsned aa
at u!e- n the days of her belle hood built w th Arm
tract of land thr bought, Mra, Klng surraunded eoly
"hr her ynuna; cMlrrn. artended to tho houaeJtold duties
and kpt a kea watch for marauder who migUt sock
W raid tho farnt.
Th only preftIon ah tad when a Inn with her
fcihtr enflnlatA.t f a rifle and revolver. Thou ah krt
el'W it hnnrt. aid RiHiy a lime rh forked th biao to
-';co with a lt-hootr lying by her aid and th rill
In rny rrT-h,
tf;i was nu efccHont shot, and so thoroughly Inured
A
been dead many years, she has increased her.
wealth by many millions in a period of a quar
ter of a century, 'VA : i:
" Visitors to the Lone Star State have
heard for years of Mrs. King and her two
great ranches in Texas together they have
J, 000,000 acres, or not a great deal less in
area than the State of Delaware. For years,
in illustration of the immensity of her land
' holdings, it has been customary to state that
' it was fifty miles from her doorway to her
front gate'. '; 7. ' ' ' '
' ' Over this 'principality of the cattle coun
try Mrs. King has ruled in -person, not dele-
fating authority to (others,' she has managed'
er affairs so well that her wealth has grown
as if by magic. Recent negotiations by a party ;
: of capitalists for her 1 ,ooo,000cre ranch
have attracted attention to her possessions
and her, really romantic career. ,
to frontier life and. Its dangers that the outlaws and,
thieves who infested th section gave th bouss a wide
berth when they learned that she was there alone with '
her "ahootln. iron." Indeed, th desperadoes, who at
some tint or .other bad to see Captain King on legitimate
. business, readily admitted that they preferred- to call
t
A.
V
.-fcyWrSeV yt-.r.jt.v
at th bouse while tha captain was there rather than
meet bis wife alona. '.
Indiana never troubled th King ranch. ' They bad m 'x
wholesome re pact for th captain's prowess, which was '
tested In many aa encounter when he first settled oa
th border. In course cf time the red men established
frlsndly relatione with Captain King and becam hl .
suunchest allies against th cattle thieves and cut
throats - :
Indeed, many a time, while King .waa away from
borne looking after bis scattered herds of cattle, the In
diana sent messages to bis wlfs. alou with her babe :
la the shack, to want her of Impending danger.
Friendly redskins would wait In ambush for gangs of
raiders and rout them after a lively battle. During the -conflict
th brave wire and mother stood on guard with
rin la on band and a six -shooter In the other, ready to
ARE WOMEN
gradually log
" ing tha of tnesa
of their gezl
Are they becoming
more masculine aa the
: years go byT ,
. To this question
many physicians and
m students of sociology
answer, yes.'
Sad to relate,
many critical observ
er of the gentler sex
assert that its mem
bers are writing a new
history of woman;
.that she is becoming
mescaline in de-.
mtiBti; masterful
and independent in
manner; assertive in
maintaining her so-called right. No longer the
dependent, is she to sicrifice that intangible
charm of sweet, demo re womanliness in this era
of the new woman, tha working woman, tha scholar
ly woman!.
JK'F" 0t- "-rvvv..yh,;t .Jf.-t.--.-.v,jvYs
" s.: .. 1 '"':-
,.. -y
- v -
, -! ' 3
4W rn
Lll . t - sT'sV.-sslga- W waSS. gBaal Wf rsjt " San II 1 II
. V .V : ' - tl-.
:S-s& V, ;'v. I L-- -J!l" -
- risftfarl in -am. A
Ciav&7Fl on fie
i
sfs ,
defend with ber owa life tha dear ones ah was pro
tectlng. - '
. One shs bad occasion tor real alarm. While she was
busy cooking eupper Captain King being from homer and
nothing Indicating danger ah beard a nols In th area
before the cabin. Running to the window, she saw a
notorious Mexican bandit dismounting from his broncho.
She quickly withdrew and reached for her alx-ahooter.
Bhe bad misplaced the weapon and did not And ft at
one. . Finally ah discovered the revolver on top of th
kitchen cupboard, and grasped It. As shs turned, how
ever, shs saw the Mexican standing In the doorway.
He had her covered with two pistols, which be point
ed directly at bar. la broken English. Interspersed with
many Spanish oaths, the Mexican warned her to throw
down her gun and make no reeistanc. aa It would be sur
death for her. Th Intruder told ber he bad com for
th captain's gold, and that h wanted It quick. .
