BUILDING BRIDGES
Supporting businesses by lending good money to good businesses.
November 2010 - Vol 3, Issue 11 |
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| Greetings! |
 One of the greatest aspects of autumn is seeing the leaves change. Walking through the park, among the yellow, red and orange all around us, running through the big piles of crisp leaves in the yard and collecting the different colors and types of leaves makes this time of year priceless. As the days get cooler and shorter, the beauty of fall will be disappearing before our eyes and the familiarity and warmth of Thanksgiving will be upon us. This time of year is a time of fun, joy and excitement. We have allowed a little extra space in Building Bridges this month to focus on the King Ranch in Texas - there is so much history with this fascinating enterprise that it was a challenge to condense it down. We hope you enjoy it! Mazon Associates extends a warm welcome to our new clients and newsletter subscribers. Happy Thanksgiving! Lisa Mazon |
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$$$ Refer & Earn $$$ |
 You never know when someone you know might benefit from Mazon's factoring services for their business. Our referral program just might put some additional cash in your hands! View details at the end of this newsletter, and forward this issue to a friend. |
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| Entrepreneur of the Month: Captain Richard King |
 Mention the word "cowboy" and immediately the Dallas Cowboys (the NFL football team) comes to mind - at least to those of us living in Texas. But this tale is about a real cowboy on a real Texas ranch and the man who started it all from a dusty patch of land in the 1800s.
Richard King was born in 1824 to poor Irish immigrant parents in New York City. When he was just a child, his destitute parents gave him to a local jeweler as an indentured servant in exchange for his food, clothing and lodging. He lived a difficult life, practically enslaved by the jeweler's mistreatment until, at the age of 11 years, he escaped and stowed away aboard a steamboat preparing to sail south. Young Richard loved his new life as a sailor and was a tireless worker and fast learner. He later became a riverman on the Alabama and Florida rivers, attaining a pilot's rating, soon becoming a river captain. He later moved to South Texas where in March of 1850 he and his childhood friend, Mifflin Kenedy, started their own steamboat company, moving goods and people from the Gulf of Mexico up the Rio Grande River for the next 24 years.
In April 1852, Captain King and his party travelled four days by horseback from Brownsville to the Lone Star Fair in Corpus Christi. Traversing over 100 miles of the Wild Horse Desert, they came to the cool, refreshing waters of Santa Gertrudis Creek, shaded by large mesquite trees and teeming with wildlife. He was so impressed that the hot, dry desert could sustain such life that his vision for a great cattle ranch began to take shape. When he arrived at his destination, he set about with a business partner, Texas Ranger Captain Gideon "Legs" Lewis, to purchase that particular 15,500-acre Spanish land grant, then known as the Rincon de Santa Gertrudis, and began the King Ranch.
 Captain King married 22-year-old Henrietta Chamberlain, a Brownsville school teacher, in December 1854. She was the only child of a travelling Presbyterian missionary, whose mother had died when she was three. The newlyweds initially lived in a hut on the ranch while the main house was constructed. Henrietta brought gentility and warm hospitality to an otherwise wild and often hostile country. She guided daily ranch activities when the Captain was away tending to his steamboat business and building the ranch's business, which soon grew to 53,000 acres.
In 1854, a severe drought in South Texas and Northern Mexico caused the townspeople of Cruillas, Mexico to sell all of their cattle to Captain King in an attempt to survive. Captain King realized that in purchasing all of the town's cattle left the people with no means of support, so he offered to provide them all with food, shelter and income if they would move with their families to Texas and work on the ranch, to which many agreed. These resilient stockmen and horsemen of the rugged Mexican range became known as Los Kinenos, "King's People."
Together, King and Lewis steadily increased their land holdings until philandering Lewis was killed by a jealous husband in 1855. After Lewis' death, King purchased Lewis's property share with a silent partner, Captain James Walworth & Company. His friend Mifflin Kenedy bought an interest in the ranch in 1860, and when Walworth died in 1865, King and Kenedy purchased his share of the ranch. In 1868, King and Kenedy dissolved their partnership, making Captain King the sole owner of King Ranch, now 146,000 acres, supporting thousands of head of domesticated longhorn cattle, horses, sheep and goats.
 Captain King's longhorns were some of the very first cattle making the early Texas cattle drives northward. He managed costs by making his trail bosses the owners of the herd and signing a note for the cattle, which they would drive to market beginning the 100 day drive in February of each year. The cattle bosses also employed the cowhands for the drive and upon the sale of the herd to northern buyers, the trail bosses relieved their debts to earn a profit greater than their ordinary wages.
