The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-18

SiSi''' oo HeAt uiy uau liS nun loWeu
down to Cincinnati, where the hull and
Wreckage Were sold for fifteen hundred
dollars. After paying the young fellows
who had helped me put out the fire and
deductlng the actual cost of the four
hogsheads of molasses, l found my pro-
fits We're little more than a thousand
dollars The captain never forgave
me You mentioned churches just
now" said the reporter. Did you ever
swap or sell one?"
Did II" exclaimed the exchange
broker. We'll, l should say so! I've
disposed of two in New York and three
in as many other cities. The average
realty dealer will assure you that
church property is the hardest of all to
trade or sell. For purely commercial
purposes most persons regard struc-
ture which has been used as a church
as extremely unlucky, and will not have
it at any price, but when you want to
dispose of such buildings you need not
seek purchasers among business men.
some months ago / got wind of con-
gregation that wished to sell their
church and build a new one further up
town. Now, near the locality they had
| hit upon as most desirable for the new
building l had an interest in a fine
piece of unimproved property, so l
| hunted up the trustees of the church
and offered to exchange the ground for
| the old church and handsome cash
consideration. To my proposition they
| finally agreed and the old church be-
came mine. Some of my friends in the
| realty business howled with derision
when they heard of my bargain and
| made all sorts of fun of me- One called
around and said he had a graveyard
he'd like to swap with me, but l
promptly agreed to take it if I could
get it at a bargain.
"'TH bet you five hundred dollars
that you don't get rid of that church
within six months offered one of the
deriders.
Done, said I, producing my roll and
skimming off enough to cover the bet.
He was trifle taken back by my read
mess, but he had made his bluff. as my
sinful little office boy says, and had to
make good. Then l started out to dis
pose of the church.
1T was located in a splendid neigh
borhood, and many handsome and cost
ly residences were around it. That deci-
ded me how to act. First, l put up two
large signs announcing that the proper
ty was for sale. You could have seen
them two blocks off. Next, ] called
upon the owners of several of the finest
houses in the vicinity, explained that 1
had customer who wished to purchase
residence near the church, and that I
had n ipnilira ho
hood was as eminentIy respectable, not
to say exclusive, as had been represent
ed. OF course, was assured that the
neighborhood was all that is desirable
and included within its precincts socie-
ty leaders, rich brokers and professional
men of eminent position.
i am deeply indebted to you for
your kindness in answering my inqui-
ries.' I said at the conclusion of each in (
terview, and l am certain that the
neghborhood as it stands now. is one of
the most desirable In New York. But If
the church on the corner, which Is for
sale, is occupied by ,colored congrega-
ton, will it not lessen the value of sur
rounding property and do much to i'm
pair the exclusiveness of the neighbor-
hood?'
"A colored congregation. was their
usual dismayed echo. why, what
leads you to suggest such a thing? I'm
possible
p" 'Impossible?' answered I, politely.
oh, no. if you will pardon that contra
diction; not at all impossible. Indeed, 1
understand that several colored congre-
cations are in negotiation with Mr.. |
Blank for the property. l hope it is not |
true
hope SO, too, you may we'll believe. |
Such a thing as colored congregation |
taking the church would certainly in |
jure the neighborhood,' was the invaria-
BILE rejoinder
I'm every case left these property |
owners deeply perturbed, but my work |
did not end with this 1t only began
with exciting gloomy forebodings. 1 |
had already notified number of col
ored congregations that church in 81
select neighborhood was for sale, and |
limited that it might be purchased on
long terms for about forty thousand |
dollars less than it was actually worth
eedless to say, that brought out the col
ored church-goers in legion. They
swarmed all over my dealers office and
he sent them in flocks to inspect the
church and make different inquiries in
the neighborhood Besides this, / hired
several old colored people of respectable
appearance and sanctified air and sent
them on tours of inspection as we'll. |
Within twenty -four hours every proper
ty owner living within five blocks of
the church was convinced that the COL
ored people We're going to purchase it.
For a week colored committees con-
tinued to visit the property morning,
n0on and night CONSERVATION took
firmer hold on the residents in the
leighborhood 1t looked as if the intrin-
sic value of real estate and the social
value of an exclusive community were
trembling in the balance. Something
had to be done, so meeting of the prop
arty owners was held the upshot of
which was the raising of a sufficient
amount of money to purchase the
church and thus prevent an influx OF
oolored church-goers. Instead of six
months it did not take more than seven
weeks to dispose of the church, so | col
ected the five hundred dollars wager as
we'll as a very satisfactory profit from
he deal
zone summer few years ago l spent
vacation on a farm not far from
Monsey, N. Y. The owner of the farm