Wains a waa eaee aa anset, bat ahe became aiaaaUaaedl ..
so new ah la la tha cloadaLadwlg raid. ,
MOST of ua hav real cf th faisaes nd ladd'e
. of Colonial time- of ths dainty, demur
maidens "tripping lightly.- "speaking softly."
. "blushing radiantly" anil coquetting with
bashful, downcast eyes."
Th voice f one or thee was like a whisper, ber
coming as gentle and beautiful as a Southern scphyr.
th looked up to ber lover, the robust man, with
trustful dependence and love, loalng nothing by her
subntiKsiver.es to his will, her swet-t. cluiuisn simplic
ity of manner, her willing confidence and clinging
way. Instead, sh becam a, greater Idal In th at run
man eyra; like a rose she wound herself about hi
heart mor securely.
Yet doe on meet th aim pi Httl Colonial
maiden nowadaye? 1 the southern Stat, so It I
said, many of th women .retain the. old-faahloned
rbarm. Th yonng women ar moter.t and meek and
reBned: th older women cultured, dlamifled aat
gracloualy womanly. In th country dlatricte of ta
Northern States, too, on also ". ids, ber .aa described
by Kcaa-jttl, " ott. awiet woo um."
j- But In th cities th hurly-burly cltle with their
thousand of working and professional wonaear do
one find woman of th meek and gentle type?
"Alas, no." said a physician who baa spent much.
. tint in obaervatloa and study. "The women of th
great cltle of th country are than sin a, la naauri
th anelouloua raftneaa Is depa-ttna frem their vole,
they are becoming ungainly and nasculln la carriage,
laud. self-aaartl vs." domineering.
"To one .who travels in Kurop and return t
Philadelphia. New York. Chlcaao or any taree Amer
ican city, th chang I apparent One' becomes con
vinced that th pate of mwliii life tend tn (inrwn
It destroys th ssseottaily feeninla aatures by ?
...
,.irf V
Y Mrs. King did not scream; she waa aot frightened.
r bnt eh waa angry that shs should hav been taken by i
surprls by a cowardly "ajtaser." ' Bhe parleyed for
time and talked to the Mexican, hurling questions at hint
and telling him that th captain's money was all in tha
bank In Browns villa. Th womait waa hopeful ah would
get th ontlaw off bis guard If shs could only anger him.
i Then would com her opportunity to get a shot at aim. '
Tha Mexican was fast losing patience, and put one
foot an the threshold. Quick as a flsah and before be
1 could advano further, Mrs. King had ber six-shootsr
simed at blm and ber finger oa tha trigger. But aa
quick aa she had boon, the bullet meant for th cut
throat' heart sped o'er his prostrat form. Tha .follow
bad thrown up both hand, and with a cry of agony had
: fallen tn a heap In th doorway. . Mrs. King approached
cantlously and discovered that the Mexican's head was
almost cleft In twain by a tomahawk.
Just as sh Brd at th Mexican aa Indian bad hurled
his tomahawk at tha bandit. Th aim of th redakla
waa swift and sure. In the dusk through which shs
; peered she saw two forms approaching, and readily
recognised -a couple of Indiana belonging t a band friend
ly to Captain Brown. . Aa a matter of fact, tba same band
ad on several occasions Intercepted thieving outlaws
attempting to raid tha King ranch, and put them to rout
or death, ' -
Tha two red man Informed Mrs. King that th dead
Mexican had com alone to the aback, and waa without
companions. They bad discovered him too late to pre
vent" blm getting Into th cabin, but feeling sur that b
, waa bent on mischief and knowing that tha "good pal
face chief."- Captain King, was away, and his "squaw
' and "papooses" alone they followed him. '
This episode In the early life of th now famoua ranch
queen la but on of many and equally thrilling expert
' snces through which sh passed. . . ,v
. From a very humble beginning with ber husbanl In
the acquirement of an state, Mrs. King baa developed
business ability and a kivowledg of affairs such aa few
women In this country can boast. Tb original ranch
which sh helped her husband get together by th grad
nal addition of tracts of land, th Santa Gertrude, m aa
normoua revenue producer.