During the Civil War (1861-1865), disruption of the flow of cattle to market caused a drop in beef prices. To make up for this drop in income, the ranch received cotton from the Confederacy bound for Mexico, where it was loaded onto ships for England. When Union troops captured the ranch in 1863; Captain King fled to avoid capture, and Henrietta and their five children moved to San Antonio for a short time.
In addition to improving the ranch and seizing new business opportunities, Captain King invested in building railroads, packinghouses, ice plants and harbor improvements for the port of Corpus Christi, thus creating an infrastructure that would get his cattle to market in the most efficient way possible. He also had a vision to improve his cattle and horse stock through aggressive breed improvement programs, which began by transforming hardscrabble longhorns and wild horses of his lands into the finest cattle and horses in Texas.
In 1881 in Corpus Christi, Captain King was so impressed with an opposing young lawyer in a legal matter, Robert Justus Kleberg, that he gave him the majority of his legal work after the current matter had been settled. Kleberg married Captain King's youngest daughter, Alice King, in 1886 (during the year after Captain King's death).
Rebuffing adversity and taking advantage of opportunities when he saw them, Captain King, along with his indispensable Kinenos, tamed the land and revolutionized the ranching business. By the time of his death on April 14, 1885, the King Ranch comprised 500,000 acres between Corpus Christi and Brownsville, and it was also $500,000 in debt due mainly to poor beef marketing conditions. Henrietta and her son-in-law, Robert Kleberg whom he asked to manage the ranch, made it profitable within several years through careful management, experimental cattle breeding programs and other development projects. By 1895, the King Ranch had grown to 650,000 acres. Foremost among development projects were drilling for artesian water, which brought a gusher of water well in 1899, and then another and another - discovering a river of water running under the drought-prone rangelands. Together, they continued to improve and diversify the assets of King Range with agricultural development, land sales and town building projects. In 1904, they helped build the St. Louis, Brownsville & Mexican Railway, as well as several towns along the newly laid track, including Kingsville. By 1925, the ranch had grown to 1,173,000 acres spread over four South Texas counties to become the largest ranch in the country and larger than the state of Rhode Island. Before her death in March of 1925, Henrietta King had donated land and funds to build the towns of Kingsville and Raymondville; donated land and funds towards the construction of churches, libraries, and public schools; and supported local colleges and hospitals in this previously untamed land.
Captain Richard King created a legacy that became known far and wide as the birthplace of American ranching. King Ranch's upbreeding programs led to the development of many new breeds of cattle and produced some of the country's top quarter horses and thoroughbreds. King Ranch's history of exemplary game management program. It is also home to an incredible number of mammals (white-tailed deer, javelina, bobcat, to name a few), American alligator and other reptiles, 356 species wintering and resident tropical birds (including wild turkey, white-tailed hawk, green jay, burrowing owl), and insects (butterflies, dragonflies, etc.), native plants and general wildlife. The ranch is a vital part of an incredibly diverse landscape in South Texas dubbed "The Last Great Habitat." Adding to the ranch's wealth, oil was discovered in 1945, and was the basis for the movie, "Giant."
Descendants of Richard and Henrietta King continued to operate the ranch until 1970s and 1980s when the leadership became less a family matter. By the late 1980s a committee of family members voted to bring in non-family executives to lead the company and to serve on the board. In 1997, Stephen J. "Tio" Kleberg, the 52-year-old great-great-grandson of Captain King (who controlled the domestic ranching operations for over 20 years, and the only family member living on the ranch), was asked to resign by the corporate president of King Ranch, Inc.
 Today, King Ranch consists of 825,000 acres, and continues to be operated by King Ranch, Inc. of Houston, Texas. The ranch was opened to tourists in the late 1980's with tours of the property. Many of the descendants of the original Cruillas resident cowboys still live and work on the ranch providing a vital link with the past and giving the ranch a key aspect of its unique atmosphere.
The King Ranch holds its Annual Ranch Hand Breakfast on the Saturday before Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Local volunteers serve up heaping plates of eggs, refried beans, biscuits 'n gravy, sausage, tortillas, coffee and juice. Team roping, horseshoeing, rawhide branding and old-time camp cooking demonstrations are a part of the morning's activities, along with cowboy poetry, storytelling, and musical entertainment. If you are in the area, you are invited to join them for a taste of the cowboy life. For more information go to www.king-ranch.com.
