Benitz, John E. - Diary, 1905

Jan	5	Left Cruz Grande for Buenos Aires to meet Mr M. Cross.
	7	Left Buenos Aires for Cruz Grande, took along Emma + Clarita [Schreiber nieces].
	14	Left Cruz Grande for Los Algarrobos.
	23	Left Los Algarrobos for Cruz Grande took Mr Cross + Mr Williams along.
Feb	21	Left Cruz Grande for Los Algarrobos.
March	3	Went to Monterey. met Mr Cross, who arrived from La California.
	5	Returned from Monterey with Mr Cross.
	7	Left for Buenos Aires with Mr Cross.
	10	Mr Cross sailed by the Magdalena.
	11	Left Buenos Aires for La California.
	14	Returned from La California. brought 9 young ostriches [South American rheas].
	11	Bought a trunk and left it at the Grand Hotel with all my town clothes, and a hat box with my black hat.
	21	Sent a peon to La California to get more young ostriches. Had a meeting at La Dora Galpon [barn] of all the Dora colonists. Vecario + H. Fea also there, gave Fea the contracts belonging to Olds + Denton. raised the contracts. arranged for alfa [alfalfa, forage legume] sowing.
	23	Went to the Monterey took down Mr M. Francis, who is to take over the management of the Monterey in Mr Lamberts place. he will enter next week. but Mr Lambert will stay on for a while to help and advise him.
	24	Returned from the Monterey. Mr J. Campbell of San Marcos here. wants to take horses to England.
	25	Mr J. Campbell took away 15 cart horses and 1 mare, to his place in San Marcos, where he is to feed them and gentle them for a month. we pay maize and one peon. he takes them to England to sell for our account. he to get 5% on the price fetched in England. all expenses for our account. he will bring out a thorough bred stallion which we will buy and keep on halves. I to give the mares. he to feed and care for
March	25	Made a contract with Juan Lunati for lotes [fields] 63 + 64 for 4 years from date. 3 cosechas [crop seasons] @15%
	26	Drove to Bell Ville + back. gave Crispin Carballo a cheque for $2.500. to change for cash at the bank. cash for the end of the month. Crispin Carballo gave me Boleto de Compras [purchase order] for alfalfa seed he had bought for me. from Luis Spinazzi 20.000.K @$6.00 + from Augustín Rodriguez 2.000.K @ 5.90
	30	Crispin Carballo brought me the change for the cheque, 2500 less 5$ the Banks comission. Counted all the cattle for the yearly inventory. Sold to Crispin Carballo (by telephone) 200 of the La Minnesota novillos [steers]. (to pick out of the lot) at 65.$ each. with time to take away in up to 10^th Mayo, with the money he will pay the alfalfa seed bought through him, and any cash we may need, he will take 50 at each time.
April	1	Mother arrived from La California. Juan the Coachman brought her out. he met her at La California. Ramon Casas returned from La California. brought 52 young ostriches with him. Arranged with Italian to work in garden at 40$ all the year around. he is to keep his family at the Old Estancia. Arranged with a French Gardener to work in garden at 60.$ a month. he promises to stay three years. he is to have a room at the Old Estancia. Gave Mr Himers a cheque for 15.000.$ to buy sheep with. he goes tomorrow to Alcorta + Pergamino to look at Rambouillet sheep.
	4	Left for Buenos Aires to see about selling the Monterey
	7	Left for Cruz Grande direct from Buenos Aires.
	27	Arrived back at Los Algarrobos from Cruz Grande, with family + servants. fifteen in all. cost of trip down $221.40
	28	Received back from V. Soto $1.250. of the money given to him to buy potros [colts] with.
May	2	Drove to the Monterey.
	3	Came back from the Monterey.
	10	Received from Vicente Soto on ac of horses he sells. $310.00
	12	Went to Rosario and on to Buenos Aires by night train. Heard that Angeloz + Bussolini had failed. they owe us over $6.000. Met Mr Marty in Rosario and instructed him to attend the meeting of the creditors.
	13	Went from Retiro to Campana. attended a cattle sale there. but did not purchase anything. returned to Retiro + took night train to Diaz F.C.C.A. [Ferrocarril Central Argentino]
	14	Visited Sanaleguies Estancia La Varcossia. saw cattle dipped. took measurements of dip + bretes [see glossary].
	15	Visited Las Leones. Seemans Estancia. saw cattle worked in bretes. took measurements + plans. rained hard. returned to Rosario by Classon F.C.C y R [Ferrocarril Córdoba y Rosario]. Gave Mr Marty a "poder general" [general power of attorney] to represent me in all judicial matters. (made especially to act in Angeloz y Bussolini failure)
	16	Returned to Bell Ville + Algarrobos. in Bell Ville at Bank cashed the giro [draft] from the Scottish Estancia Co. for $5.000. and registered my signature (Juan Benitz) in the Bank.
	27	Vicente Soto returned me 500.$ of the money given him to buy potros [colts] with. John Todd. holds to my credit £6.2.11 money returned from inshurance money on Monterey bulls, told him to hold the money untill I asked him to buy something for me.
