The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1892-01-30
ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

Did 1T ever occur 20 you WnaC couiu
be accomplished with one million
dollars? If not, follow our line OF
thought for a moment and see what
deductions you make. For the sake
of reasoning, let us suppose that Col.
Charles Croker has one million dol
lars to spare. Suppose he goes to the
darkest part OF San Francisco, the
slums and shines, and selects five
hundred of its most worthy heads OF
families and divides this million dol
lars among the five hundred; this
would give to each family two thous-
and dollars. An average sized family
contains four members, SO our sup
posed colony would contain two
thousand inhabitants. Through the
Colonel's agent, let these families be
settled or colonized, in the State Of
Washington or the State of North
Carolina; anywhere, where lumber is
cheap. Each family could purchase
from the Government one hundred
and sixty acres OF land at dollar d
a quarter per acre, which could be
Immediately paid for by each family.
A good team of horses could be
bought for $3.50 and a wagon for $40.
A house of four rooms could be
erected and completed in Washing
ton for one hundred dollars. The
cost OF mich COW would be $40 !;
farming implements would cost as
much. Let us allow $395 for inci-
dental expenses, which would natur-
occur in starting into business in a
new place. Each family would have
left $1,000. At the outset let it be
thoroughly understood that Mr..
Croker is acting as benefactor
purely, and is not aiming to make
any money from our little colony.
He takes mortgage on each quarter
section for twenty years, all the in
terest required being sufficient to pay
the cost of collection. In order to
pay $4,000 in twenty years, one hun
dred dollars must be paid annually
OF course this is clear to everybody.
At the expiration OF twenty years,
the land is his own, providing he has
been Industrious, paid the nominal
rents promptly, etc. The contracts
between the colonists and Col. Croker
have been filled. When the town
was laid off, lots centrally located
were left for market houses, schools
houses, churches and other public
buildings. They were told that all
moneys derived from the sale of pub
lie lands should be devoted to the
further improvement of the town.
The growing and prosperous COM
munity, yielding to the eternal fitness
of things, calls the village Croker
City, title most appropriate. There
are now 1000 residents in Croker
City and as they need hats, caps,
boots, shoes etc, shrewd business men
negotiate for corners lots where they
may erect business blocks. The Jew,
with an eye ever open to business, is
among them with his stock Of goods.
The agent disposes of the corner lots,
and the coin goes toward improving
the town. These lots in question
have brough $4,000 each, easily. And
still they come. Doctors, lawyers.
mechanics want lots; money is COM
ing in fast. Shortly railroad COM
pany sends its agent ahead to nego-
tiate for right of way. The lands
on the outskirts of the village, which
were formerly worthless SO to speak,
not being worth over $1.25 an acre,
now bring $40. Finding themselves
SO prosperous, the people hold meet
ings and pass resolutions for the pur-
pose Of erecting a market house,
school house and college. Without