The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-07-19
DR.. GRAHAM'S LUCK
SAvANNAHIANS INTERESTED IN
THE DOCTORS GOOD FORTUNE.
RECEIVED CONGRATULATIONS
WATSON AND GEORGE GOULD
AMONG THOSE WHO MADE Of
FERS.

Family Servant Figures I'm the
Ownership of Part of the Lands.
This DIR. Graham Denies-SOme-
thing of the History of the Ora
hams.
Nothing was more generally dis
cussed in Savannah yesterday than the
luck of DR. st. ]. B. Graham, who Is
interested in Texas oil lands that give
promise of yielding him millions. DIR.
Graham received the congratulations of
many friends during the day. All were
glad of his good fortune, and many
wished that they might have been
singled out for such a visitation.
People wonder why DR. Graham does
not accept the generous offers that
have been made him. AS the. lands did
not cost him very much, they ask
why it is that he does not sell
when he has $500 900 offered for the
200 acres that he either owns or con-
trolls. Nearly every one said he would
certainly sell without further ado if
the lands belonged to him.
DIR. Graham was seen by represent
alive of the Morning News, and
talked further about his oil prospects.
He holds that the lands are as valuable
TO him as to any one else. and that
unless he can get his price of $4,000 an
acre, 1t would be just as well for him
to hold on and organize a company
for the operation of oil wells.
DR.. Graham will leave for Texas to-
morrow. He had intended leaving last
night, as reported by the Morning
News, but yesterday he concluded to
delay his trip. Had he left yesterday
he said, he would practically have
gained nothing, as he would have reach
ed Beaumont and had to remain idle
during Sunday. BY leaving tomorrow,
he will arrive in time to begin looking
over the property and talking with in
vestors Monday.
Gould and watson Want 1t.
AS things now look, 1t would seem
that Mr.. Watson, a multi-millionaire
of st. Paul. Mimi, has the best chance
of getting DR.. Grahams lands. Mr..
Watson had long telephone conversa-
ton with DR.. Graham a few days ago,
and, after making a very high offer,
which was refused, declared that he
was going to have the property, any
way" That looks as though he will
come to DR.. Grahams terms. Mr..
George Gould also made DR.. Graz
ham an offer, and telegraphed him
to know what he would take. DR..
Graham did not reply. He did not
particularly like the language of Mr..
Gould's letter, which intimated that
DR.. Graham himself had little idea of
the value of his holdings, and that 1t
might be we'll for him to turn loose just
as soon as he could.
DR.. Graham was reluctant to discuss
the cost of the half interest in the 100
acres he holds or of the 40 acres he
owns solely, and only from hearsay
is ii known what DR.. Graham paid
He is said to have paid $1,000 for the
half interest in 100 acres, and the cost
of the 40 acres is variously stated
anywhere from $4,000 upwards.
story of the Land.
Peculiar circumstances surround the
transaction, however, but an account
of them comes from other than DIR.
Graham, who did not care to discuss
his partner in the half interest, or just
how his own joint or entire owner
ship was secured. He considers that
this is a private matter. but, through
it's discussion among his friends and
acquaintance, it can scarcely be re-
garded in that light. A story is re-
lated of how DR.. Graham came into
possession of the property, but DIR.
Graham himself denies it emphatically,
and says that his partner was a friend
of the family. This partner. the story
had ii, Is colored man named
Brown, who was reared by the Ora
hams in Kentucky, and was in the fam
lily before the war.
Something About the Grahams.
The story of DR.. Graham's
a novel. Savannahians can scarcely
realize that such a stroke of luck
has fallen among them, singing out
one whom many of them know well.
II has grown to be a common story
like other windfalls of good luck, but
one ordinarily regards them with MT
tie personal interest, for the reason
that no one knows is a beneficiary.
With fortune descending so heavily In
its golden flight upon well-known Sa-
MAMMALIAN. however, the story has beer
given a new interest.
1t is little out of the ordinary
though, for one OF the Grahams to have
anything so singular as the sudden pos
session of millions befall him, for the
Kentucky Grahams have been no or
binary, prosaic family. DR.. Graham'i
Daniel Boone. The elder Graham wal
born in Kentucky, while that state wal
yet a portion of Virginia, That wal
in 1854. In his younger days he knew
Daniel Boone we'll. Remarkable to re
late, the elder Graham lived to b.
more than 100 years old, dying in 1885
He accumulated property during hi
long life and became great traveller
He circumnavigated the earth two o
three times, but IL was within fou
miles of the place of his birth that h
was finally buried.
The elder Graham was married twice
DIR. Graham was a son by the secont
marriage and his father was so year
old when the son was born. Amonl
1r. Graham's half-brothers was Jame
Graham, who was educated as a min
ing engineer. When the survey OF tn
Southern Pacific Railway was made
the elder Graham, accompanied b,
James Graham and another son, wen
10 the line of the proposed road. Jane
Graham made important discoveries o
onyx and silver on crossing over int
Mexico. Being a man OF ability ant
determination, he found means TO worl
the mines. and he accumulated proper
~ rapidly Unfortunately. however
DR.. Graham said. his brother was no
careful enough 10 have deeds and pa
pers registered, so that there were no
clear and indisputable titles To hi
possessions In Mexico.
- a