Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-11-24
REAL ESTATE AS
AN INVESTMENT

1910.)
The question of safe investment of
money has always been trouble
some as we'll as a difficult one. The
desirable thing in any investment is
it safe, and, secondly, is it profitable?
Consequently whenever an invest
ment is presented this question is
asked. Usually where one of these
features predominates the other is
lacking. For instance, money invest
ed in United States bonds has the
element of safety to the greatest pos
sible extent, but it is the least profit
able sort of investment, so that in
this case there is absolute safety, but
a very meagre return for the money
invested. On the other hand, monev
invested in stock and bonds, in OPP
tions and margins on grain, may pos
sibly produce the largest profit, but
carries with it the greatest possible
risk.
The business of the merchant and
manufacturer is constantly subject to
loss and many times only small
profit. Statistics show that only a
very small percentage of those who
enter into commercial life are sue
cessful and the sands of time are
strewn with the wrecks of those who
have invested their hard earned mon
ely in business enterprises. Only q
few compared to the large number
who invest their money in this way
survive all the vicissitudes that befall
them.
SAFE AND PROFITABLE
Real estate offers both of these very
desirable elements. Money invested
in real estate is safe and profitable.
The foundation of our wealth is in
real estate and all the great fortunes
of the world have been made by those
who persistently and constantly in
vested their all in this way. Henry
Shaw, the great philanthropist of the
city of St. Louis retired business
early in life. Although not very
| rich man, what he had he invested in
| real estate which increased so rapid
iy in value that at his death he was
considered one of st. Louis wealth.
lest men.
| ENRICHED INVESTORS.
Every large city in the United
States has had men who, by investing
their money in real estate, have be-
come independently rich. There is
perhaps no better example of this
than that Of John Jacob Aston of New
Y ork and his descendants When he
came to New York in 1882 the city
consisted of %, 900 people. Astor set
aside his income for investment in
outlying real estate. Before he died
his estate was worth 10000, 900.
William b. Aston, his son, followed
the old mans postulates and added
piece by piece to his real estate hold
ings and thereby increasing this
estate until he was worth $45 900 900
John Jacob Aston LII went on with
similar plans and left $4,000 900 to
his posterity. TO give you an exam
pie of what profit the Astor family
has made in real estate, it is said that
they bought 100 acres on the Harlem
river, near High Bridge, in 1888, for
the sum of $500, 900. They sold TWEEN
ty acres of it a few years afterwards
for $500, 900 and refused ST., 600, 900 for
| the balance.
| ADVICE OF RUSSELL SAGE.
Russell Sage, who accumulated an
1 immense fortune. said that real
estate is an imperishable asset, ever
increasing in value. 1t is the most
solid security that human ingenuity
has ever devised. 1t is the basis of all
security and about the only indie
structible security"
1 Andrew Carnegie says, in the EN-
| pire of Business: Ninety per cent
| of all millionaires become so through
! growing real estate More money
has been made in real estate. More
money has been made in real estate
than from all Industrial investments
com bined."
Hetty Green's advice to women is:
II advise women to invest in real
estate. 1t is the collateral to be pre-.
ferred above all others and the safest
means of investing money
Buy AND WAIT
The spectators who desire to make
money have splendid opportunities in
our growing cities and towns if they
! will hny traeta of land and wait for
the city's growth to increase its values
and thereby enrich them. Occasion
ally complaint is made that real
\ I,