by Charles W. Bowman
Biographies
HIRAM S. HOLLY
At
the eastern portion of Bent County, extending to the Kansas line, is
situated the home ranch of H.S. Holly & Co. The location is admirably
adapted to carry on the extensive operations in which they are engaged.
Having a river frontage of thirty miles on the Arkansas, and the same on
Sand Creek, it gives them an immense territory for grazing purposes and
hay-fields. To obtain a correct idea of their haying operations, a few
figures may be well employed. During the haying season, which commences
between the 20th of June and the 1st of July, and continues for three months
or more, they employ from ten to fourteen mowing machines. They cut 3,000
tons of hay and 2,500 acres of grass land. Four wagons are constantly
employed in gathering the hay into stacks; one horse-rake for every two
mowing machines; one or more "go-devils" (a large rake holding a ton or more
of hay), to assist in gathering the hay; a hay-loader, and a horse-fork for
unloading the wagons, and a hay-press for bailing the crop preparatory to
market. From forty to sixty men are employed during this busy season, and
from seven to thirteen men are engaged the year round. The company are also
among the largest cattle-raisers and dealers in the State. In the summer of
1881, their herd, which had been gathered from their ranges, together with
what they had under contract, numbered 15,000 head. In the fall, they ship
2,000 beeves. Their stock is a mixed one, but they are improving it by
crossing with thoroughbred short-horn and the Hereford stock. To carry on
this branch of their business, they have a complete set of cattle-pens,
corrals and scales at the home ranch, where they make their shipments. Their
object is to raise beef, and not thoroughbred cattle, though they are
constantly increasing their stock of thoroughbred bulls. Mr. Holly is
manager of the enterprise, and on whom depends the success or failure. He
was born in Stanford, Fairfield Co, Conn., July 13, 1843, where he attended
school and worked on a farm until he was fifteen years of age. After one
year's experience in the army, in the Twenty-eighth Connecticut Volunteer
Infantry, he was discharged, and went to New York City, where he remained
six months. At the expiration of this time, he was employed in the
Quartermaster's Department in Tennessee for one year. After a short visit
home, he came to Colorado. He left the cars at St. Joseph, Mo., then the
terminus of railroads in the West, and came by boat to Nebraska City, and
then with ox teams up the Platte River Valley. He found his first employment
in Colorado at North Empire, where he was engineer in a quartz-mill. For six
months, he took charge of it for other parties, and then ran it himself.
During this time, he had men out prospecting. In 1868, he started for
Arizona, with the intention of mining, but returned to Gilpin County, Colo.
Again Mr. Holly found employment in a quartz-mill. He had charge of Whitcomb's mill before leasing the New Bedford, in Nevada Gulch. In company with a Mr. Potter, he erected a mill costing $11,000, at the head of the same gulch, which he ran until 1870, when he sold out to his partner. After disposing of this property, Mr. Holly went to Black Hawk and leased a fifty-five-stamp mill in company with a Mr. Wheeler, which he managed until the spring of 1871. He then abandoned the mining and milling business and sought other fields of employment. Unable to find such a herd as he wanted in Colorado, he made a visit to Texas, and bought a bunch of 1,300 head of mixed cattle, and drove them to his present location, arriving there October 5, 1871. Since then, Mr. Holly has been buying and selling, and shipping in improved heifers and thoroughbred bulls, until his herd is fast becoming a most satisfactory one. It requires 175 head of horses to run the business, but he raises only enough for his own use. His improvements at the home ranch are of the most substantial order. His dwelling, horse-barn and spring-house are of stone. His hay-barn was erected in 1877, 125 X 36 feet, and will contain 400 tons of hay. He has forty miles of fence � cedar posts and wire. Mr. Holly was married, January 1, 1877, to Miss Sarah F. Jones, of Stamford, Conn., and they have two children living.