While most of th land comprised In this ranch ta
used for stock raising, practically every aer ts sus
ceptible of the highest cultivation. Mrs. King state that
: m the last twenty-nvs' years th land baa tecreasad In
value from U and 10 cent an acre to HI or g. -
Ail of It Is tn th artesian water belt, and raa b trri
gated without much trouble, and at ttttke cost. Buck
land under cultivation is selling ta Texas for E3 aa acre.
Mrs. King has been planning of lat t reclaim alt her
(-rasing land In tb four count, and, by boring artaaiar.
' wells, irrigate It Tb plan waa to rent th tend to pro
gressiva and practical farmers who taorouglily under-
stood modern sgrlculture. :.
" DEFIES OLD ACE
' Mrs. King is so longer young, for sh ta Just pass
ing three-aco re-aod-ten. Dsptt bea ag. sh Is th ao
tlv manager of her vast property and all other In tare ta,
giving everything la connect ton therewith, he personal
attention. She took up th task f managing th ranchea
when ber husband died, twenty-flv yearn ago, and re
quires bo other assistance than that of ranch- foremen,
cowboy, bookkeepers, housekeepers and servants)..
" , ' True, aba entrusts th ratm management to one of
ber sons-in-law. R. J. Kleberg, who lives In Klngavllie,
near th mala part f tb great ranch, and. also whera
tb Kmg horncatead stands. But this manager, who
with bia . wife, ar tb only mem Dors of th ranch
qoeea'a family Uvtng aaar th parental homo, ha no au.
There ar probably many causae. ,
"American woman no h14 th highest place,
probably, la th regard of mea, of maay aatloas-tn
grac and sweets of th veung -remen ef the P
of th CwU War ana. betor wer. P'm rl was
her gentleaesa and sweatnee th -mrlca girl was
Indepeodent; unnd-d y th ?Z0,w?l
. Europ. But a ahana ha com. Aak any t'-oa wno
has lived abroad and h will teii yea th U is tru.
' "Walk th street ot any big J7" '"J J? "7j
frigid tooklog womea, walking wlt th fj alt of an
athlet. X wlU Juno-ii " " h t? M
bard and .nsymp-.th.tlo a a bror. sta
ae women Jostling by n aaothr. uahlag people e
for therek iaikla; In a loud braen manner.
t9tl? :.rorriy1ou wlU swa im attar -e 1 .m,.-a "-JiKett
Id th street ear y rarely . Jrl '
-M a a u,1In, spectacle to se men autlrig
aad womeastanding. but the fact ie obvioue that a
an wb . woTka at bookkeeplne? doe.n t regard a
woiaT ok.epr any mo.-e than a fellow employe
and drems ber worthy .f no more consideration,
ana o-m- wrw m.By'r.m.on, for t., change In women
aad th changed attitude of the men How can one
Iccnunt for tli change Ir. volv'T It wa low and whrnptr
ibt oncet It la loud and unciiltur-d now
-tti trolley car and telephon,., no AmiM, have
much t do with this. While rl-tin in trolley curs
womea hsv got accustomed to K.Klnit In a bii:lnr
Itck f vole. Talking aver Via telephone rnnlrea
,xtr. exertion;' bell, troii'!-- fh th- on. nmr
make one Irritable and ther i naturally a chnng tn
""toS) rmltlng nf nsln". the Tr-- t trolty ram unl
street traflic eerUlnlv tl. . i'-n ' t
t rarrv on a convr"ti- ! "t-t. io i t
sttrlbute a cliHnte In the v i to t - r
f modern etty.
"Formerly women, r . .
Jfrs: King. J? utomo&ij; in Which
' thority to negotiate or eloee any Important business trans
action without th approval of Mrs. King.
Her sons and daughters ar happily married and set
tied comfortably . In aom other parts of . the country,
- and have each received a good education and generous
portions of th estate. Mrs. Kleberg Is th only on of
Mrs. King's children Irving near her.
Notwithstanding th fact that she has spent most of
bor life on th plains of Texas, many miles from th
nearest neighbor, Mrs. King baa not shut herself out from
the influences of the world of culture. Eh baa accumu
lated a library, filled with the best works, and
la familiar with literature, art and music, aa much so
as tha moat cultivated and highly educated woman of
any of th large American Cities can be. She would b
' Just as much at ess in fashlsnabl drawing rooms of th
East as sh Is la ber comfortable Bitting room tn th o:l
King homestead. . , ' ,
There la always open-banded hospitality on th Santa
Gertrudes and Los liaurelo ranch, though never any
unseemly feasting. Tb needy and worthy ar always
welcome. Mrs. King employs nearly 100 persona, A
majority of thorn ar Mexican. - j
CARES FOR HER WORKERS
Bb takes a kindly and personal interest ta th fant
filea of th workers who live on her estate. In return
they took upon bor aa their best friend and protector,
and th wemen and children always com to her for aJ
vic sr relief, always certain that ah will help them.
