Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-04-30
TO BE CONTINUED. J
A FORTUNE EASILY MADE.
Land Speculation in the West Which Yield
Immense Returns.
Kansas Times

In Kansas city oftener than any other
city, perhaps, instances occur of where
large fortunes have been made from real
estate thought to be worthless. The most
notable case, as well as the most romatic,
is that of Rev. David Walk, a minister of
the Christian sect, who in 1873 purchased
five acres of ground for s1,5O0, which he
sold Saturday to Messrs. J. S. Ford and
II. p. Jacques for S66,500 The property
is located at Ninth Olive streets and at
the pulpit in one of the principal churces
i'll memphis. The circumstances leading
to the purchase are interestingly related
by Mr. Walk. My health had been fail
ing for some time" said Mr.. Walk, land
to recuperate it | decided to take a trip
through the West. Being, like most min
listers; dependent on my profession for a
livelihood and conscious that the time
would come when | should have to give
up preaching, | also determined to look
out for place near some thriving city
where | could retire from the ministry
and get my living from the ground. The
first places / visited in Missouri were Car
rolton, Springfield and Bolton. At each
the people of our church offered to give
me Il home if / would locate with them,
and at Bolton the church proposed to
NNNi hIbStii hIiNo VI = louIld w lllt anu
build a residence on it if | would accept
the pastorate there.
when [ left home l had no idea of
visiting Kansas City, but being so near
it l decided to come here before accept
ing either of the propositions. l accord
ingly did so and found the people desir-
GUS of having me take charge of a little
church then being established. As | lik-
ed the looks of the town l accepted the
charge and prepared to bring my family
here. Driving into the country with
friend one day to see if | could find a
tract of land to my liking, | came upon
cornteld, five acres of which were for
sale l bought the property the next
day and after thirteen months | moved to
Cincinnati, where | took charge of the
largest church in our denomination. Two
years later | went to indianapolis and
after four years to New Orleans, where |
am now pastor of church. 1t was while
at indianapolis that l leacned that my
land was likely to make my fortune. L
received several letters from capitalists
III Kansas City, offering to take the prop
erty off my hands The first offer which
was made three years ago, was $4,000. A
little while later, Somebody offered 10000
and year ago | received letter offer
ing me $4,000 for the property. My re-
ply was, on postal card to the effect
that | had no desire to sell and that | ex-
pected some day to turn my acres into
good garden. In a few days | received
pleasant note from the gentleman, asking
me what kind of vegetables | expected to
raise on ground worth $500 an acre.
" You came to Kansas City then. did
you not!' " Yes, cams back for the first
time since my departure in 1879 and was
not little surprised to see city on all
sides of my whilom cornfeld. | had
been here but a few days when | received
an offer of $4,000, which | refused. The
bids kept jumping up $500 at a time until
few weeks ago | received half dozen
of $4,000. | came on to Kansas City last
week and Saturday, as you know, sold out
for s66,500. | have said nothing of the
struggle 1t has cost me to keep possession
of my little tract. Preachers salaries are
not usual exorbitant, and it was often hard
for me to support my family and pay the
taxes, small as they were. But l did it
and have now II competency"
Mr.. Walk is a tall. robust, clerical-look-
ing gentleman, on the right side of fifty
and If appearances go for anything will
enjoy the fruits of his timely investment
for many years to come. He said he
should not attempt to increase his fortune
but would make n safe investment where
the interest would be sufficient to support
his family. Messers, Ford and Jacques
will plat the property and place it upon
the market