Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1919-11-21
INVESTMENTS TO-
YIELD FABULOUS
RETURNS SCARCE.
OIL, A NECESSITY, OFFERS FIELD
FOR UNScRUPuLoUs PERSONS
TO UNLOAD WORTHLESS
STOCKS.
PUBLIC IS EASILY "GuLLED"
Company With Four Billion capitsa
and $3.50 Working Capital
Proved Attractive Years
Ago.

After every war in which the
United States has participated. the
people Of the country have lined mp
waiting for opportunity to plunge into
the current Of inconsidered speculsr
ton. All that was necessary was IN.
assurance that the waters fine" to
send them in.
The majority never again got their
financial heads above the surface.
Hundreds Of millions of dollars have
been lost in these unwise ventures
In the past and millions are being lost
to investors In the present craze for
stock gambling.
1t apparently makes little difference
that these speculations may be based
on industries which have been proved
profitable and legitimate. The pro-
duction Of oil is n Of the basic in
dustrial operations, yet more fortunes
have been lost In oil stocks and oil
lands than in n other speculation.
Crude petroleum is a necessity. 1t COM
mands q staple price, its production
ID q legitimate business, yet investors
in oil stock risk more dangers than
beset Livingston in Africa.
The first oil boom occurred in the
early eos. just after Edwin l.. Drake
and his driller Uncle Billy" Smith
brought in the first drilled well in
Pennsylvania. With the news OF
brakes success. people from all over
the nation flocked to Cenango county
In the hope of striking OIL and max
ing a fortune over night.
Land in favorable localities sold
readily for from $4,000 to $1,000 an
acre and farms brought from &600,000l
to 81, 200, 900 each. Speculation Of every
possible sort among all classes went
on to such an unbridled extent that
It amounted to sheer madness. A
plot of two acres sold for half a mil
lion, and $4,000 900 was refused for
80 acres, which had been traded for
q yoke Of oxen less than a year before.
Hundreds Of wells were put down.
but their owners, without adequate
capital or equipment, saw their means
vanish and poverty approach a. O re-
suit of the INSCRIPTIONS and merciless
dealings Of the land Spectators
Then came the first Of the gushers.
In a year, Oil was almost as cheap ~
water and prices almos' ceased to
exist, sales being made as low ~ 10
cents a barrel. More fortunes were
lost, but demand was gradually stimu.
lated and prices increased until the
close of the Civil War. the country
was ripe for another stampede.
The rush to the Pithole region fol-
lowed and with that rush came the
extensive operation Of so-called stock
companies. In these companies, peo-
pie from all over the country were
neeced of their earnings and specula-
ton in such shares was tremendous.
1t is estimated that the companies in
Pennsylvania alone at this period had
o combined capital issue Of over $780,
000, 900.
Then the bubble burst again. Floods
and fires swept the FIELDS. Produc-
ton was not maintained and the wild
cat companies toppled over right and
left like q row Of bricks. carrying
down to ruin thousands who had in
vested their entire capital.
Drake, the inventor Of modern drill
ing methods. who knew OH % few mon,
know It, was among them. He lost all
his property in speculation and his
family was reduced 10 actual want.
His former associates made up .,
purse to relieve his necessities, Sub
sequentiy the state granted him o.
pension OF / 800 year for the sesv-
ices he had rendered the country.
This nation is facing . similar era.
Of speculation at present. The moth
DDS of fraudulent promoters In selling
stock have been somewhat refined. but
the dangers OF ge%t-rich-quick invest
ments are not less than after the Cfvil
War.
Repeated proof Of the dangers Of
stock speculation has been given. The
most secure protection against the
lure of such Investments Is careful and
conscientious saving and regular. safe
and secure investment In government
securities: War Savings Stamps.
Treasury Savings Certificates and LIB
erty Bonds. They do not guarantee
dividends semi-dafly except Gunday."
but they do guarantee security against
loss. coupled with SURF profit.
Treasury Savings Certificates and
Savings Stamps hav~ the advantage
OF always being cashable fog more
than was paid for hem.
Liberty Bonds, at present prices, OF.
fer an investment opportunity that
will not De eqralled vain. probably,
in this generation. Financial authori.
ties unite in predicting that all issues
will sell above par as two are now