Benitz, John E. - Diary, 1911

Jan	11	Sent Mr Marty a pagare [note] for $30.000 to be discounted in Rosario at the Banco de la Nacion in Rosario. for 6 months. falls due -
	18	Left Cruz Grande for Cordoba. took the two Story boys with me.
	19	Attended a meeting of the Banco Agricola Comercial in Bell Ville. and returned to Los Algarrobos.
	28	Bautista Mottino came from Medano de Las Cañas, took him to La Minnesota + gave him the plan of the house to be built at Woodgate Station for a business ~~Station~~ house at the Station. he will make us a presupuesto [budget] to build it by contract.
Feb	5	Sunday. left Los Algarrobos for Cordoba + Cruz Grande.
	6	Stayed the day in Cordoba and saw the Minister de Obras Publicos [Minister of Public Works] about roads-.
March	12	Left Cruz Grande for Rosario via F.C.C y R. [RR]
	13	Stayed the day in Rosario. slept at Mr Martys house.
	14	Left Rosario for La California. in the afternoon visited Las Tres Lagunas-.
	15	Visited Mr Bohtlingk at Santa Clara and went around La California with Willie.
	16	Left La California for Los Algarrobos via Armstrong to Bell Ville. Great drought all over the Republic. camps in frightfull bad condition. maiz crop total loss, all live stock excepting fat novillas [steers] very cheap.
	19	Went to Bell Ville in the Car with Bautista Mottino. who is building our house for Almacen [store] at Woodgate. to see the bakery at Bell Ville to see how they had their oven and breadmaking machinery.
	20	Began to Count cattle for the añual Stock taking.
	25	Went to Buenos Aires by Bell Ville
	27	Ordered a lot of machinery + plows at Agar Cross + Co. for the three Estancias. Saw Mr Monteith Drysdale about the Registration of the Bermejo Estancia Co. Received from Agar Cross + Co. for account of " " " " $13.000
	29	Left Buenos Aires for Cordoba. when I. met Mr Marty. together we went to the Escribano Luis Alberto Arguello and instructed him to take steps to get a loan of $450.000 from the Banco Hipotecario Nacional on a mortgage of Los Algarrobos. drew up and signed the petition which we left with the Escribano who will do the business for us. paid him 10.$ for stamps.
	31	Left Cordoba for Cruz Grande.
April	1	Received a telegram from Mr Marty advising of receipt of a cable advising us of our brother Williams death on April 1. at Corsicana Texas- U.S. of heart disease. he had been suffering for some time. he could not go to the Greystone as the altitude did him harm, and was unable to be on the La California to work and was recommended to travel so Clara took him to the States, with Nena, Bernice + Marion. Alfred went to the States from England upon his return there from his shooting trip in Africa. he was with William when he died. [Note: It appears the family was well aware of Wm.’s deteriorating health - per Ellis Island, NY, records: Wm., Clara, and 3 girls left BA 10 Sep. 1910, arrived NY 5 Oct. 1910; Alfred arrived NY 3 Feb. 1911 from Liverpool; Frank, age 17, left BA 8 Mar. 1911, arrived NY 4 Apr. 1911]
	28	Began to work clearing off and leveling land to build a house next year at Buena Vista. laid down a pipe and began to make adobes [mud-bricks] for a puesto [house] there.
May	2	We all left Cruz Grande for Los Algarrobos for the winter. stayed the night in Cordoba. saw the Ministro de Obras Publicos [Minister of Public Works] about the permission for putting up the telephone line to the Station. also saw the Escribano Arguello about the mortgage.
	3	We all arrived back at Los Algarrobos-. found the camps dreadfully bad. the drought is general all over the Republic. and is causing enormous losses to stock after ruining the wheat and maiz crops-. camps are dreadfully bad.
	4	Went to Bell Ville attended the meeting at the Bank Señor Fausto F. Funes-. came to revise the Estancia for the Banco Hipotecario Nacional.
	8	Went with the motor car + Mr Storey to revise [inspect] an Estancia called Las Bebidas due west from here, with a view of renting it for cattle. but could not come to terms.
	9	Made up the manadas [breeding herds] for the year. culled out a good many mares and only put in a few of the very best potrancas [fillies]. The Stallions in use are Dinan (Anglo Normando) Heretier (Anglo Normando) Fregoli (Anglo Normando born in the Country) Baird (thoroughbred.) Champions Wiseman and Champions Heir. (Shires) and an Arab Stallion lent me by Mr Cox of Santa Catalina. also a Welsh pony given by Willie Benitz as a present to the Children. total mares in manadas [breeding herds]- 224. not counting 13 belonging to the children.
