The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1876-02-27
A GOOD SCIIEME.
An ex-FOundryman of Dallas In the
Real Estate Business In New York.

1t will doubtless be gratifying to the
many Dallas friends of Mr.. C. Christie
pher to know that he has struck new
lead, with every prospect of it pan
ming out beautifully, Chris, it will be
remembered, at one time run the Dali
las Foundry and Machine Shops, but
fast living and the usual Ell ceteras
done the business for him, and dispos-
ing as best he could of his interest in
the foundry, he emigrated, to return
in a few months as proprietor of the
patent of double-back action, labor
saving, red.hot smoothing iron. Ac-
cumulating a few ducats from the sale
Of his patent, he hunted larger field
to display his talents and abilities, and
suddenly drops into New York City as
dealer In real estate.
The plan adopted by Chris. to bring
into notice his embryo city, and at the
same time put few shekels in his
purse, is decidedly novel and original,
and is thus commented upon by the
New York Sun:
Mr.. Christopher, the President of the
"Central Texas Land and Colonization
Company" has opened an office at 307
Broadway for the free distribution OF
town lots in the city of Milano, Milan
county, Texas. The walls of the office
are we'll covered with maps of the
United States, of the State of Texas, of
the county of Milan, of the city of
Milano, and, finally, of the separate
wards of the city. The company, OF
which Mr.. Christopher is president,
owns, as he says, about fifty thousand
acres of Texas land, upon which he
wishes to introduce settlers. His
plan is to give to any man
who will take one, lot In
the city of twenty-five feet front and
one hundred feet depth, in the hope
of anchoring the attention OF the donee
upon the attractions and advantages
of Texas, and of leading him to pur-
chase desirable farms from the compa-
ny at three dollars per acre. The ty
is said to be mile square, with the
northern boundary temptingly con-
tiguous to the line OF the International
Railroad, and with avenues, parks and
bouleyards laid out with liberality
that is not extravaganza, when it Is I'M
derstood that two dollars an acre is a
high valuation upon the land. The
streets are sixty-six feet wide, the ave-
nues one hundred feet and the parks
include five blocks. The lots reserved
for the Presbyterian, Baptist and Meth
odist churches, the Postotfice, and the
Courthouse are considerably larger
than the ordinary building lots, and
are to be given to the municipality by
Mr.. Christopher's company. There
are between eight and nine thousand
lots in the city, and under the plan of
distribution the company reserves
every other one for itself and gives the
others away. -,
"They are given as free gifts" said
Mr.. Christopher, 1--WE asking only sew
enty-hve cents from the person bene-
fitted, and that is just enough to pay
the Commissioner before whom we ac-
knowledge the instrument. Mr. Ch,5.
H. Smith, OF 3lS Broadway, is the
Commissioner we employ, and though
his usual fee is one dollar, he has con-
sented to Dc the work for us for seven
ty.five cents. We in turn charge our
customers the same, and so get no re-
4 turn for our trouble, except the posi-
6lity of finding purchasers for our
4 farm lands.n
The reporter next called upon Mr..
& Smith, the Com missioner, to talk with
him about the liberality of the ColoniT
q 2atinn Company, and incidentaiIy
4 leSx.ed that he was being paid four
dsIars a day for acknowledging a!ltne
deeds that might be sent to him. AS
Mr.. Christopher estimated the namDei
OF lots daily given away at NIFTY, tht
8 fee Of Mr.. Smith for each one is about
] eight cents, instead of seventy-hV'
cents. The balance of sixty-sevei
cents goes to the company; and ther'
being over 5000 lots in the city, tn'
result Of the liberal system of gifts vii
he to put about s., $3.50 into the compa
ny's treasury in exchange for thei
square mile, or GAO acres, of land. I'm
n price realized will be about eight dol
lars per acre, or about four times til
selling price Of land.
Il Clara Morris is advertised to play Il
4 Brooklyn next week, but it is extreme
4 y doubtful whether she will be able B
,alhll her engagement. During he
baltimore engagement last week sh
was sevaral ti,,,os On rr;aI hR tho stag