The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-04-26
Am Englishman In Yirsipi..

We find the following racy correspond
ence in the Richmond Enquirer. We es-
pecially commend it to our outside readers
who think of coming to Virginia to buy
land, as all sensible men who want to
change places ought to do:
ONE OF THE ENGLISH CoLoNIEs-LAND
SHARKS AND LAND AGENTs--ENG-
LIsHMENs COMING. -.
Correspondence of the Commercial Advertiser.l
700 gvsa VIRGINIA, April 10, 1872.
Tom Boffins is happy man. For
tunately he had grandmother before him.
The "blessing" she left is snugly invested
in farm, and Tom considers himself
member of the landed aristocracy. He has
sent to England for the arms of the Buff
finses, and L heard him tell General
Somebody that he was descendant of HUI
go De Boffayne who ''came in with Will
liam the Conqueror."
= When had saved Tom from the land
sharks / asked him how he took his, and
he said with sugar. So we sugared, and
7. B. revived considerably. He didn't
exactly want to fight, but he expressed an
intense desire to sspunchv the head of the
man from Lynchburg. US ~ ~ IN. 81.
Next day took Tom to see one of the
English colonies. Never mind whether it
was in Charlotte or Prince Edward. in
Piedmont or at Alexandra, | have under
taken not to diclose bis address, for the
tradesmen Ego for'' new corners vigorous
ly, and he has bought all the things
he wants at present. Right in the
centre Of the English colony was farm
of one thousand acres which | had
picked out for Boffins, and he was de-
lighted with it. There was, good house
on it, and quite village of negro cabins.
One hundred acres was fine bottom land,
containing soil fruitful enough to melt the
heart of even . New Jersey farmer. Two
hundred acres more were cleared for crops,
and two hundred acres were covered with
the second growth of pine. The balance
was forest primeyal, SO well ,timbered and
''originap as any to be found in the Vest
ern states. For this estate, purchased
through respectable land agent, Thomas
Bofins, Esq, paid sl5 ,000--scarcely one
half his grandmother's legacy. He had
plenty of capital to s'improveo his land, to
build, to fence, to drain, to stock, and, in
fact. to do all that the owner Of such a
place ought to do. IS 1.ss9ss a -. 50
There are land sharks and land agents in
! Virginia. The land sharks poster strangers
on board the steamers, on railroad, and in
hotels. The land agents are gentlemen
who will not descend to ssto uting," who
have characters which they wish to pre-
serve, and who may be relied on as men Of
honor. The land sharks are birds of prey !,
ready to pounce down on the unwary.
The land agents are honorable business
men, anxious to protect those who consult
them.
The man who comes to Virginia to 'spros-
pect" may easily avoid the land sharks.
He has only to maintain inviolable secrecy
as to his business, and carefully to treat all
specious and plausible strangers who seek
to put land prospectuses into his hands as
mare confidence men. 1t may be assumed
that all the pretended land agents who in
fest the steamers, railroads and hotels are
swindlers. Their 'little game" is to puff
off some particular part of the State at the
expense of all the rest. Sometimes unso-
pbisticated individuals are taken in and
done for" but too often the intended set
tier is disguised with the ''wretched tout
{ ers, and makes tracks, for home.
Land buyers will do well to seek the aid
and advice Of the recognized land agents,
who, as body, occupy deservedly high
position. In Southside Virginia Charlotte
county the National Virginia Settlement
Association is rapidly settling up fruitful
section. In Alexandra Messrs. Green, in
Richmond Messrs. Imboden, and in Pied
ment Mr.. Daily, Of Farmville, are all
doing great work. These agents may be
trusted, but the men who are engaged in
"touting" can only be placed on level
with the unsayory Hebrews who in New
York and London ask permission to mutt
late your likeness for twenty-five shents"
or "shix-pensh." sztzF.5 -slsz
A land agent saved Tom Boffins no less
than $4,000. On this agents list the farm
Tom bought was put down at $50 900, but
the owner who was 9 sharp"-and he
wasn't Yankee either-didn't know we
had been to the agent, and SO he coolly de-
manded $4,000. We returned to the
agent, gave him the s15, 900, and told him
to arrange the matter. 1t didn't take long
to arrange. Aa hlZ-H4 >
Respectable land agents are often able to
save the money of the purchaser. They
know the real market value of land, and it
Is to their interest to conciliate settlers, for
one settler may bring many more. Bof-
iins's case has numerous counterparts.
A NEW PATH OF PROSPERITY.
4 Virginia, at the present time, offers un-
sequaled advantages to investors. The
State has passed the lowest point of de-
1 preston, and she has entered upon new
path to prosperity. Her future grandeur
will ere long eclipse the traditions of a
glorious past. With climate which, for
equality and comfort, surpasses all the va
reties Of temperature on the American
Continent, and with lands selling at one
fifth of their real value, if Virginia cannot
attract men of capital and intelligence it is
difficult to imagine what will. If the
North will not settle upon the Old Domin-
ion, England most assuredly will do so.
My countrymen who have come here are
all well pleased, and now that the Legisla-
ture has shown unexpected wisdom by re-
jecting the foolish immigration schemes,
expect in year or two to see the State
crowded with Englishmen.
! = EARLY CUCUMBERS.--There are seve-
raj modes of growing early cueumbers