The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-03-14
GOT RICH p1NCH1NG PENNIES.

Recently there died an interesting
old recluse in Somerville, near Bos-
ton, whose life, if it showed nothing
else, illustrates how fortune can be
amassed by pinching pennies. For
this eccentric character, one ''Uncle"
Ben Handley by name, achieved the
amazing feat of making two thousand
dollars multiply to seven hundred
thousand, and that by employing
none of the crooked ways of frenzied
finance as practiced today.
A long life of the strictest economy
and small operations in real estate
were the secret of the trick. "Uncle
Ben" wasundoubtedly one of the most
unique personalities in the country.
All of his active life, said the Boston
He,ad at the time of his death, was
devoted to the accumulation of ofwealth,
and there was seldom a week that he
spent for his personal living as much
as the ordinary day laborer who re-
ceives two dollars day.
During the years that he was most
actively engaged in real estate trans
actions he had said that he lay awake
nights for weeks at time planning
out his campaigns for the next day.
To save ten cents car fare he often
walked to and from Boston, Everett,
Maiden and other places, notwith
standing that on many occasions his
errand nette0 him a profit of thous-
ands of dollars.
He often laced his shoes with twine
in preference to spending five cents
for shoestrings.
He had only once travelled beyond
the confines of greater Boston. That
was more than forty years ago, when,
on invitation of an employe at his
brick yard, he consented to spend
few days in New Hampshire.
Thirty years ago he made his first
and only visit to Revere Beach.
All told, he never spent more than
one dollar for car fares. He had not
voted In the past forty years. He
only wore collar and necktie on
special occasions. He wore full
beard sixty years, because, he said,
he did not want to spend ten cents
sea1ie Cor a ah4vngsr'
He never joined an organization );
never insured his life !; never wore
custom made suit !; never paid boot
black nickel for a shine never at
tended the theatre or any entertain
ment never patronized hotel or
restaurant.
So far as known, the only benefac-
tion made by him was a one hundred
dollar donation to the building fund
of a local church years ago. He
never attended any church, however.
He had not smoked for many years,
and as for going to any entertain
ment, it was too much for him. He
detested the smell of liquor, although
he would take some in case of illness.
He made con6dant of no one and it
was almost impossible to get him to
talk.
He never had time to think of
marrying. During his manageable
age he was too busy scheming how
to convert fifty cents into dollar.
s'Uncle Ben" was born in an old
fashioned, Io.foot house on the site
of the former Mclean Insane Asy-
lum grounds in East Somerville, on
St. Patrick's day, March II, 1877.
At the death of his father there was
left real estate valued at about So, 900
to be divided among the children.
"Ben" bought the interests of his
two brothers and sister. He kept the
land until the valuation had greatly
increased, and then he sold it for
house lots, realizing enough money
to buy from the old Lowell railroad
FIVE acres of clay land where he COM
menced the manufacture of brick.
He paid 81 900 for the property.
Later he operated a second brick
yard.
He continued manufacturing brick
for thirty years and, at the same
time, was always on the watch for
opportunities to buy and sell real es-
tate to advantage. He made money
rapidly.
When his will was filed it was
found that he left 500, 900.
WOMAN AND A WATCH.