The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-27
forfeited LOts.r

10 the Editor Of the Em,yrant hid Journal:
SIR AS some OF the purchasers Of Nininger lots at
tue original low price have already forfeited them BY
their neglect to commence making improvements within
the required time, doubtless these lots should be made.
IN some way, to fulfill their righteous part in the build.
ing up OF the town. They can be gradually given as
part payment to parties who will contract to enlarge our
Levee, grade our streets, make public wells, etc. etc.
know that the Proprietors are DESTROYS that they should
be disposed Of so as to tell as much for the benefit Of
the town as though the parties, who wished to secure
them, had complied with the terms Of the building
clause. These lots alone, if well appropriated, would
add fifty per cent to the value of town property next
summer. 1t is possible there may be some other lots
forfeited by the FIRST Of September, and if so, they will
serve to help along public improvements the following
spring, 80 that very little taxation might be needed.
Some memories may be refreshed by referring to the
first number of the EM1aRANT AID JOURNAL, dated
Dec. 3, 1856, where, in an able article, the inducements
tor purchasing lots are straightforwardly represented
thus What security haze ere for the erection Of these
Improvements Simply these first, The title to the
lots IS good for nothing unless tie sipalations to I'M
pro1e ae complied s0ih, for 1t is a couenumt expressed
on the Jacs Of the deed. And, secondly, If A b has
bought 100 lots at six dollars each, that is to say, six
hundred dollars, and has bound himself to make ten
ten thousand dollars worth of improvements, and it
these lots are, as they now are, worth one hundred dol
lars each, that is to say ten thousand dollars in all, is it
to be supposed that A b will be willing to lose ten
thousand SIX hundred dollars-the cost and value of the
lots-and all their prospective and anticipated increase by
his default in making ten thousand dollars worth of inl-
provements, which are not given away, but remain his
own most productive property ? Each purchaser was
bound by his sery deed Of purchase, to commence within
SIX months, and finish within two years, an amount of
improvements proportionate to the number of lots held
by him-never less and often more than one hundred
dollars per lot. What then are we to look forward to?
A town built up per force. A town growing to great
ness by the very nature Of its original constitution. For
no one that is not familiar with the great West can un.
derstand the immense effect improvements make upon
the growth Of a town and the rise of real estate
The writer Of the present article, and many others,
had the option of taking a large number of lots at the
original low price, subject to the improvement clause, or
some lots at a high price, at secondhand, without the
building clause, and preferred buying most of them in
the latter way. Are such parties likely to lose sight of
these forfeited lots I trow not. The original Pro-
prietors merely require the matter to be named to them
to do their part in their usual courteous manner. 1t
will, in some cases, be rather unpleasant for them, but
as they are, fortunately, men who know that the right
wrongs nobody l expect no one will have reasonable
cause of complaint.
Doubtless, parties who have, in good faith, commenced
improving, but have evidently been taken aback by the
general revulsion, and thereby disappointed of means to
complete their improvements will have a moderate ex-
tension of time granted to them to improve, or forfeit
Their case is quite different and very easily distin.
guished from that Of those who give no evidence Of their
desire to fulfill their engagement. FAIR PLAY.
Nininger, Jan. 25, 1858.