Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-28
BUSINESS CAREER
OF PETER FLINT
A Story of Salesnianship by
Harold Whitehead
fCopUriohD

CCLVI
I've seen kellett today. Yep. I saw
him all right. You'd never think, 10
see him that he was worth n nickel, and
yet l understand he has oodles of
dough!
thought I'd get to his office in the
Benzic Building by about 10 O'Clock
somehow I guessed he was old and
sure enough, he was-about eigbty-f'ye.
I should think
I want 10 talk about that subd,r,-
sion of yours at Clearpale."
"wen?"
you own 1t, l understand
"Yes-well'
i've been--T am in the real estate
business"
| "well?"
You want to sell your land ~
course"
Naturally, seeing as how adver-
tised 1t for sale. wellc"
would you be Interested in a prono.
sition whereby you would sell II a little
| sell it?" "' ''N
"a. He-e-e," he laughed once more.
that's funny. Now tell me Just what
game you're trying to work"
This I said. II want to find n good
subdivision to sell. I've been In the real
( estate business only a short while. NV
,aSt months work earned me over
siooo ! said that TO impress him.
nut think he thought was slipping
something across hm---he looked SO sur
prised
I've saved a few hundred dollars,
enough .tc manage small real estate
office. but haven't enough to buy land.
Now. can we get together on a deal
| whereby / can have an option on the
'and and pay you as sell it?"
| Inc old chaps simple manner seemed
TO slip off him. He drew up his chair
near to mine and locked at me shrewdly
Tor 20 long I felt all fused up.
I really think you are on the level"
he finally said. 80 many sharks puff
/ up tricks on me because they think I
am simple Let me give you bit of
advice" he smiled rather grimly. "If
you want to make money act soft and
| foiksll think you are easy to pluck
and then YOU can get them every time.
Now about Clearvale. l own the whole
Of Fleming estate and have had 1t cut
up for house lots. but I'm not interested
enough to start a-pushing It. I'm plan
ming to sell It at these prices-s2oo. $3.50
ann $500 lot. The lots over the crest
and farthest from the station Mt 5000 n
lot ; the crest lots and the three streets
| running to Maxwell street. on which the
station Is located. at $500, and the re-
| mainder. there on tho station side of
the crest, for $3.50"
! "On easy terms?" asked.
mo, I was planning for cash. 7 can't
be pestered with collecting monthly dabs
of money"
What would you sell the lots to me
for II I put, all my time to 1t and hired
some fellows to work for sme?"
| "Now, that's very good land--very
good land. but It only set me back a
coupla songs 30 could give you good
price. But would you want to sell cash
or time?"
Time. of course; something like SO
down and IS n month"
He shook his head positively Takes
too long to pay. You can get S25 down
and $40 month just MS easily--and
even that's too little" He began to
figure on an old envelope. While he was
doing il, | looked around his office.
He brought me from my observations
with a crisp:
Whats your name and address,"
| I told him.
Can you give me references-friends.
former employers. bank?'
referred him to Max Beitman
Francis Perkins. OF the Magnitude. and
the Manufacturers and Commerce Trust
| Company. where | had my $500 He
took down the particulars, then made
me the following offer.
It's too late TO give it tonight so I'll
relate 1t tome row.