Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1903-11-21
SATURDAY, NOV. II, 1908.
SWINDLINd ADVERTISERS.

Among the many schemes &c
which dishonest men resort to en-
rich themselves at the expence OF
their fellow creatures is that of adj
vertising, The papers are filled
with tempting offers from all sorts OF
people offering bats of every DIES
cription in order to draw the cash
from the pockets of the unwary; and
so cunningly is the hook concealed
that it is almost impossible to dis
cover it until you are taken. We
noticed yesterday in the Practical
Farmer a half page devoted to the
interests of fellow who calls him.
self w. NJ. Ostrandcr, and who I'M
dor the heading "Cash For Your
Farm, proceeds to make known to
the public that he can sell any sort
Of property they may have to dis
pose of no matter where located, for
cash at a good figure, and invites
the reader to write to him and learn
how it is done. This is not the first
time we have seen this fellows name
in print to the same purpose, but it
used to be much less conspicuous
than it is now. A few lines seemed
TO be all could afford three or four
years since. A friend of ours who
had some property TO sell for which
he found it difficult to secure pur-
chaser was induced by the confident
manner in which Ostrander asserted
his ability to sell, to write to him on
the subject. In due time letter ar
rived explaining the way it was to be
done, which was that our friend
should send the fellow description
OF the property in answer to print
ed list OF questions that was enclosed
and statement Of the price which
he wanted for it, and he would tell
him whether he conld dispose of it
at the figure asked. Our friend
sent the description as desired, and
stated that he valued his property
at $I5oo. Back came letter from
Ostrander saying that he thought
the property as described we'll worth
the money, and that he felt assured
he could sell it within short time,
as his plan was to advertise it in at
least twenty of the leading papers
in all, or nearly all, parts of the
United States, and that somewhere
in the country there must be one or
more persons who wanted inst such
i property as the one in question
and this extensive advertising was
sure to find him. That he had APP
plications daily from parties who
had money TO invest and who were
anxious te secure such snaps as our
friends offer afforded, and that when
he once took piece of property in
hand he "kept everlastingly at it"
until it was sold and the cash In the
hands of the owner. That he con-
tracted for advertising space in the
big papers in large quantities and
was thus enabled to get it at very
low figure, and could consequently
advertise very cheaply. That his
per cent for selling was S dollars on
the hundred in a deal of the magni-
tude of the one under consideration,
and that this could be paid when
the property was sold with the ex-
ception of FIVE dollars or twenty per
Gently of his charge, which he must
have in order TO secure good faith
on the part of the seller; as he had
found that people would put
property into his hands and after he
had advertised it they would find a
purchaser themselves and he would
be out the expense Of advertising
Our friend was much impressed with
the specious representations of the
man, but with the fear Of concealed