Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1893-09-28
YANKEE GRIT.
Mixed With shrowdness, 1t Is Building .
Fortune Ort of Nothing,

American shrewdness is well illus
trated in a rcal-estate transaction that
occurred in n small town not many
miles from the city. On a capital Of
Hevcnty-fivs cents man possessed him
self of two hundred and twenty thou.
sand dollars worth of property. Six or
seven months ago Mr.. Bla nix met with
some losses in business which cleaned
out what capital he had and left him
with seventy-fve cents in his pocket
He realized that something had to be
done. Having place where he
was always sure of accommoda.
tion he wasted no time, but on
the very day he met his loss
he began to look about to turn some.
thing up. For long time he had no.
ticed a 2ss-acre tract of land adjoining
a town of 5000 inhabitants which ne
thought would make great real-estate
investment. He went to the agents Of
the estate and secured ninety-day op-
tion on the place for $3.50. lie didn't
have the money, but being well known
in the noighborhood, he was given
credit. He next engaged n surveyor
who laid the plot out in 1000 lots and
charged him $3.50 for his services. This,
likewise credit. He thought it would
be good idea to have street railway
located, and as time was money in his
case, he succeeded in getting a charter,
through being friend of the governor,
in three days.
He next announced through adver-
tisements obtained on credit that he
desired to sell number of lots at two
hundred and fifty dollars each, condi-
tionally; that is, no money was to be
paid on the purchase until he had
broken ground for the location of some
mandatory employing not less than
two hundred men. When such fac
tory was started the buyers were to
hand to him half the purchase money.
In eighteen days eighty-fve thousand
dollars worth OF property was dis
posed of to some of the most solid
citizens of that town and Pittsburgh, %
great deal being sold in blocks. About
this time, the creditors who had fa-
vored him were beginning to press for
their money, so in order to fasten a
consummation of his plans he called
upon prominent manufacturer OF
Pittsburgh and made him a PROPOSE.
ton that if he would move his works to
this point he would give him so much
ground and cash bonus besides.
All this time the promoter had moth
ing but his seventy-five cents and cred
itors were pressing him on every side
The manufacturer refused to locate
until he received deed of the prop
erty. The promoter here met another
difficulty. He couldn't get u deed until
he paid for it. He finally saw n way
If he wouldn't begin digging for the
foundations, assuring him that the
deed would be Forthcoming in due time
This the manufacturer did, and no
sooner was the stone hauled and the
ground broken than the real estate
man called upon his purchasers for
half the purchase money, according to
agreement. In couple of days he
had $3.50 in his possession. With
this he was able to pay the manufac'
turer his bonus, to settle all his debts,
and by placing several mortgages, to
purchase the property. He now has
four manufactures under way two
squares of railway laid and 1,20O lots
left after having paid for everything
and allowing himself liberal salary
besides Pittsburgh Dispatch.