The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-06-20
"MONEY TO BURN"
one Version of the Origin of a Slang
Phrase Now Very Popular.

to their origin than the Worlh-o!d
words which have come t" MS through
the changes of Il Scor" of languages.
some of them are tie chance EXPIRES
SionS of Il happy thought; some ar"
r~csurrcctionS in strange form ol ooS"-
lrtr speech: some are mistakes or slil'S
" the tongue made in public places
which have sprung into sudden lopl-
laYity by virtue of the amusement
which they created: others are conlbina-
lions Of other slang. such rs the word
kidnap. which is merely an ~ahhrcvia-
lloa of the phrase TO nab day hold Oh
p Kid child.
NthcY slang is the outcome of Il deter
mined effort To force a new word INTO
,N.e language. as in the case of the word
ou.1. which. on "A wager in Edinburgh.
was put in the mouths of all men sim
ply by making il up and causing it 10
hr posted on all the bill boards of the
city. Still others of these foundlingS
NJ Language are the outcome of an or
i~.iy.l,y legitimate description of some
peculiar event coming in time to ac-
gu.r. q meaning greatly ~broadcncd.
Ot This class is the phrase money to
luru" now 50 common.
The origin of this phrase, or 1T least
ouc origin of it. was Il consultation over
4 business transaction held in Rochcs-
t"r >oinc years ago. one of the parties
Interested was Mr.. T.. Il prominent mcr-
chant Of that city. who was as we'll
known for his interests in various char
titles aS for his sound Judgment and
joined Il simple. straightforward nature
and 4 hearty dislike of all oStentation.
To. Mr.. +. there came SmithSOn. a pro
moter. with a scheme in which he had
Interested many of the wealthy mon of
Western New York, and in which he
very much desired Mr.. F.S support.
The merchant listened to the bombaS-
tic description of the future sure to re-
suit from the carrying out of his project
and offered him Il cigar. Smithson
tWirlcd the cigar between his fingers
a. he outlined the profits which would
accrue to Mr.. +. if he would invest Il
certain sum.
You will need Il large sum of money
to start with" observed the merchant.
"Oh. yes" replied the promoter in
IN off Inland way, Il expect to put in
a big proportion on my w account"
Then YOU have enough now 70 be-
gin with asked Mr.. f.. extending a
lighted match to his visitor to light
his cigar. The visitor declined the
match with a gesture. and, putting his
hand in his pocket. pulled out a handful
If bills. n of which he twisted up and
thrust into the gaSlight. Then he lit
his cigar. held the bill until it was
burned down. and tossed ii on an ash
receiver.
You see how much money counts
with us" said he grandiloquently.
The merchant rose. THAT was Il $40
bill. wasn't it, he asked.
II believe So" replied the promoter.
Been in Rochester long," asked
Mr.. +.
Not very" said the promoter.
"Why:"
This is Il hard winter" returned the
merchant. MANY people are without
sufficient food and clothing. our hos
pitfalls and charitable organizations are
crowded and in debt. And with these
things so. YOU consider money no more
Than TO make il foolish and wicked dis
hllN with il Won ,uln do No hl1sinnLS
with me. ! bid Hou goodnight"
The crcstfallen promoters cXpostula-
lions were courteously but firmly put
aside and he left the place. When it
became known that Mr.. +. had refused
10 invest in his project others withdrew
and the plan fell through. 4 wear later
Mr.. l.. was dining 1T one of the hotels
in this city when SmithSon entered with
Il gentleman whom Mr.. L. and the 9th
rl> with him knew. This gentleman
introduced him. Whcp he came To MIR.
+. the merchant said:
I'VE need no introduction. know
Mr.. SmithSan. He has money to burn
II so happened that the promoter had
only a few days before come into pos
session of Il large sum. as Il number of
the men present Knew. and the phrase
me has money to burn" struck them al
once. They We're from AL parts of III,
country, and the saying went viii
them To Boston. ST. Louis. Chicago
Washington and other cities. to drift
back eventually. rs all slang that has
anything more than a local meanin-
does, to this city. where II was heard III
the streets, read in the newspapers am
spoken from the stage. 1t was altered
to express a superabundanCe of any
commodity. such as bonds TO burn
Information to burn" or anythin.
else, whether inflammablc or not, II,
burn" and in some localities il WA,
altered and came our il Such puiSa y,