The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-09-03
MONEY IN HER SOCK.
ome Features OF the Public Aucti
Sales In Oklahoma.

General w A. Richards, assistant
commissioner of the general land Of
flee, who enjoys an extensive ac-
q~uaintance throughout this section of
Montana and who holds large ranch
ing interests in the Big Horn basin in
Wyoming, relates the following among
his experiences on a visit to new ter
ritory recently acquired by the gov
eminent in Oklahoma:
During our sale of lots the other
day in Lawton there was brisk bid
ding on a piece of corner property adj
jecent to the school reserve lands.
One of the bidders was a woman
wearing a calico dress and a sun
bonnet. The figure offered climbed
higher and higher, till finally it reach
ed $4,000. 1t was a twenty-five-foot
front, and the rate was ever higher
than real estate would bring here in
the national capitol. The woman
reached down toward one stocking
and pulled out a mighty roll Of green
backs. The government, you know,
requires cash payments on all sales
of land. She counted out $4,000 in
money and passed it up to the land
Office clerk. She had a good deal left
after she had paid for her property.
That is only one example illustrating
the zeal with which people are buy
ing real estate in those future cities
of Oklahoma. Take the sale over in
Hobart. We offered a certain lot in
the business section of that town the
other day, and there were many bid
ders on hand. The price went up
steadily, but among the bidders was
a man who kept pace with all the
others, and always went a little high
er. At last the others got tired, and
the lot, also a twenty-five foot front,
went to him at 50, 100. He drew out
Of his pocket four punches of bills.
each containing $1,000 and counted
off $4,000.
"'You came determined to get that
property I remarked to him.
"'Well, 1 had $1,000 more could
have paid for it, he replied to me.
He wanted the lot for a wholesale
jewelry store, and was ready to pay
almost any price to get it,"
Altogether it looks to me as though
this land in the new towns might
prove a good investment" said Mr..
Richards, although it is going for
such high prices. The people who buy
are of a good, substantial class of
citizens. They appear intent on re
naming in the country and partici-
pating in it's development. Most OF
them come from the southwest-from
Mississippi, Georgia, Texas, Arkan'
sas. Nebraska and n~eighboring states,
They have money and are industrious
Few seem to be buying for specula'
ton, for they are unwilling to sell
after they buy, even for a good pro-
fit. I think the amount of the real
estate sales in the three towns OF
Lawton, Hobart and Anadarko will
aggregate $3.50, 900. The sales in Law
ton, which / regard as the finest town
of all, have already exceeded $29O,OOO
and will go to $500, 900, at least. The
sales at Hobart now exceed $4,000
and will go to $15o,OoO. In Anadarke
} the government has already disposed
of land that brought 100000. Before
the government auction sales conclue
atthe end of August believe they viii
aggregate 100000. The banks in 3
Reno were simply bursting will
money for a time. Newcomers has
: tened to a bank to deposit their funds
and it happened that a little banl
!. with only $4,000 capital would some
times have deposits amounting tt