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| How long will it take to process my Mazon factoring application? |
Mazon will generally be able to process your application, complete the required paperwork, and fund your first invoices within five business days of receiving your application and required accompanying documents. Some new client processes may take a little longer time, and some a little less. We will usually be able to provide you with preliminary approval within 24-48 hours.
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Make Your Voice Heard on November 2nd! |
 One of the rights and responsibilities of American citizens is the right to vote. If you have not yet participated in the early voting, vote-by-mail or absentee voting processes, November 2nd is the final day in the current election to make your voice heard. Remember: The people you elect work for you. You should and can talk to them - tell them what you expect them to do. You can write your elected officials letters, you can even meet with them face-to-face. If done right, personal contact with your elected representatives can have a tremendous effect.
"I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will." - Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909)
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| Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall? |
 When leaves appear green, it is because they contain an abundance of chlorophyll. There is so much chlorophyll in an active leaf that the green masks other pigment colors. Light regulates chlorophyll production, so as autumn days grow shorter, less chlorophyll is produced. The decomposition rate of chlorophyll remains constant, so the green color starts to fade from leaves.
At the same time, surging sugar concentrations cause increased production of anthocyanin pigments. Leaves containing primarily anthocyanins will appear red. Carotenoids are another class of pigments found in some leaves. Carotenoid production is not dependent on light, so levels aren't diminished by shortened days. Carotenoids can be orange, yellow, or red, but most of these pigments found in leaves are yellow. Leaves with good amounts of both anthhocyanins and carotenoids will appear orange.
Leaves with carotenoids but little or no anthocyanin will appear yellow. In the absence of these pigments, other plant chemicals also can affect leaf color. An example includes tannins, which are responsible for the brownish color of some oak leaves.
 Temperature affects the rate of chemical reactions, including those in leaves, so it plays a part in leaf color. However, it's mainly light levels that are responsible for fall foliage colors. Sunny autumn days are needed for the brightest color displays, since anthocyanins require light. Overcast days will lead to more yellows and browns. (Source: www.chemistry.about.com)
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| Product Recalls |
The following recent recalls were issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: Frigidaire and Electrolux ICON Smoothtop Electric Cooktops and Frigidaire Slide-in Ranges with rotary knobs and digital displays (Mfg: Electrolux Home Products, Charlotte, NC); Fabric Protector (Mfg: Claire-Sprayway, Addison, IL); Iron Lover's benches (Imp: Ross Stores, Pleasanton, CA); Castalon frying pans (Imp/Dist: Tabletops Unlimited, Carson, CA); Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (Imp: Eastern America Trio Products, Flushing, NY); Black & Decker and Craftsman brand cordless electric lawnmowers (Mfg: Black & Decker Inc., Towson, MD); Electroluminescent night lights (Mfg: Molenaar LLC, Willmar, MN); Siemens and Murray Circuit Breakers, Load Centers and Meter Combos (Imp: Siemens Industry Inc., Alpharetta, GA); 20" Glass Vases (Imp: The Gerson Company, Olathe, KS); Tea Sets (IMP: Formation Brands, South San Francisco, CA). More details on these products can be found at www.cpsc.gov. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC's hotline at 800-638-2772.
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| November 2010 Holidays, Observances, Celebrations and Events |
 Nov. 1: All Saints Day; Nov. 2: All Souls Day; Nov. 3: Sandwich Day; Nov. 5: Guy Fawkes Day; Nov. 7: Daylight Saving Time Ends; Nov. 10: Marine Corps Birthday; Nov. 11: Veterans Day; Remembrance Day; Armistice Day; Nov. 15: America Recycles Day; Nov. 18: Mickey Mouse's Birthday; Nov. 19: US Marine Corps Day; Nov. 20: Children's Day; Nov. 22: John F. Kennnedy's Assassination, National Stop the Violence Day; Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Day.
Notice: Mazon offices will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 11th in observance of Veterans Day and Nov. 25th & 26th in observance of Thanksgiving Day. You may still submit invoices during our closed hours via fax, e-mail or drop-slot to be processed the next business day.