	22	Mother left for La California, took little Johnie with her.
	26	Miss Baker, (governess) and our three little girls went to Rosario to see the English Opera Co.
	29	Miss Baker, the three girls also little Johnie returned from Rosario. the cost of this trip was, $114.80 Arranged that of the 295 Criolla sheep bought for La Minnesota by Vicente Soto. cost put on the place $1.70 each sheep. 95 were to be marked with tar + bottle [tarred wine bottle bottom leaves a black circle] and be used by La Minnesota for consumo [butchered for food]. and 200 were to be kept for little Richard Agar. towards payment of which he had given me 100.$ and the rest on the money 240.$ was to be charged to Mr R. Agar A boleta de Señal [certified brand] is to be taken out [registered] for little Richard. Muesca de atras en cada oreja. [notch in the back of each ear].
June	2	Went with Mr Williams to the Monterey to take up stock.
	3	Counted all the live stock at the Monterey.
	4	Returned to Los Algarrobos.
	9	Eugenie Origlio arranged to take 200^□ lotes [fields of 200 squares, 339 ha.] № 30 + 38 for 4 cosechas [crop seasons] - from 31 March 1905 x 31 March 1910. (5 years.) he also takes lote 39 which is all alfalfa for pastoreo [pasturing]. of only his working animals, any alfa [alfalfa] cut for seed he also delivers percentage of seed, rent 15% John Birmingham sent me the guia [permit to move livestock] for his mare, called Patricia which he wants me to take care of untill he returns from England. if he does not return I am to keep the mare.
	11	Wrote to J. Birmingham asking him to buy me in England a young Shire Stallion. for service in Oct. 1906.
	13	Spent the day going over all of the Colonia Margarita. with Vicente Sota. arranged with all of the colonists to sow alfalfa for pastoreo [pasturing]. put Vicente Soto in charge of the work.
	26	Left with Marjorie for Rosario.
	27	Selected a carload of Cortoneras [beams, rafters??] at Van Oppens assesodero [saw-mill]. Registered my signature at the Banco España del Rio de La Plata. Went to Buenos Aires.
July	4	Marjorie left Buenos Aires for Los Algarrobos.
	5	Left Buenos Aires from the Once [train station] for Bragado, Dennhy + 9 de Julio. visited varias [various] Estancias looking for Anglo Normands Stallion [breed of draft horses] + bulls.
	12	Left Buenos Aires for Santa Teresa. Estancia "Los Pinas" to see bulls
	13	Returned to Buenos Aires.
	14	Bought from Juan Ortiz de Rosas an Anglo Normandy Stallion that I saw at the Estancia San Bernardo. at Dennhy F.C.O. for $1.500.
	15	Arrived back at Los Algarrobos.
	17	Sent Vicente Soto to Pergamino to buy cattle for El Victoriano up to 600 al corte [selectively cut-out]. up to 30.$. gave him for expenses 300.$ Wrote to J. Moore asked him to send me one Hampshire Ram for stud.
	26	Recived from Crispin Carballo $3.452.30 with this we are ****** up to date. Sent to Marsted y Raquette giro [draft] on Agar Cross for $19.760. for cattle but at Rojos by V. Soto for El Victoriano, and one tropilla of horses.
Aug	10	Renewed the pagare [note] for 25.000. due at the Banco de Londres y Brazil. at 5½ % interest. this bill will fall due on the 10^th February 1906 liquidation. interest 691.30 stamps 50.$ = 741.30
	12	Cattle purchased at Rojas for El Victoriano, arrived at La Escondida.
Sept	1	Went to Rosario. to be judge of Shorthorns at Show. took Jo along
	8	Returned from Rosario. bought 21 bulls at sale at show.
	17	Sent Soto with 4.000.$ to buy potros
	22	Signed Marjorie and myself. Alfred + Johnie + nurse went to Cruz Grande.
Oct	15	Left Cruz Grande for Cordoba
	16	Signed in Cordoba title deeds of land bought from the Zapatas.
	7	Returned to Los Algarrobos from Cruz Grande.
	20	Drove to the Monterey. Mr Paul along.
	21	Drove from the Monterey down to La Porteña Estancia. near Canals, Mr Paul and Lambert along. attended Remate Feria [cattle auction] there. and returned to the Monterey in the evening.
	22	Took train in the evening from Monte Maiz to Buenos Aires. took Mr Lambert along. Arranged with Stroëder y Cia. to send up a man to revise [inspect] the Monterey. if he does not purchase then the Monterey is to be put up by Auction by Ramon Bruno.
	27	Left Buenos Aires for Monte Maiz.
	28	Arrived back at Los Algarrobos.
	29	Mr Lambert went to Buenos Aires ac. Monterey sale.
Nov	26	Went to Buenos Aires by Monte Maiz. Marjorie Johnie + Alfred + Marjorie Daw. Had nose operated upon by Dr E.V. Segura.
Dic.	13	Left Buenos Aires for Bell Ville.
	14	Arrived back at Los Algarrobos.