The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1912-03-08

r. ~
fight to keep his land, and to add more
to it when he can. instead Of piling
up dollars in the bank representing
land be once owned-good, tangible
land.
The story of John G. Wendell be.
gins many years ago-two hundred,
to be exact-though he himself is a
mere youth of seyenty-three.
Then, when New York was young,
there were two pioneers who were
stanch friends and business allies.
We'll buy land" they agreed with
one another, "and some day we'll have
the two biggest estates in ihe world"
They both had firm faith the future
OF New York.
One Of those men was John Jacob
Aston 1.-THE Originally, the other was
the grandfather Of the present John
G. Wendell.
1--WE Sell No Property"
The slogan of his family has come
to be, 1--WE sell no property" and a
big oilcloth sign in his old-fashionsd
office-that Offices chief decoration
so informs the public.
Almost might another name be add
ed to Mr.. Wendell's collection. With
OFT much stretch of tie imagination,
he might be called "The Man Who
Really Owns Broadway, tor hs.
maiden sisters, Rebecca, Mary and
Georgianna, own more Of that bright
particular throughfare than any other
one man, woman, estate or corpora
ton. Their property is scattered in
many places along Broadway from
far down town to above Fiftieth street.
Which sounds like theaters and no.
tells and white lights and red
But you're wrong.
He owns much Of Broadway, does
"The Russell Sage of Broadway" but
not single bright light. That Is one
of his policies"
Call 1t sentiment, If you like
perhaps it is sentiment in way to
keep the little buildings that came to
me as they were when they came-but
there is more to my owning no the
aters and such than that. There are
both moral and legal reasons. In the
first place, will not be morally re-
sponsible for the Vaccinations of the
Evil One. have plenty to do without
being responsible for immortal souls.
And theaters, saloons, moving pic
tures-bah! won't say on, word
about them! They're not worth it.
But even if they were, know the
law. Yes, l know the law backward.
l know the law that holds an owner
responsible fer catastrophes, and I'm
not going to have any tall buildings
or moving pictures or such that breed
| cataStrOpneS on my lana.
Find Nothing Doing"
So that. is why the moving picture
men with their eyes on the block and
| half of Broadway, between Thirty.
sixth and Thirty.eighth street, have
| one after another, come from John G.
WendelTs Office bemoaning fate.
Wendells possessions include bio,
7. of ground surrounding two sides O,
his home at Thirty-ninth street and
Fifth avenue, the old brown.stone
house which has been a mystery to
so many. Thousands daily look at its
closed windows, its general air o,
'desolation in the midst Of the hustle
and life of Fifth avenue, and wonder
1t is where the Hermit of Fifth ave
nue. lives-alone except for his dog.
The big vacant plot is that dogs
| playground. He is John G. WendeII's
dog, and he must have a place.
A real estate operator who coveted
the very desirable Fifth avenue plo,
tells story. He determined to gel
the plot at any price. A date was SCI
for the final settlement of the matter
but to his surprise the operator wa.
told that Mr.. Wendell would not sci
even for the 100000 offered. Pressed
for reason, Mr.. Wendell declared:
Dogs Costly Exercise Ground.
We'll, you see. didn't want to ne,
in the first place. My sister has
small dog for pet which she va,ua,
highly and she does not like to hav,
him run in the street. There ia n.
place for him to exercise but in ,ha
yard. He runs up and down and on
| joys it.
| under the circumstances do m
think ] can let the prepert, s.. / q,