For them th "ranch quean ef th South west" la aa argot
mother. . .
: Mrs. King la generous as wen sa rich. 1 During th
' last two years sh has given away nearly 100,000 acre
of land. Of this. COW acre was to aid th building of th
Bt Louia, BrewnsvUl and Mexico BaUroad. which run
through bar property for mor thaa, 100 mile.
For th founding and building np ef th town of
KlDgsvfll (named after ber husband), la Nueces county.
Texas, sh donated 10.000 acres, without a eent ot coat to
th projectors. Th town bow haa a population of about
EOS, and la thirty-Bv mile southwest ot Corpus Chriatl.
aa important shipping and distributing sentr for aeuib
era Texas.
I
How Shakina Hands Originated
YOU HATE, wondered often, perhaps, when and whera
th custom ot shaking band originated, Llk
many other practices, it originated la military
circle. . '
m earfy times, when soldiers met, to- convince on
another- that no harm, waa intended and that they held
aa weapon,, they extended and grasped, each other'
To let thos h met in paao know h had no fear ot
them, and fait h waa among, friends, soldiers removed
helmets from their faces when la the presence of ac
quaintance in. feudal days. - The custom survives la th
lifting ot hats to woman.
Probably men, wbtn shaving la a- hurry, hav oftnn
wondered why their-forbears, aver- began, to remove hale
from their face. In tb time of Alexander tb Great It
waa found tttat' when troop cam in conflict th bear i
formed: a good handhold for th aoesny. Alexander or
dered, that aU his soldiers, shave their faces to ths advantage-of
his army.. -
There- la no reason that men should wear buttons on
tha hack ef their coats except that.it Is ths style. la
ancient time, however, thv buttons wore required to
Mipport tb sword bsit When men gave up fighting the
retained th buttons.
, ; - In undent' times lords kept largs bodies of retainers,
who fought with them aa well as. served in the cast!--.
On feativ occasions they dressed In special livery. Th- 3
originated th custom of servants wearing a livery.
young girl waa wooed by bar lover and mad tb m :
tress t a horn. Sh passad from her mother's care
. to that ef a loving husband. L - depended upon iu-r
helpmeet, looked op to him and loved hint,
"New se tn reversed fac of th medal. 8a t' i
army f woma atenograpnera, boukkaepera, a. I
women, doctors, teac-lur. lawyers. Mluu prof.
la ther in which atatistlca will not show won..
. tery few . .
"Nowadays, Instead of staying at borne and li
Jig tb art of hour-keeping- tne young M"l '
' In an office, Th mndera girl doe not aant to v
d'h nnd daja socks, to he pr-ferM to tvi t.
1 machln or keen books as a mult she becom.e i
pe-Kient, eh feels that ahe la not d.'inlrnt n .
and uncOTiKClouely h-r rr.anner btTrnic mnnti 1 1
Tak th women doctors, lawvera, th won.. ,
Win prlae in athletic you wl.l rtn.i ilim mi.
noble, estimable women, but art thev t;i g"-u
voiced women that we ideal. ae? I fr noi
"Women doctor regard nen of tnlr luof
rival; ao in every otiiw wa'k of hf. n i.. , . i ,
compete. In many caaea women r will1 n t w
eea money lhn mm-nalurtuy niu f
their rucceaaful rlvala. '
Take famlllne where both th mi l ,,.
work Naturally th wlf felj that ,Hr ,
share of the living, and la .nllUed t.j . r,
Where ah nleaaee.
"There la no doubt to m m'n l . t
convenience have their .1 Mv.h .in t ,
Will find a woinnn who rile In .
continually will v-lup iou'lv ; t ,
an who noea not
"1 hll'Ve tl .. I IV nr.ji v,"i.'e-r -r
flea rni li of tha - five r-Mc-t , ,
f.'.nitHnl, a i... ,r .. ,t
in.-.-U I 't . . r V
t i ion w . ., i '
W'lien tl