The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-21
A THRIFTY BOSS.
HOW THE Oh Eff OF THE WASHINGTON RING HAS
ACCUMULATED WEALTH.
CORRESPONDENCE New York Sun1

WASHINGTON, Nov. Boss Shepherd
real estate operations have long been the wor
DER OF the town. How he managed to cove
so many acres with brick and mortar ha
puzzled everybody, even his most in,imat
friends. conversation with an old citizel
TO- day on this subject, in conjunction will
previously known facts, threw good deal o
night on the real estate operations of the heat
OF the Washington Ring. First, it may b,
promised that the dwellings erected by the
Boss are mere shells, poorly built Of the poor
est materials.
When Michler row on G. street Quilt by the
Boss, and in one corner of which the wicked
Don Piatt lives) took fire, it was found that
there were no party walls save of laths and
plaster in the roof, and it was only by mira
| Gle that the block was saved from utter de-
| struction. Two Newspaper men who bought
adjoining tenements in Michler row used to
come down town every morning cursing each
other for disturbing each others rest the pre-
vlous night. If one received aCaudle lecture
on returning home in the "wee sms' hours"
the other was an unwilling listener, and a
good snorer could keep the whole block
awake But these are said to be substantial
buildings compared 10 some erected later by
Shepherd
1t will naturally be asked how did the Boss
md purchasers for such rickety edifces? 1t
should be recollected that most Of them were
disposed of while he was Governor of the
District, and the purchasers were contractors
under the Board of Public Works, who found
1t to their advantage, perhaps, to pay the
prce asked, and others who were self-consti.
tuted champions of the Ring. The latter, it
may be safely assumed, never expected to be
called upon for the full amount Of their pur-
chase money. They paid small amount
down and gave their notes for the balance,
and these notes they expected their friend
the Boss would take care of. And he did
lake care of them by putting them where
hey would do the most good-to himself |
ln other words, he had them discounted. and |
ne makers OF these notes had to provide for
hem al maturity as best they could.
In this way the Boss managed to dispose of
ais horses at an advance of one hundred per
'ent on their cost, which left him very
leavy discount to the note shhvers. gen,
1em'n VINO inGured spnspicaonsiy n; IN sne
a!ng ID us palmy Co. noyxhvlng IN one
q Bsss so oe5 saa
If several thousand dollars more upon 1t to
.ender it tenantable, would not bring $4,000
n the market to-day. Is not one source of
he rapidly acquired riches Of the Boss now
made clear ?
Another remarkable feature of his career,
developed in the conversation to-day above
'eferred to, is that the Boss has ruined nearly
III of his adherents. Look at "poor Dick
Harrington, blasted in reputation and left
without dollar. Look at George Gideon,
With house on his hands, for which he paid
he Boss more than one hundred per cent
lbove it's value. And SO one might 60 through |
he whole list of those who intrusted their
ortunes and their reputation to Boss Shep-
lerd Yet the Boss still fourishes like a
rreen bay tree