The Opelousas courier., 1905-07-29
Get Rich Quick Humbug

In response to inquiries about the
status of the get-rich- quick scheme
that it being worked up here, with the
Clarion's endorsement, we reproduce
an article from the COURIER published
in June, 1904, throwing some light on
the subject. Since this article was pub
llshcd more recent developments have
established it's fraudulent character so
cOnvincingly that we are astOnisiled
anyone should be so verdant as to risk
their money in it.
An article in last Saturdays Clarion
signed Jacobs News Depot Co.," evil
IDENTIFY intended to gull the greenies,
undertakes to demonstrate that a forty
thousand dollar scheme of building
three apartment stores and IN opera
house to rent" and also the business
10 known as Jacobs News Depot
Co.. "all considered in one big enter
PRISE" will bring a revenue of $3795,
| as follows:
Three stores at $40 per month. .........s 81, 44O
One opera house. 600
Net profits of the past business ...........I ,346
According to past dlvldends-total.-.- So, 1876
That looks nice-on paper-but how
about the facts. There are Mt present
at least half a dozen eligible, centrally
located store buildings in OpelOusas,
some of which may be rented for a great
deal less than $40 per month-some of
them for half that amount or less, sew
eral IN the center of town, on Main
street, and others in the best business
centers outside of Main street. Store
buildings are not in demand. How will
the opera house be able to bring a yeat-
Lly revenue of $1,000. We now have an
lopera house that did not cost one-sixtt
gof $4,000, with n CAPACITY to
Tdate any audience ever assembled in
IOpelOusas, and it may be many years
before an OpelOusas audience will be
larger than the capacity of the present
building, and although it has been I'M
der an experienced and competent man
ager for years, the profits have never
reached four per cent on the capital in
vested, after deducting insurance, taxes,
licenses. repairs, etc. If one opera house
ut $4,000 or $4,000 does not pay four per
cent profit, how will a $4,000 building,
with the business divided between two
opera houses, bring $1,000 a year profit.
The gulllble may bite at Jacobs News
Stand Co.'s' project, but the man who
has capital to invest will not put it in
any such visionary scheme.
Ii the third enumerated item, entitled
Net profits of the past business, $685.
is calculated on The same basis as the
other two, then the stockholders who
may put their money in this grand
speculation may find themselves in the
same fix as the stockholders in that
other grand scheme which was worked
up here several years ago under the
title of the "St. Landry Clarion Co.,
Limited" Ask the stockholders of that
company how much they have realized
on their investment. A large number
of our citizens put none in the con-
Germ, but We have never heard that any
OF them ever received a cent in return,
nor have we ever heard any reason ad-
vanced why the stockholders have re-
ceived no dividends.
In justice to some of the gentlemen
whose names are being paraded as en-
dorsers of the scheme by Jacobs News
Stand Co.." we will say that they dis
claim any connection with or endorse
ment of the plan proposed, as outlined
in the communication signed Jacobs
News Depot Co.," and do not wish to
be considered as parties to the scheme,
or as endorsing the same, or advising
anyone else to do so, and especially do
they disclaim any responsibility for the
brilliant ideas of the party signed
"Jaeebs' News Depot Co."
There is ample room in O%pelousas for
the profitable investment of capital.
We need a good hotel building. A fur
niture factory would pay. A brick fac
tory would yield liberal profits. A
broom factory would prove a sure sue
cess. A wagon factory would do we'll.
All these enterprises would give en-
ployment to many OF our people and
put money in circulation the year round.
We might ennmerate several other in
dustries that would require no great
amount of capital, which wonld build
up the town and parish, where idle cap
ital could be proftably invested if man
aged by responsible and competent men.
But let's have no more wildcat enter
prises engineered by irresponsible Wis
ionary schemers.