Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-01
JOHN SWIFT IS
GOING A PACE.
DOES NOT LIKE HoElNe CORN
IN DAVIS COUNTY AND RUNS
AWAY FROM HOME

Davis county product. returned to Des
Moines recently with roll of green
backs as big as an elephants foot in
each pants pocket. A few years ago
Swift was working on Des Moines
newspapers. Now he is on his way to
Texas to buy UP piece of the coun-
try that is advertised as second
Southern California where a crop of
Bermuda onions brings in $500 an acre
and two crops Of other products can
be raised the same year with nearly
as much profit.
A good many years ago Swift's faith
err came to Davis county when land
was cheap and when the only way to
farm profitably was to work like q
Turk hoeing corn. Swift had visions
of going to college but his father
thought the place for a boy was on
the farm pulling weeds. One day
they were out in the field hoeing when
John said to- his father: dad, are yo,,
going to let me go off to school or
what are you going to make out of me
anyway"
IF you don't hurry up with your
row of corn | reckon I'll never be
able to make anything out of you but
a Jackass," replied the father.
1 Ties Up Belongings.
1t was a beautiful, clear summer
day, and taking the hoe by the tip of
the handle end John sent the hoe to
the middle Of the adjoining pasture
and started to run. His father follow.
ed him but short distance. John
went to the house, tied up his belong.
Ing in a red bandana handkerchief
took a last look at his mother work.
ing in the kitchen, kicked the cat good
by, and was gone.
The next time his folks saw him he
had gone through business college
learned the telegraph operators bus.
mess and had gone around the world
in the United States naval service
The Spanish-American war broke ont
and with patriotic motives John en-
listed in the infantry but didn't get
outside Of the United States. That
was unsatisfactory to boy with sc
much spirit so he went to New York
where he enlisted in the navy. In his
three years term he worked from
deck hand to the position of chief
clerk to Admiral Remey, the highest
position q non-commissioned officer
reaches unless he goes through the
naval academy at Annapolis.
Works as Reporter.
4 After being mustered out of the ma
val service at the end of his enlist
ment, Swift spent the $1,000 he had
caved in writing book to tell the pub
lie what the naval service is like from
the enlisted mans standpoint. He ex
pected the public to reimburse hin
and possibly some besides, but it fail
i ed to do so. so John came to Des
Moines and hired out as reporter.
AS reporter he had a penchant fol
uncovering trusts. He had a new
trust in operation every now and Their
and 1t, became very uncomfortable fol
some Of the trust promoters in Des
Moines. Then Swift lost his job q
SIS week and since then has made
money. He started to handling rea
estate. One of the first pieces Of rea
estate he got hold of was some II
South Des Moines with about $3.50, 0O(
worth of coal under it. He started tt
working the mine and in order to b.
sure of selling his output he put the
price at 52.75 a ton when the Goa
4! combine Of Des Moines was selling /
4 at $3.50. The coal trust men were
sure Swift would lose all his money
So sure, in fact, that they persuaded
the coal miners not to work for him
for fear he would lose it ALL So tn,
mine was shut down but the real ed
tate business kept up and Swift nov
has farm in Nebraska, two in Min
nesota, a house and number. of lot
in Des Moines and bank account. /
takes five figures to measure hi
wealth.
To Settle Down.
| Swift. is just stopping in Des Moine
a short time lighting his cigars will
| five dollar bills. He is on his way I,
South Texas where he has options OF
a number of pieces of land He pro
poses to settle down and start a fruj
and garden truck farm of about 500
acres with visions Of a marble palac,
in the middle Of it and steam zach
on the gulf to take him up to Calves
ton or New York every evening O
two to attend the theatres.