Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-01-02


tate Board. lie Is also u 3:d degree
Mason and u Knight Templar Of high |
standing, besides being u member Of |
several leading clubs of the city. In
1867 he established an office on tho |
northwest corner Of Madison and In
Sale streets. In connection with the
Hon. James II. Gilbert. now president
of the Garden City Banking and Trust
Co.. known as one of the strongest
financial institutions In the West. Both
members of the firm were then mere
| boys, but by their energy and enter
prise they soon built up a large aud
lucrative business In real estate. They
subdividcd large tracts Of land. long
before the fire. Oh the West Side. ana
sold lots at $50 to $500 each. which are
now worth small fortunes to the hold
crs. They also originated the monthly
payment plan In selling real estate.
and consequently were the means of
extending opportunities to thousands
of buying homes and securing land IN
the metropolis they never could have
enjoyed without Its adoption.
Prior to their Inauguration Of this
system the terms given We're called
Canal TERMS" or One-fourth cash. bal.
nncc In one. two ana three years. In
tercst at u per cent. During Mr.. Civ.
ms career Of thirty active years he
has disposed of over 80 large subtll.
visions, having sold probably u grentcr
number Of city lots than any other deal.
cr. lie takes an active interest In
public enterprises. md scarcely n move
of any great Importance occurs with.
out he figures In II In some way or
other. lie II u power In politics. and
though he has never held an office. his
influence among the taxpayers Of the
city IL widespread AMI potent.
For live years he served as president
of the Taxpayers Association. and his
, many hard fights against unjust taxa
! tiOn won for him the friendship ana at.
( miratlon of the great taxpaying COM.
, munity. or late years Mr.. Glvins has
, devoted much Of his time to travel. and
!. has travcrscl nearly the entire globe.
: visiting nearly every nation on earth.
Q from I.apland to Patagonia. During
q his wanderlngs he has always been nc.
q cOrpanlcd by his brave. clever nnd nc.
i compllshed wife. They have been IN
l. hurricanes, typllOOns. railway accidents
and collisions ut sea. While crossing
the Pacific ocean their ship was NJ Onr
L time given up by many on board ~
u lost. much Of the rigging being blown
u away and waves continually sweeping
over the decks for five days. But
Mrs. Givlns never lost her nerve, AMI
u lid much to encourage the other ladies
= on board. The information collected
, by Mr.. Glvlns on their long Journeys
In foreign lands was c.cverly described
h., by him In letters written for the Chi
: cngO Evening Post. Mr.. Givins accom-
)" panied the Chicago delegation on thei
recent trip to the South. lie has on
!, gcles. Cal. ana has lately opened rea
u estate office there. Ills partner. Georg
% y. Steen. IL an active. wlde-aw wax
young man, who looks after the eN
tenslve interests of the firm. They hav
over fifty city subdivisions. the latcs
;" being "Givlns Il Gilbert's Great NORTH
west" In this Hon. James II. Gllber
Mr.. Giv!ns' former partner. has u In!
y, interest. This property Is selling raj
'" idly. ana over forty substantial house
have been erected upon the propcrt
~ since the opening of the subdivlslo
~ May |, which, considering the presen
~ dullncss, Is unheard of. hut IL on pl
80 with Mr.. Givlns' remarkable success !
- this direction.