Evening journal., 1915-07-06
SUDDEN RICHES CALL
HIM BACK TO PULPIT
Bought DUPONT, Va, Land
for $l1OO; Sold it for
$4,000
100 ACRES PLOT
BRINGS WINDFALL

DUPONT CITY. Va. July 6.-De-
claring that he has been given 2 call
by the sudden riches which have
come to him and the growth OF
community at his door, the Rev Dan
iel Day. of DUPONT, a retired Metho-
dist Protestant minister, will return
to the pulpit.
Six years ago the Rev Mr.. Day
bought a farm of 109 acres at this
place for S1100 Last October, brokv
en- in health. he retired 10 the farm,
expecting to end his days as a small
farmer Vigorous outdoor work in
his cornields greatly restored his
health.
Shortly after he arrived several un-
its of the 100000 DUPONT powder
plant. half mile from his farm,
were completed and the factory be-
gan to employ a large force of men.
The army of men increased to TO-
600 and then to $4,000. II suddenly
dawned on a number of people that a
new city Of 10000 or $4,000 people
was forming on the peninsula near
the junction OF the James and APP
pomattox rivers.
A small tract of land near the Rev
Mr. Days farm was cut up into city
ots and sold in a day at prices aver
aging 5000 a lot This was early in
Nay. An unprecedented boom cnsued,
md these lots are now nearly all
covered with buildings, with lots SELL
ng at $4,000 to S6000
The tide of building swept up to
he edge of the Day farm and for
many blocks beyond. OFFER after Of
,er was made the aged minister for
lis property. but he declined 10 sell.
representative of a Chicago syn
iicate followed the minister for two
weeks, literally clanking a bag of
gold at him. One day his patience ran
out
He that maketh haste to get rich
shall not go unpunished Get off my
land" he shouted The representa-
tive of the syndinate left.
Finally Mr.. Day decided to sell 100
acres of his land, retaining his farm
house and nine acres of land. A deal
Immediately was closed for $4,000.
Although the new city has surged
up to him. and despite his $4,000
of unexpected wealth. Mr.. Day still
is working at keeping down the
weeds in his 9-acre patch of corn.
Discussing his plans, he said:
Il have been stunned by the as
tonishing changes which a few weeks
have made here. See those auto
mobiles going by? A few weeks ago
one or two began running. Then more
and more came, and now there are
200 of them. making 10 or more trips
past here every day. l never saw
anything like it.
'I didn't want to sell my land al
first think more than a thousand
men came to sec me about selling.
tried to avoid them. and am afraid
was a little harsh with some OF
them. But finally ! felt that the
voice Of the Lord was calling me, and
so sold and am going hack to preach
the word.
"I have not fully decided where
shall preach. but this community OF
10000 or more souls appears to have
been set at my door as p call, and
believe 7 shall be needed here
more than elsewhere. I have preach
ed from time to time to the Metho-
dist community at City Point. There
is already a Presbyterian church in
the new city, and I think | shall find
NOIh lntlt " nOs IT. 1Oto AAtA oDcAA
a wicked place, considering its swift
growth. Nearly all of the inhabitants
arc men but their families are be-
ginning to come in now that homes
are being provided for them. The wo-
men will help to organize the
churches"
Mr.. Day went back to his wedding
This corn has a fine start" he
said. 81 must work hard to keep the
weeds down.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
runs a cultivator and swings hoe
with the vigor of a young man. But
when he straightens up and looks
down over the bustling city that has
grown to his door the light Of the
zealot fills his eyes. He knows there
arc souls as we'll as corn that neet
cultivating.
The Rev. Mr.. Day was born In
Maryland and educated at Westmin
steT. in that State. He was pastor
OF a Methodist Protestant Church al
Greenwich. Conn, for five years ant
he preached in Ohio. Pennsylvania
and New Jersey