The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-09-13

1 Il u.
streets woul1ic graded througbo out,
electric motSt hes, water works, cleo
tric light pta public buildings, and
in fact every y5ncomitant of large
city would be planned for work on all
to be started AT one time on the day OF
the citys birth. These public improve
ments would cost about S4000,0O0 to
start, or, rather, that amount would be
required to start the city, and S6,O00,000
or 81. 600, GOO would finish it, including
q branch line to the nearest railroad.
"The lots, being made 5Oxl5O feet,
would make some $50 lots to the Sec
ton, 500 Of which, on the principal
streets, would sell for S5ol1 each, or
s., 800, 00O Five hundred lots adjoining
these streets, at Sc, 600 each, would make
81. 500, 600; 1000 more adjoining these,
at $1,000 each, would make S22,000,000;
$40 lots would be donated for business
and public buildings. Two thousand
residence lois would sell for $1,000 each,
or s., O00,O00, and 6,o00 more of them
would sell at $500, or IS, eco, 900, leaving
$500 lots for parks, etc, and baking
the grand total receipts from sales OF
lots Sll,oO0,0OO, which ought 10 pay for
all the public improvements and start
the town on a good, solid foundation.
How would manage to raise such an
amount? Easy as rolling Off a log. De-
eide on a date to start to build the city,
say one year from to-day, and not a day
sooner. I would come To you, for in
stance, if l thought YOU had surplus
bank account. and lay the matter before
you. II you thought we'll of it, l would
permit you to subscribe for one or two
lots-not any more, as ! want the lots
sold in all sections of the country. SO
that the city might be known and talked
of, thus advertising it all oydr the
United States. Then again, as we are
going to build substantial town, VIC
don't want any speculation about it.
You Will not be permitted TO select your
own LOT, as you would naturally select
the best one. and this you could we'll do
as the principal streets are to be made
before, and not after the town is built
You may select yoUr section according
to price, and At the proper timn the
number Of your lot viii be given You.
This Will be obtained by some open,
fair plan. Who would not give $1,000
for a business lot or $500 for residence
lot in q town guaranteed to have $4,000
inhabitants in two years, even though
me can not have 4 choice? His lot
can not be worth less than double
what he subscribed, and perhaps,
as will be the case with hun
dreds, ten times the original cost. A
large number of business men and resi-
dence lot owners win agree to build,
commencing the first day the town is
opened. and to he finished at certain
limited time. In this wise a hundred
business houses and . hundred resi-
dences, large number OF mills, etc.,
will be commenced on the first day
in selling you q lotwe wouldnot want
any amount down, but in order that we
might be assured Of your good faith
would demand that you place in your
own bank your Endorsed note for one
third the amount of the purchase, pay
able on the day the town IS to be
started; another one-third in three
months from the time of the first pay
ment and the rest in six months from
the time OF first payment. Thus thc
town could be built and completed in
one year. The employment of these
thousands upon thousands of men Of al
trades and the expenditure of over So,
OO0,O 600 or $11 eco. 600 in the given time
would naturally force the making of q
large town, even if there were half .
dozen around 1t, ana with such a start
nothing could stop it from growing. We
would select lot or two for Il news
paper building, a saw-mill, a wagon
factory, machine shop, bank, drug store,
bakery and :; hundred other concerns.
which would be donated TO any one who
would erect for that special purpose
proper building. to cost not less than a
certain amount. There would be no
subsidies. The privilege of getting
into such town will be great enough
inducement especially with the ground
donated, and it-you don't see the oppor-
tunity some one else Will.
There are 100000 people in the
United States wio could and would enter
into such 4 scheme if they werc as
sured of tho reliability of the pro-
jectors."