Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-11-01
STAY EAST, YOUNG MAN. STAY EAST
Here's Advice From the Greatest Boom
City of the Booming West.


Mary s. Putnam, NJ. D., of Spokane
Falls, Washington, writes to the New
York Sun: Western towns are built up
by immigration. They lure by exaggera-
tion, by the united efforts of Boards OF
Trade incorporated by shrewd capitslists
and few original locators, who, less
than score of years before, had built
their shacks on Government claims.
The initiated do not know how easy it
is TO purchase column in leading
journal to boom town.
In less than no time dull, dreary, un-
interesting Godforsaken waste nourishes
into life row Of oue-story frame build
ings, foremost a saloon (the Monarch of
the Mountain, the Elite, the Bon Ton, or
the like), then a general merchandise
store, which holds the postcfico, asmithy,
lodging house and a restaurant COM
bined, and few primitive buildings, these
form a collectively town.
The place instinctively assumes the
name of the first squatter, who, perhaps,
had not spunk enough to extricate him
self from the original mud, and the deed
is done.
II there is q creek, there is water
power il q measly potato has struggled
into feeble existence there is agriculture;
II cutting survive its first pangs there is
no end to fruit prophecies. Acres are
laid of inte town lots in lieu of the
dusty, rafting stage coach, liable to peri
odical disbursements to road agents, rail-
road schemes are projected, prospectus
is insinuated everywhere, and land
auctions, real estate and building booms
follow.
Well-to-do farmers in the East sell the
old homestead, mechanics leave fair en-
ploy with tools and blankets, professional
puople searching for location take
new start-one way or another ell reach
the promised land, or rather land Of
promises.
Once there, there is no retreat. Irrepar
able sacrifices have been made; money
has been exhausted By exorbitant railroad
rates and thousand and one extortions
incident to travel; little to judiciously
invest is all that remains.
Plausible real estate men, with their
small capital Of a desk in convenient
corner. with mock enthusiasm and hack
neyed phrases, bait the anxious newcomer
with " our fine location, "what we have
back Of u.s." the future county seat or
capital" " the advance in real estate, "
" this is no boom," and such rot.
The shameless success is an easy one.
All is lovely with buyer and builder until
second payments and interests are due.
Provisions have been high outlay, incl
dental to getting settled, incessant /; sick
ness has come too, and, as is invariably
the case, work is scarce.
And now nothing is left but to sacrifice
improvements and turn the land back.
Real estate has reached its maximum
there is no more speculation, local trans
fers wane. Indeed, for some time, the
fact has been significant that none but
strangers are purchasers and they, when
beaten do not need second lesson. Out
wardly the town hourishes but it is never.
theless rotten to the core. Stores are
stocked with goods bought ON credit,
cheap buildings are put up on leased
gound, everything is heavily mortgaged.
Liquor saloons, gambling resorts, etc.,
al ne have q solid basis, vampire.lik
supping the prosperity and dignity OF
the town. In consequence of all this
there is q mad rush to keep heads
above water. Every one for himself, and
the devil take the hindmost. There is nc
pity no money for the unsuccessful, tbs
unfortunate. Honest men stand twenty
deep on the sidewalk, discouraged, re-
sentfnl. But the wheel of fortune turns
and behold poetic justice The town
lies In ashes. There has been great
fire, terrible, appalling confagration
In a few hours millions of dollars havG
been consumed in lurid fame. And SO
in the west, history repeats itself from
town to town. The essays of Ella tells
us that in our antipodes it was also neces
sary to burn village to get roast pig.