	11	Went to Buenos Aires
	15	Met Alfred on his arrival by the S.S. Verdi on his return from his trip to E Africa.
	16	Alfred gave me $500. on account of his expenses at his place. La Quebrada.
	17	Engaged a new Capataz [foreman] Patrick Dineen for Los Algarrobos at $100. a month. Engaged an assistant Book keeper for Los Algarrobos. Francis Logan @ $50. Left Buenos Aires for Los Algarrobos by Woodgate Station.
	20	Made a Contract with Santiago Renny for a legue of pasto fuerte [harsh native grass] camp for pastoreo [pasturage] at 7.500.$ for 6 months. this is for "El Victoriano" to remove their cattle to as the winter is very severe and cattle starving.
	23	Paid Johnie + Alfreds St Georges College fees: for one term $854.⁰⁰
	25	Marjorie left with Johnie + Alfred to put them to school at St Georges College.
	26	Champions Heir, our Shire Stallion had a piece of his right ear bit off.
	27	Old Doña Manuela Zapata died at La Cruz.
June	1	Discounted a bill for $25.000 at the Banco Agricola Comercial in Bell Ville due 30 Aug.
	3	Mr Marty bought a piece of land for building an Almacen [general store] on at Woodgate Station for $3.400.
	6	Went to Bell Ville on business of the Road Commission of which I. am president. Paid the agent of the Touring Club Argentina $50. for two ensignas to put on car.
	10	Left for Cruz Grande
	12	At Cruz Grande bought land from the heirs of Manuela Zapata for $11.500.
	14	Traded part of the above land to Antonia Zapata for a piece she had adjoining. made a boleto [bill of sale] with her. signed by witnesses.
	15	Left Cruz Grande for Cordoba
	16	Cashed in Cordoba the cheque for $4.985.⁰⁰ which Alfred gave me in payment for expenses paid by me for his place La Quebrada.
	15	Gave to Manuel Tanano Mothers cheque for $4.000. to give in cash to Juan.
	17	In Rosario I. signed the Libro de Actos [Registry Book] of the "Los Algarrobos" Sociedad Anonima Ganadera." [approx.: Los Algarrobos Cattle Co., Inc.] Alfred and Mr Marty signed at the Escribano [notary] "Garcia" the poder [power of attorney] authorizing me to mortgage "Los Algarrobos" for $450 000^m/_n in the Banco Hipotecario Nacional Went to Buenos Aires from Rosario.
	18	Sent to the Escribano [notary] Peralta in Cordoba. the boleto [bill of sale] made with the Zapatas. I visited Johnie + Alfred at St. Georges college in Buenos Aires.
	19	Bought things for Marjories + my trip to El Bermejo, a brake. buggy rifle, revolver, ploughs + tools.
	20	For the account of The Bermejo Estancia Co. paid to the Escribano Saavedra the expenses of titles stamped paper and Contribucion Directa [real estate tax].
	21	At the Escribano Saavedra I. signed the titles buying the Estancia El Bermejo for the Bermejo Estancia Co. sellers. T. Agar, Malcolm Cross + Col Ruston + myself. Left Buenos Aires for the Estancia "Los Algarrobos." via Bell Ville.
	27	Left with Marjorie in our Daimler Car for La California.
	28	Visited San Andres. El Rafango + Tres Lagunas in our car
	29	We returned to Los Algarrobos-.
	30	Contracted with Agapito Ruiz to bore a well at Los Algarrobos for $1.500.
July	4	Sent to John Nelsons Estancia, 6 umbrella paraiso [an ornamental variety of paradise tree, see glossary: Locusts] trees + some seed
	5	Wrote to England to J. Moore and asked him to send me 10 Hampshire Down Rams to cost £ 18.-- put in Buenos Aires. Mr Goodliffe, Inspector F.C.C.A. came to enquire about our complaints about the Station Master at Woodgate.
	6	Attended meeting of the directors of the Banco Agricola Comercial, and the Sociedad Rural de Union in Bell Ville.
	8	Went to Cordoba and back in the same day. signed at the Escribano Arguello a poder [power of attorney] for Señor to sign the Hipoteca [mortgage] of Los Algarrobos- during my absence to the Chaco. to Estancia El Bermejo. Sent Juan the Cochero [coachman] and the boy Canducho to Resistencia by train with 11 horses for our trip to the Bermejo. Gave to the Escribano Peralta in Cordoba a cheque for $11.500 for him to pay the herederos [heirs] of Manuela Zapata as soon as they Escriturar [register]. Received in Cordoba the Permit from the Goverment allowing us to put up telephone posts along the Road to Woodgate from Los Algarrobos.

This is the last page of JEBz' diaries - that we know of. A single record book of 44 pages spanning most of 1904 through 1911. In the habit of keeping a diary, it seems plausible he would have continued in a second book. If so, it likely accompanied him wherever he went and it was washed away in the same flash flood that took his life in 1916.