The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-20
His Dinner Cost SIPS, 900

during courses they discussed the bust
ness in hand Almost all the tables
were filed and they talked with the
freedom and security which comes
from the presence of a large and noisy
crowd.
mo 1 think" said the lawyer. that
you had better send over tomorrow ana
pay the 100000 for that forty feet
You've really got TO have it sooner or
later and every day you put OF the
purchase makes II more likely that the
price win go up. II it ever gets out
that you intend to cover the whole
block with a single building you'll have
10 pay more than twice as much for the
property. AS a matter of fact YOU
could better afford TO pay 5000, 600 Tor
tbs piece than 10 have your whole plan
spoiled by not getting it. You can't
build decent looking building and
leave that little squat four-stOry build
ing in the middle of it. 1t would look
like the deuce. Ny advice is to buy
the property at $4,000 and buy It
now"
At the next table to the lawyer and
the promoter sat young man who
Just then was the proud pOssessor of
an even $4,000. His ears were quick
and he strained them to catch every
word that was said. Presently he left
the table and the room.
AS tho result of the lawyers argu-
ment the man from Chicago was final
~ convinced that it would be to his
best interest TO pay 100000 for the
missing piece of land and he author
lied the attorney 20 cali the neXt NOM
ing and get a deed Tor it.
The two men sat long over their
coffee and cigars, feeling relieved that
the end of all their planning and hard
work was at last fairly in sight. Then
the Chiacgo promoter paid the check
for SS.75 and went to bed. The law
yer drove home with the determina-
ton Of stopping on his way to the
Office and closing up the deal Cor the
last forty feet.
A little before II O'Clock he called at
the Office OF the owner of the build
ing.
81 have come" ne said, ito accept
your offer to sell that forty feet for
100000. I am ready to pay for it to-
day and want you to have the papers
made out at once"
Pm sorry" said the other, "but /
don't own that property now. I sold
it this morning 70 a man who called
at my house before I came down town
for Sl2Q,000.'
Who bought it?'
THE name of the young man who
neu sat dl the next AdDlt III the AOttl
dining room was given, and the law
yer hurried over to sec him. He was
sitting at a big desk in a handsome
office. He readily admitted that he was
the present owner Of the forty feet
in question and said that he had bought
1t for an investment.
How much Will you take for it?"
I'm not at all anxious to sell, but
if it will be any object to you. I'll let
it go today for $150,000."
The lawyer took cab for the hotel
and saw his principal The Chicago
man cursed softly 10 himself and an
nounced that if it had come to a game
of highway robbery he didn't propose
knowingly to play The part of sucker.
He wouldn't pay the $4,000. That
evening the two dined together again
and again the lawyer urged him to
close the deal without further delay.
If you don't look out. some of the
other people viii get wise" he said,
and then there will be the devil and
all TO pay. You'd better make the
best of had business and let me pay
the $780, 00."
Permission vas finally given to pay
the exorbinatttlufayly 20 within
Sorry" said the youth. my price
today is s175,000 for that lot. 1t is in
creasing in value right along.
SO the affair went along for several
days. the asking price jumping up S25.-
900 every day. Finally in sheer desper-
alton the man from Chicago and his
lawyer went together to call on the
new owner of the forty-foot strip.
Since you want it so badly" he
said, I'm knock eff the $25. 600 increase
of today and let you have the prop
erty for 1925. 600"
And at that figure the deal was fin
ally made.
How on earth did you get on TO
this deal?'. asked the Chicago man of
the man who had neld him up.
why, you see, 1 sat at the next
table to you at the hotel the other
night and I couldn't help hearing all
that was said. What I heard made me
think that the forty-foot strip was
certainly a good buy. so 1 went out
early next morning and bought 1t"
We'll" said the man from Chicago,
with a sigh. that little dinner seems
to have cost me just S125,000."