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| A Thankful Thanksgiving |
 On September 6, 1620, about 102 pilgrims traveled from England across the Atlantic Ocean for 66 days in a ship called the Mayflower. Under extreme hardship conditions during their journey which included living in the cargo space of the vessel for the entire trip (they were not allowed on deck due to storms), they arrived at Plymouth Rock (now Plymouth, Massachusetts) on December 11th. Their original destination was somewhere in the northern part of Virginia, but due to severe storms, they were blown off course. During an extremely cold first winter, nearly 46 people died. In the spring of 1621, native Indians Samoset and Squanto (who spoke English), taught the pilgrims to survive by growing corn and other crops, how to get sap out of maple trees, and avoiding poisonous plants. In the summer of 1621, they were faced with a severe drought, ending after three days of fasting and prayers, when rains suddenly came and saved their crops. In the fall of 1621 a three-day outdoor feast was held amongst 90 people, including Indians, thanking God for their bountiful crops. According to the first-hand account written by the leader of the colony, the food included ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries, etc. but there is no evidence to prove if the customary turkey was a part of the feast. Pumpkin pie is unlikely to have been a part of the menu because of a diminishing supply of flour in the settlement. The pilgrims did, however, have boiled pumpkin. It was two years before another fall feast was held, following a month-long summer drought. In 1676, Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving. There followed other yearly country-wide thanksgiving day celebrations dedicated to various occasions to be thankful, most of which were held in November or December. In the mid 1800s, Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, mounted a campaign to make Thanksgiving Day a national holiday. In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day to be held on the last day of November, mainly to boost the Union army's morale. In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up one week to appease businesses that wanted a longer Christmas shopping season. However, after much controversy, Roosevelt signed a bill in 1941 officially making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.
As you celebrate Thanksgiving Day, remember that this is a time of thankfulness in our history for hardships endured, blessings bestowed upon everyone, a bountiful life, and the great respect and cooperation between different cultures.
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| Thoughtful Thoughts | |
The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.
-- H.U. Westermayer
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| Thanksgiving Turkey |
 It was the day before Thanksgiving, and the butcher was just locking up when a man began pounding on the front door. "Please, let me in!" said the man desperately. "I forgot to buy a turkey and my wife will kill me if I don't come home with one!"
"Okay," said the butcher. "Let me see what I have left." He went into the freezer and discovered there was one last scrawny turkey left. He brought it out to show the man.
"That one is too skinny. What else do you have?" asked the man. The butcher took the bird back into the freezer, waited a few minutes, and brought the same turkey back out to the man.
"Oh, no," said the man. "That one doesn't look any better. You better give me both of them!"
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Earn 10% Monthly Referral Fees! |
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No Expiration Date!
 
Most of Mazon's clients have come to us through referrals of current and former clients. We rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing to bring in new clients. Our monthly referral payment to you is 10% of our monthly factoring fee (determined at the time of client sign-up) and continues for as long as the business remains with Mazon Associates.
Potential clients include start-up businesses, high-growth businesses, undercapitalized businesses with historical operating losses, businesses with tax liens, turnaround situations. Other potential clients could be businesses who have been turned down for a bank loan and/or do not currently meet a bank's credit criteria; have delivered a service or product to other businesses and have invoices that can be independently verified; expresses cash flow problems and have a cash flow need; and/or companies expecting rapid growth. The potential client can be located in any of the 50 United States.
Prospects are usually businesses that are manufacturers, distributors and service companies. Traditionally, Mazon has had businesses in the following areas: advertising; apparel, courier/delivery services, environmental service companies; manufacturing; printing; start-up and early stage/growth companies; staffing companies; telecommunications; and transportation.
We do not accept businesses which have a majority of consumer receivables such as retail businesses, progress billings, third party pay medical receivables and certain construction-related businesses.
For more information on our referral program, please contact Lisa Mazon at 972-554-6967 ext. 238 or 1-800-442-2740, or by email lisa@mazon.com.
(You are not required to be a Mazon client to refer a business and receive a referral fee but we will require your information to send you a form 1099-MISC for paid fees at the end of each year.) |
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 If you liked this issue of Building Bridges, please forward it to a friend. We invite you to share your newsletter thoughts with us. If you would like to submit an idea, article or joke for consideration in a future issue of Building Bridges, or just want to tell us how we are doing, please email our creator and editor, Linda Burson, at MazonNewsletter@Mazon.com.
Building Bridges carries no paid advertising. All articles, images and links are for our readers' knowledge and enjoyment only.
Mazon Associates, Inc.
600 W. Airport Fwy., Irving, TX 75062
P.O. Box 166858, Irving, TX 75016
Telephone: 972-554-6967 Toll Free: 800-442-2740
Fax: 972-554-0951
Business Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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