The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-26
A GOOD CAD" WRITER.
George Washington as Real Estate
DEALER

The Baltimore American in celebrat-
ing the one hundred and thirtieth an
niversary of the birth of the Maryland
Journal and Baltimore Advertiser,
which was the precursor of the Amer
lean, publishes a fac-simile of the first
issue. 1t bore date Friday, August 20,
1918. The Journal and Advertiser was
a small folio of three wide columns to
the page, and excellently printed.
This naper was the first to be pub
lished in Baltimore, 11d it contains
much of interest to modern Washing
ton readers. OF course. there was then
no city of Washington, and even the
name Washington had not yet reached
the great fame to which it afterward
attained. Yet one of the most note
worthy things about this old-time
newspaper is that its largest advertiser
was George Washington.
The immortal soldier, soon to be-
come the father of his country, was
then in his forty-first year, and was in
the real estate business on very ex-
tensive scale. His advertisement was
dated Mount Vernon, in Virginia, July
Is, 1878" and announced that the sub
scriber, having obtained patents for
upwards of twenty thousand acres of
land on the Ohio and Great Kanhawa
(ten thousand of which are situated on
the banks of the aforementioned river,
between the mouths of the two Kan
hawaS and the remainder on the Great
Kanhawa, or New river, from the
lIlOulil, OT near uPNdTuS, III one COu-
tinued survey proposes to divide the
same into any sized tenements that
may be desired. and lease them upon
moderate terms, allowing a reasona BILE
number of years rent free, provided.
within the space of two years from
next October three acres for every fifty
contained in each lot, and proportion
ably for a lesser quantity, shall be
cleared. fenced and titled: and that, by
or before the time limited for the COM
mencement of the first rent, five acres
for every hundred, and proportionably,
as above, shall be inclosed and laid
down in good grass for meadow; and
moreover, that at least fifty good fruit
trees for every like quantity of land
shall be planted on the premises
Would-be purchasers were told to
apply to Mr.. George Washington,
near Alexandria, or in his absence to
Mr. Lund Washington. The latter was
General Washington's favorite cousin
and the great grandfather of the late
Col L. @ Washington, of this city.
General = then Washington
was an excellent "ad.' writer, and his
style might be studied to advantage by
some real estate sellers of today. He
suggeStively intimated that amy per-
sor inclined to settle on these lands
would do well in communicating their
intentions before the first of October
next in order that a sufficient number
of lots may be laid off to answer the
demand" Then followed an ornate de-
scription of the good thing he had to
offer, which it would trouble any of
the noderns to beat by way of induce
ments. He said:
LAS these lands are among the first
which have been surveyed in the part
of the country they lie in. it is almost
needless to promise that none can ex-
coed them in luxuriance of soil, or con-
venience of situation, all of them lying
upon the banks either of the Ohio or
Kanhawa, and abounding with fine fish
and wild fowl of various kinds, as also
in most excellent meadows, many OF
which (by the bountiful hand of ma
ture) are in their present state, al
most fit for the scythe- From every
part of these lands water carriage Is
now had to Fort Pitt, by an easy COM
imunication; and from Fort Pitt, up the
Monongahela to Redstone, vessels of
convenient burden, may and do pass
continually; from whence, by means OF
/ the Cheat river, and other navigabfe
branches of the Monongahela, it is
thought the portage to Potomac may,
and will. be reduced within the COM
pass of a few miles to the great ease
and convenience of the settlers IN
I transporting the produce OF their lanos
to market To which may be added.
that as patents have now actually pass
ed the seals for the several tracts mere
offered to be leased, settlers on them
may cultivate and enjoy the lands IN
peace and safety, Notwithstanding the
colony on the Ohio; and as no right
money is to be paid for these lands,
and quitrent of two shillings sterling
a hundred demandable some years
hence only, it is highly presumable tnal
they will always be held upon more
desirable footing than where both
/ these are laid on with very neavy
/ hand And it may not be amiss fur-
Their to observe. that if the scheme for
establishing a new government on the
Ohio. in the manner talked of, should
ever be affected, these must be among
the most valuable lands in it, not only
| on account of the goodness of soil. and
| the other advantages above enume-
rated but from their contlguity 10 the
eeat Of government. which more than
probable will he fixed at the mouth OF
/ the Great Kanhawa-
blessing alike to young and old: DIR.
Fowler's Extract of Wild Strawberry
/ Natures specific for dysentery. diar-
rhoea and summer complaint