The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-08-13
TO THE NONRESIDENT PROPERTY
OWNERS OF SUP lIOR.

ward tow ards that prosperity for
which she has so long waited. She
has actually secured one railroad,
the Northern Pacific, and there is
every prospect that three or four
other railroads will seek her out
within a very short time, as soon as
they can be constructed. To the
casual observer there would seem
to be no reason why her progress
should not continue to be onward,
steadily if not rapidly. In fact
every thing would seem to point to
this conclusion.
But, right now, to-day, the adj
vancement OF the place is brought
to a sudden check by a very simple
cause. Nine tenths of the property
here is owned by non-residents,
people scattered all over the coun-
try from Maine to Texas. They
are very clever people, generally
well-to-do, and have an abiding
faith in a great future for SUI
perior. They are unit as
to this upon no other mat
fG,P rnl lot n "A
they so we'll agreed. And that is
just where the trouble comes III.
Scarcely a single one of them will
sell any of their lots here-on the
contrary many of them desire to
buy more The result is that men
of capital energy and enterprise
who come here TO buy property,
build, and go into business, and
help us build mp great city here,
are every day driven away because
they cannot secure the ground they
desire, or, for that matter, any
location at all. Within the pas,
thirty days 100 lots might have
been readily sold at fair prices to
people who would improve them.
Instead of this only sis lots have
been actually sold, simply because
they arc not in the market. People
come here, look around, zee The
railroad work, aud make up their
minds to secure a location and go
into business. They inquire about
one corner lot and are informed that
it belongs to Mr.. Cnrcoran, of Wash,
ington, about the next, that it be
longs to Mr.. Stinson, of Chicago,
the next 10 the Dawson Etate, OF
Pennsylvania, the next to Gov.
Aiken of South Carolina, and 80 on.
The tax paying agent here Of these
owners informs the intending buyer
that the most of them say they will
sell, but have put no price Oh their
lots, and he appears to know very
little about it, and the intending
buyer goes away discouraged and
disgusted, either abandoning al
together the idea of coming here, or
promising to come at later date
when he hopes a lot or two can be
secured.
This condition is very annoying
and Illuminating to the residents
here, to say the least. They have
stood guard and "heId the fort" for
a quarter of century, and more,
through many dark and gloomy
days, and now when daylight seems
ready to dawE upon the Old town,
they cannot realize that the pros
perity which is loudly knocking at
their doors should be rudely refused
admittauce.
Well, who Is to blame and what
is the remedy? After all, we do
not know that any fault should be
found with our nonresident own
ers. They have been very liberal
have given one third of their pro-
perty TO secure the Northern Paci-
tic railroad and they naturally expect
that the other two-thirds should
already have q considerable value,
or that by waiting awhile they may
yet be able TO realize at least a por-
ton of their original Investment.
Their indifference to selling arises
from a misconception of the situa-
ton, not from anv other cause.
The Northern Pacific Railroad
Company owns third of The
townsite IN specific lots and blocks
scattered along the various streets.
or rather will own it when thew
build the road into Superior by
Dec. 3lst next. This one-third is
therefore not now available, and
will not be till perhaps sometime
next year. In the meantime our
fnwn shon not stand ILL L. nnn