The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-04-21
lIEMIaGsss.
How he ainassel bis Fortune, and How lie
USed 1t. ltl 8 EaEiR

Used It. : ts4its
Gen. Lewis cas- died in the year
1866, at Detroit, leaving a fortune Of
about two million dollars. He com
menced life in New Hampshire 60
poor that his mother rocked him in a
sap-trough for want of a cradle; and
he never threw off the feeling Of po3-
erty thus early impressed upon his
mind. His last years were clo4ded
with the fear that his family would
come to want, and he left not a, dol
| lar to any public OF charitable object.
'Cass laid the foundation Of his for
tune while in the public service as
Territorial Governor from 1874 TO
1881. He received handsome salary
regularly in gold coin, and for a part
of the time he got double pay as IN
dian Commissioner and Governor
both. We think he richly earned all
he received for his wise and energetic
tlabors in the development Of our
beautiful Peninsula" 'ssIo-
But most of CasS' money was made
on a farm Of about 200 acres, which
he bought within the limits of De-
troit, lying only four blocks west of
THE new City Hall, and extending
from the river back one mile Or more.
fHe purchased this farm about the year
1880 for S12000,9 paying $4,000 cash
down and giving Ills note for 5000
the only note he ever Signed. Detroit
at that time was a Struggling little VII
lage of wooden buildings containing
12,222 Inhabitants. For several Years
afterward its gro Nth was SLOW and
it received a check in the cholera sea-
sor of 1892 Gen. Cass did not Seem
to have made "a great speculation, and
when4le was offered $25,00o for his
I'fafm-mofe than doubling his invest
RInent in less than three yeafs-he
thought Seriously Of closing with the
offer and selling out HIS home
was then IN the city Of Washington,
and he was Secretary of War under
tisOld Hickory.."a oBut he asked the
advice of an intelligent Eastern b6si-
ness man who was visiting him in
Detroit. After dinner, one day, the
two gentlemen walked over the farm
from theriver bank to its outefmost
boundaries observed its noble water
front, its level stretch IF land, AFFORD
ing such favorable street grades, and
| its proximity to the center Of BUSINESS.
Said Gen. !Cass' friend to him !. If
: you wish to sell the farm, 1 win give
i you $50, 900 for y --'a -'''' = - -
! "Oh, then my mind is. made, qp;p I
: will not sell at at all y replied the Gen
eral. s,-a.es.,.,,,...-.s r,-,sso "a, bs.,-
He held on to this choice piece of
real estate, and became, very rich
through the industry, and enterprise
of, others around him. He finally
sold at good prices scattering lots,
giving ten years time for most, of the
| purchase money, with interest at sew
en- per cent. but Stimulating always
: that: buildings of considerable value
should be erected on the lots within a
short period. He issued land con-
tracts of the above nature, but no
deeds until the purchase money was
I all paid up. OF course the improve
ment made on a part of his lots great
" enhanced the value of the remain
der, so that what land he had left was
continually getting 70 be worth more
than the whole at previous periods,
He. also made a lucky hit and; Sc
cured Immortality for. his name by
+: giving a large lot for a Union school
house, in the midst of his farm, on
!: condition that that city should erect a
. handsome building and iron, fence
3 around it, within a given time. and
name the school-house. after him. The
i. "Cass Union School, rapidly -inereas-
: ed the value, OF! all lots in its neigh
+ borhood. ,-..,.,-, s. f,,..;Er,...s. s,,nr;,c
We never heard that General aGass
was hard creditor. He avoided 1iti-
CATION, and evemin his Mill.provided
! for settling, by arbitration;g any dis
: putes that might arise. over hisTprop-
: erty. He made his fortune honestly.
t as the world goes, but knew littles of
/ the luxury of benevolenee.-LanSing
S (Nich.) Repablioan, March 17.rIyse
r t-sg ssif ---1----7---. ---- f!siT
l. A CERTAIN CURE FOR EAR-ACHB,
t z, We havesracnnflv.Ise seen saHerali re.