The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1904-05-06

A Pierre Man Bottled UP.
Mitchell Republican: A. G.
Brink, of Pierre, has been in the
city this week noising around to
see what was going on in Mitch
ell along the capital line. Mr..
Brink is a real estate man and
has been in the business at the
capital city for a number of
years. Mr.. Brink dropped in
to see Jos. Harker during his
stay. and naturally he brought
up something about the removal
OF the capital. This evidently
led to the discontinue of the
Pierre man and he was given a
good opportunity to display his
faith in the future growth and
development Of Pierre, of which
we hear so much at the present
tine.
About twenty years ago Mr..
Harker bought six lots in the
resident district of Pierre with
the hope of being able to sell
them some day at an advance
in price. He paid an average Of
$3.50 for lots and with taxes and
improvements he says he has
S4OOinvested in them now. For
the past fourteen years Mr..
Brink has had these lots listed
and for sale, up to the present
time they are still on his list.
Mr.. Harker wanted to sell them
and sell them bad, too, for he
thought if he ever could get his
money out of them now would
be his chance.
Mr.. Brink began expatiating
upon the greatness of Pierre
property and how it was advanc-
) ing and would advance still
farther. "Why," said he "Mr.
Harper your property out there
is worth good money today and
If we retain the capital of the
state it will be worth $4,000.
You hang on to it and it will
bring the money" The pros
pect was glorious as presented
by Brink, but Mr.. Harper had
been waiting so many ycars for
this same prospect that it didD't
hold out anything very strong.
"Say Nh. Brink" said Mr..
Harker, you've got a lot of faith
in Pierre, more than I have, aud
as you have had my property
listed so long, | feel that you
ought to have some recompense.
You r a pretty good sort of a
fellow and l would like to see
you make some money. You
say that if Pierre retains the
capital my property will be
worth $4,000. You give me
$4,000. You give me $1,000 for
the property and you can clean
up the balance as profit
That rather staggered Brink.
"Well its just this way, Mr..
| Harker, | am not buying proper.
ty ard want to sell. OF course
that is a liberal proposition, bu,
| don't want to buy"
"Well, well,' replied Mr..
Harker, don't want to buy wher
: you can clear up $4,000 in such
an easy and sure way Wei
Brink if you want to give me
$1,000 for the property I viii
make it still easier to you. Give
: me $500 for the property ano
: you can have it. This is &
clear loss to me of $1,000, not te
mention the taxes | have paid al
. these years and for improve
ments around the property"
Again was Mr.. Brink stagger
ed. And again for even SO small
a sum for such valuable (?) prop.
erty did Mr.. Brink have to say
that he was not buying Pierre
property but wanted to get rio
of it. Finally in sheer despera
ton Mr.. Harker said to him
"You make me any kind Of an Of
fer for that property and you
can have it, and these gentlemen
here will be witnesses that | will
accept it and deliver the goods.
Brink declined to take the prop
erty under any circumstances
and it is likely that he would
have refused a free tender OF
the capitolcity property.
While all of this conversation
was going on there was more or
less capital talk thrown in by
Brink concerning Plerre's pros.
poets for retaining the capital
and Mitchell's inability to win
out The atmosphere got toe
warm for Brink and in a rage he