The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1906-12-27
THE eIxBY FORTUNE.
A Romance of Land Values In New
York City.

TOIN SIty.
Allow me to correct a misstatement
in an article about the "Demented
BiXby Heiress," writes Kinahan Corn
wallis, in the New York Sun. The
large fortune left by her father, John
NJ. Bixby, when he died in or near
1876, was not made from shoe black
ing"-for he was not the Bixby OF
backing fame. It was made from his
purchase of farm on Murray Hill
as it was then and still is called--for
$500. This was in the 30s, and the
farm covered the land extending from
Fifth avenue to Sixth avenue, and
from Thirty-ninth to Fortieth street,
as we now know them and adjacent
tracts.
On part of this land, still owned by
his estate, the Union League Club
house stands, at the corner of Fifth
avenue and Thirty-ninth street. The
Casino is also on it, and on the north
east corner of Fortieth street and
Fifth avenue is a house built by Mr..
Bixby. There he lived, a widower,
with his only son aud daughter, till
he died. The son, Robert, has since
died, unmarried, and the daughter,
Grace, who married and had two sons,
was judicially pronounced insane in
England, ten years ago, and still re-
mains so, as your article shows
write you about this BiXby case be-
cause | was very well acquainted with
IAb iS,lNt Two or hn
Fifth Avenue hotel together from early
in 1860 till about 1867 and dined at
the same table. He had literary tastes
and contributed a long serial story
of rural New York life to the Knick-
erbocker Magazine, of which | was
then the editor and proprietor; and he
told me OF his farm purchase in some
thing like the following style:
should he as poor as church rat
but for one incident in my life. had
wealth forced upon me and didn't know
it. | had come from the backwoods of
New York, and dollar locked like a
big sum to me. was raw and strug-
Cling young lawyer, and paid 81 a
week for my board and washing, and
found it hard to make both ends meet.
II looked as If | should starve at the
law, so | was looking for work out
side of it.
Just then friendly lawyer in the
office where | had desk room said TO
me: Here's a chance for you to buy
a farm, Bixby. | want to sell 1t to
close up the estate. You can have 1t at
the appraised value, 5000. l think you
will be able to get more for it in
time
NO, thanl; YOU" said l. Il have no
money"
But" said he. Il will take your note
for it and renew ii till you sell it,.
The upshot was that took his adj
vice and gave him my note for $500 for
the farm. felt very nervous about
giving my note for such large
ar.unt, and once offered to sell the
farm back to him for the note. But
after two or three renewals of the note
New York had grown so fast north
ward that | was able to sell a small
part OF the farm for more than enough
to pay the note and interest and taxes.
The rest of the farm was then free
and clear; and If | had kept it all ]
should now be worth about $1,000
600. AS it is. have sold parcels of
it that have brought me more than ST.
100000 in cash, and | value what l
have left at two or three times as much
all made out of nothing, by giving
motto for 5000 almost against NV will
and when was practically not worth
Q dollar.
AS a commentary upon the great
rise in real estate in New York city
during the last two generations this
is interesting, and enables us to see
how rapidly and easily the Aston and
other large landed estates grew so
enormously in wealth with the growth
Of Manhattan.