The Belding banner-news., 1920-01-14

Dave, there are big things In the air.
They are beginning to move already.
Have you noticed the strangers In
town of late? That's the advance
guard"
Advance guard of real estate
boom?"
'Hsh. That's bad word. Get
away from 1t. Say industrial deyel-
opment.'
Let me elaborate. Well say Alkali
Lake is railway station where lots go
begging at hundred dollars each. In
drops wel-dressed stranger-buys
ten lots at hundred and fifty each
and the old-timers are chuckling over
sticking him. But in drops another
stranger and buys block of lots at
two hundred each. Then the old
timers begin TO wonder If they didn't
sell too soon. BY the time the fourth
or fifth stranger has dropped in they
are dead sure of it, and they are try
ing to buy their lots back. All sorts
of rumors get started, nobody knows
how New railways are coming, big
factories are TO be started. minerals
have been located, there's secret war
on between great moneyed interests.
The town council meets and changes
the name to Silver City--having re-
gard, no doubt. to the alkali in the
slough water The old-timers. and all
that great, innocent public which is
forever hoping to get something for
nothing, are now glad to buy the lots
at FIVE hundred TO ten thousand dollars
EACH and by the time they've bought
it up the gang moves on. It's the
smoothest game in the world, and
every community will fall for 1t at
least twice. =. Well. they're here.
"Of course, it's little different in
this case. because there really is some
thing in the way of natural advantages
to support it. It's not all hot air.
snow, Dave, I've been dipping in a
little already, and 1t struck me we
might work together on this deal.
Your paper has considerable weight.
and IL that weight falls the right way
you won't find me stingy For instance,
an item that this property'-he pro-
duced slip with some legal descrip-
tions-"has been sold for ten thousand
dollars to eastern investors = very
conservative investors from the East,
don't forget that-might help to turn
another deal that's just hanging Sorry
to keep you so long, but perhaps you
can catch the press yet" And with
one of his friendly mannerisms Con-
ward departed.
Dave sat for some minutes In a
quandary. He was discouraged with
his salary, or, rather, with the lack of
prospect of any increase in his salary.
Conwards words had been very unset
tling. They pulled in opposite direc-
tions. They fired him with a new en-
thusiasm for his city, and they inti-
mated that a gang of professional
land-gamblers was soon to perpetrate
an enormous theft. leaving the public
holding the sack. Still, there must be
a middle course somewhere.
At any rate, he could use Conward's
story about the land sale. That was
might be a faxed sale-faked for its
news value-but reporters are not paid
for being detectives. The Evening Call
carried statement of Conward's sale,
and on that statement was hung a col
umn story on the growing prosperity
of the city and its assured future, ow-
ing TO its exceptional climate and
natural resources, combined with its
commanding position on transporta-
ton routes, both east and west and
north and south.
During the following days Dave had
a keener eye than usual for evidences
of industrial development" He found
them on every hand. Old properties,
long considered unstable, were chang
ing owners. Money moved easily ;
wages were stiffening; tradesmen
were in demand. There was material
for many good stories in his investiga-
tions. He began writing features on
the city's prosperity and prospects.
The rival paper did the same and there
was soon started between them COM
petition of optimism. The great word
became boost" The virus was now
in the veins Of the community, pulsing
through every street and byway of the
little city. Dave marveled, and won
dered how he had failed to read these
signs until Coward had laid their por-
tent bare before him. But as yet II
was only his news sense that respond
ed his delight in the strange and the
sensational. lie was not yet inoculatcd
with the poison of easy wealth.
His nights were busy with his inves-
LEGATIONS, but on Sunday, as usual, he
went out to the Duncans'. Mrs. Dun
can explained that Edith had gone to
visit girl friend in the country; ;
would be gone away for some time.
Dave felt foolish annoyance that she
should have left town. She might at
least have called him up. Why should