Wichita eagle., 1888-07-07
REAL ESTATE OXYGEN,

Something in the Atmosphere That Makes
Chicago People Buy Real Estate.
Talking with broker on the question
of trade and weather he gave expression
to some very peculiar ideas. for this same
broker. though prominent on the street
and very successful. has a wonderful i'm
agination. and frequently expresses him
self In the most visionary manner.
On this occasion be said Il can tell you
what the trouble is. it's the air for dead
certainty | have watched this market
for years, and have seen some queer
things Under ordinary circumstances
rain and snow have their effect upon the
real estate market, but there are times
when they do not Say. did you ever read
Dr. Ox's experiment. He way the chap.
you know, Jules Verne writes about as
having stirred up the quiet little Dutch
burg and set the steady going old resi-
dents in commotion by the aid of oxygen.
Well, want to tell you that in minor
form that very thing is transpiring around
us every once in while. There is GER
tainly something in the air that makes
people buy real estate. | feel it very
quickly The moment get out of bed
some mornings it seems as though | could
not get to town quick enough, and all the
way in there is sort Of suppressed eager
ness to buy acres and subdivide them l
fairly have craving to buy land
well, as sure as shooting, when /
reach the office notice an activity among
the clerks that is unusual, and | also no.
tice that people begin to flock In They
do not struggle in, one at a time. and go
out almost Immediately, but they crowd
the Office and they buy lots, too. and when
they do finally leave it is with sort of
hungry look at the maps and plats as
though they wanted more. You can laugh
and think l am crank. If you like, but
it's a fact, all the same. Why. at
tended an auction sale of lots one day
when had this bunch to buy | tried
to keep away. but could not. Some big,
bald headed fellow, with voice like a
broken down caIliope, WIS acting as auo-
tioneer, and had got the crowd in laughing
humor by telling funny stories. but evil
IDENTIFY that was lot what they came out
for and they began to howl for the sale to
begin. The sale did begin. and so did
rainstorm. but it had no more effect on
that crowd than a gentle breath of wind;
everybody had the fever, and we all stood
there in the pelting rain bidding and buy
ing until the big chap said he was cleaned
out entirely and had no more lots to sell
This atmospheric boomer comes very sud-
denly at times.
II remember another sale happened to
be at where the crowd, though large
seemed apathetic. loggy and ifeless; the
salesman was doing his best. and it was
uphill work for him, only stray bid here
and there reaching his ear | was lean
ing against tree, as Gstless as the rest,
when. In a twinkling, all was changed
life and animation had taken the place Of
lethargy, and the bids were rolling In
thick and fast. | knew what it was for
felt it sweep over NE and surge through
my frame like charge of electricity-it
was the real estate oxygen. and, SO far as
was concerned, / bought thirteen lots in
the next twenty minutes. What am
telling you Is right, and no funny bust
ness. and the only regret ! have now is
that the epidemic does not strike oftener
III tell you what would be a good scheme.
If some Of those invention fellows, like
Edison, would get up machine to store
this stuff and let it off upon proper occa-
sions what real estate booms could be in
lugurated. but we have no such machine
pet, and have to depend upon the itfuI
fancy of nature for a supply. and nature
has evidently got her back up at Chicago
real estate men, for this strange and ex-
hilarating air has been denied now for
many weeks Let Us hope for speedy
change. Chicago Herald