Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-09-08
IDA CITY.
New Mode Of Life Assurance.

The appended statement OF facts
shows. on its face, that there is no effort
at humbug in the proposition to sell city
lots on the Long Island railroad. 1t
there be, Stewart, the merchant prince,
is the chiefest Of modern swindlers, asd
in buying a large tract on Long Island,
within six miles of Ida City, he has
surely robbed himself. The statements
that follow are approved as facts by the
Hon. Jacob Thompson:
Editors Public Ledger:
GENTLEMEN: i propose to make an
unsophisticated statement relative to the
contemplated city of Ida on Long
Island, thirty-six miles from New York
city.
Previous to the chartering of the
bridge across East river by the New
York Legislature, / took look over the
island for the purpose of purchasing a
tract Of land to locate city upon, feel
ing that speculation would turn directly
on the said island so soon as the charter
would be carried through at Albany;
After an examination of some ten days
work, / bought seven hundred and thlr-
teen acres, split open by the Long Island
railroad which starts out from the
city of Brooklyn, and runs through
said Ida City from ten to twenty
times per day. This is beautiful loca-
ton, high and dry, above any of the in
Auences of tide water, something be-
tween one and two hundred feet 1t IS
table land, lies handsomely, growth Of
pine, black jack and scrub oak, etc., and
produces we'll, corn, wheat, rye, oats and
vegetables of all kinds. After the bridge
was really chartered, my footsteps were
well followed by Mr.. A. 1. Stewart, of
New York, who purchased large tract
twenty-five miles from Brooklyn, paying
near half a million dollars, and he is
now erecting city on his own hook.
W. G. Ford, then of New York, now of
this city, also followed, through the same
broker that l made purchase OF, and
bought some several thousand acres near
the city of Islip, on the bay, some thirty
five miles from New York. Then it was
that property began TO jump up-the
like was never known. The island is
interspersed with the most beautiful
farms the world could produce. Thous-
ands Of New Workers liseAon the island
and do business in the cities of New
York and Brooklyn. Stewart is going
to spend twenty millions on his city,
having hundreds Of men at work at
this time. He is building a railroad
from this place to Farmingdale, which
will pass through or near the city of Ida.
Railroads are being built pretty near
every direction, through and around.
There is a railroad built part of the way
from the bay to the sound, passing north
and south along by the city of Ida, edg-
ing the north side twelve miles across,
starting at the city Of Babylon on the
bay shore, thence to the sound at city
or town, the name not recollected. This
gives Ida City a prestige it could not
otherwise have. The Hon. Jacob Thomp-
son came to New York after 4 had made
the purchase of the land on the island;
| told him of my enterprise. He said
he would like to get in with me, If 1t was
a good speculation. | Immediately Of
fered TO let him in; we went and looked
at the property and Island both. He was
pleased and took q half interest. This
is now laid off into e city, called Ida
City. We are selling lots at fifty dollars
each, ten payments, without interest; IN
short, FIVE dollars per year until paid. l
invite the widow and orphan to buy; you
will never get another such a chance
again. invite little girls ard
boys, that can save five dollars per year,
to get lot or more, according to their
means or ability to pay US. The title Of
this property is perfect in the Hon:
Jacob Thompson We will only sell
one-third of these lots at that low figure
A man will get too rich if he goes it toe
largely. do not care to sell more than
ten lots to one man. / regard ter
of our lots better than any ter
thousand dollars paid up policy in any
life insurance Office or company TO leave
TO a mans family. 1t is not four hun
bred dollars per acre for the land, anC
you cannot get any land in fifty miles o
New York at any depot, for as little as {
thousand dollars per acre. We are nov
collecting up a considerable number 0
German mechanics in Williamsburg
which is a part of Brooklyn, and maxi
them a present Of every alternate 10
within two blocks Of the railroad tina
runs something over mile through tn
city. In short, we will locate them al
along the line OF the railroad. on boil
sides. Every alternate lot will be ou
speculation. The lots we sell for fft.
| dollars, when the bridge is com
pleted will be worth, in my humbl
| Judgment, FIVE hundred dollars each.
propose to give them at that low fgur
to help raise fund to start the city oil
properly. 1t is my proposition to Civ
my Southern people or friends the bene
1 fit Of the speculation, as 1t is a prett.
sure one. IL we sell to the Southern
people we can collect better and easier
1 for we will know, personally, most o
whom we sell lots. And if We sell Thea
in New York and Brooklyn, it will b
quite an undertaking to End severa
thousand people. But when sell lots i
Memphis, Helena and Coahoma county
Mississippi, / know you all, and can co
lect every year. And as soon as we sci
one-third-say three thousand lots
will go to Long Island and attend pei
sonally 10 the erection OF said city.
iutead to make it my business the ba
[ anee of my life; and, my word for i
[ that any party that purchases Of on
lots will be proud Of the day they eve
knew JoHN NJ. POWELL, &
Better known as Pontotoc PowelD
{ Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tenn
A co,rr,,, o.. - a II