Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-07-30

AuHipy' 40" $500 $50"
the data, might furnish your read
ers with review of the effect Of the
shrinkage Of values and the conse-
quent loss Of property and ruin which
has taken place in the once "banner
county" of Dickinson. While ! have
shared the losses which have come to
every enterprising citizen OF Colorado,
when compare the conditions in
other states, on the principle that
''misery loves company,"I feel con-
tent.
You are mistaken that | ever made
the proud boast that ! took $5OO,OO
ia cash in good securities to Colorado.
Boosting has never been character
istic Of mine. | reiterate that | did
accumulate honestly and legiti-
mately a competency while ! lived in
Kansas, but did not begin life, as
you say, as laboring man or BY
blowing for my daily bread With
in a week from the time ! landed in
the state Of Kansas in 1867, as your
county records will show, purchas-
ed six hundred acres OF land upon
which a goodly portion Of your city
now stands. | should not, however,
be ashamed of such an honorable
start in life II such it had been. Had
| "lived for myself" possibly it was
o mistake to leave Kansas, but for
Colorado ii was an immense gain. |
deny that what l saw ahead Of me has
led me a "sad chase through lie. .
On the contrary, ! am by nature san
guine and hopeful; in fact, cheerful
as compared with what | have seen
and heard of the business men that
are yet left at Abilene.
Ny ambitions like that of any man
who attempts important projects may
be censurable, but ii they are within
themselves legitimate and desirable
sin &c it is necessary that somebody
must incept and direct them, If they
are of public utility, submit that II
is commendable enterprise rather
than "over weening ambition" which
Is displayed. Everyone Of such enter
prises which | originated were com
pleted and have proven Of themselves
to be of wide public benefit. ! cannot
conceive Of more Legitimate enter
prise than the one which takes thu
useless factors of idle water and arlC
plain and by combining the two
makes the "desert blossom like thu
rose" But you single out two par
ticular enterprises. | invested first
and last 100000 in the Circle rail
way to which you refer. MY stoci
was deposited as collateral to TN
Travellers Insurance company, and IN
volved in my somewhat famous ltlga
ton with that company. About ilv'
years before the litigation was ter
minated, by mutual arrangement
the property was sold to the SAINT
Fe railway, the proceeds shared be
tween us and within two years iron
that time the Santa Fe disposed OF
portion only of the real estate con
nected with the enterprise for NOR
than $500, 900, which was far NOR
than and my associates original
invested in the property. what
lost was lost through litigation wit
Travellers Insurance company. In
enterprise Of itself was very valuable
President Strong Of the Santa Fe as
suring me within a year after thel
purchase that IL was worth 81, 800, OO'
So much for my judgment on tbs
speculation"
1t is not true that | "sank a hui
dred thousand dollars in new
paper.n invested that amount in
I"I
newspaper which it was my JUDI
ment then and is my judgment nov
was A valuable medium to reach u
q public in the interest Of the gener
subject of irrigation, etc., in whit
4 / and my associates were so large
interested. My embarrassment
growing out Of the aforesaid litig
: ton forced me to dispose Of the pro
srty at a sacrifice Of 100000 with
I two years from that date and
lam. uaars followino. this nr0peT