The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-27
TO MAKE A MILLION.
Plan successfully Tried by Certain
New

Julian Ralph. in New York Mail and Ex-
press.
If you had not a cent in the world and
wanted TO be a millionaire how would you
set about to be one? Would 1t occur TO you
to buy an unimproved lot OF ground up
town on credit-a building lot, all covered
with rocks and thistles, tin cans and old
shoes and the ashes from the neighborhood
stoves? Some men would consider them
selves still worse off, with the plot to pay
for, than when they were simply penni-
less.
Some would, yet others would consider
themselves launched on the trip for a for
tune.
There are men in this city who are very
rich. and who began their money careers
in just that way. First they got a build
ing lot on tick. Then they dug a cellar
also ION tick The moment they had the
hole dug they could borrow money to build
the first story of a house. The moment the
first story was up they could borrow more
money with which to add a second story.
With the completion of each new story
more capital was obtainable and so the
house was finished, on credit. At this stage
they were still penniless, but owed for a
building lot and a fine building. Then they
sold the building for as much more than
it cost as they could get for it, and the
balance of profit was the nest egg of
their fortune.
This mode of getting rich is being prac-
ticed every day all around us by many
men.
1t accounts for the hundreds. perhaps
llOuSdlluS VI HduuSOIHe ldJSt apartment
houses we see decorating all the upper
avenues or this island.
There is Il secret in the process.
The buildings are usually apartment
houses and the Spectators need to be men
who have been builders or who know the
arts and tricks of the builders trade The
reason for this is that shrewd builders
knows how to buy cheaply, know what to
build with, understand how TO produce the
greatest appearance of strength. finish and
ornament with the least possible cost. L
say appearance of strength but / mean
no reflection upon their morals or their
buildings in saying so. They get real
strength at less cost than could be got by
an unsklllful mar or a builder who uses
another persons money with a free hard.
When such a building is finished they
sell ii. There Is no trouble in doing that.
Women with money To invest prefer TO put
it into a building which they can go and
look at whenever they want to. Guardians
and executors unused to speculation and
care are also fond of masonry. which
stays in a fixed place. does not bob up
and down I'm value like a railway share, re-
turns a small but sure rate OF interest. and
will be worth more before il is worth less.
Having sold one building, the Spectator
begins a second. much larger and finer one.
with the advantage OF money in hand, with
less TO borrow. less interest to pay, more
profit at the end. In this way | have known
OF one mar VINO started pennies and is
now a large operator, sure of a small for
tune. to say the least. whenever he cares
10 stop work. 1t may not be like making a
clear million of profit in one year. as some
men i'm Wall street are credited with having
done, but IL Is one way of making money.
and there Is a touch of humOr and a
pride of skill in it that make it very in
teresting.