The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1921-12-16
EDISON co.
GETS EGGERS
HOLDINGS
Commonwealth People are
Purchasers of Tract Owned
by Eggers Estate

Good fortune often comes wearing
sack cloth and ashes and failing to
penetrate the disguise you bemoan
your fate. The pot OF gold at the
rainbow's end issa myth and the gold
is really concealed beneath some un-
Inviting cloud
oaa a.ght Ia Chicago. many, many
years ago. a number OF sharpers took
advantage OF a certain man in his cups
and sold him the worthless stretch %
sand that is row Gary for an outrag-
eous price. A few years later he, in
turn. sold 1t TO the big packers for a
million dollars. netting a profit OF sew
eral thousand per cent.
It is said that 4rter Jacob Rimbach
bought his Holman street property he
regretted the bargain and felt so down
cast over 1t that he cried. Today his
income from that property is enormous.
The above is Introductory to the
story of the late Henry Eggers which
becomes timely with the announce
nent today that the thirteen acre tract
at Roby in the corner of the state of
Indiana against the state line of Il
lirois, has been sold TO the Common
$4,000. It is the highest acreage
price ever paid in Indiana
The land was purchased from the
Egger's estate.
Did Henry Eggers buy the land years
ago with a vision that 1t would some
day be the most valuable tract in
great industrial region? No, Mr.. Egg
gers. like everybody else who bought
land in this district in the COS couldn't
help himself.
THROWN UPON 1T
The fact is. he didn't buy it: he was
forced to take II. With his little fam
'ly. Henry Esgers. sturdy. thrifty
German. came TO the United states to
Join his brother in Chicago, drawn by
the reports Of the opportunities
abounding in this land. He scraped
up enough money to get to New York
but not counting on the great dis
tance to be covered by land did not
have sufficient funds to take him to
Chicago. People on the train contrib
uted out Of sympathy to the imnli-
grants who did not know the language
and were unable to help themselves.
But even with the contributions there
was not enough to pay the fares to
Chicago and a kind hearted conductor
after carrying the Eggers family as
far as the Indiana state line became
afraid that he might be checked up at
the station in the city. He stopped
the train and with best wishes and
compliments of the season elected the
Eggers family on the very land that
later became the neucleus of one of
the big fortunes of Hammond.
II Is probable that Fred Eggers
would have sold all claims to that
property for a meal and nights lodg-
ing.
At that time-1sss-the land was
worthless.
According to the story that is now
a family legend Mr.. Eggers built a fre
with drift-wood and arranged some
sort OF rude shelter for the night
He was without naeans. The fishing was
good, In few days he had cozy
shack and the family was conf ortable.
Years later a man named Ro'by. the
founder Of the town Of Roby sought
to oust the Eggers from the land and
claim 1t but when the squarter told the
court how he had been thrown on the
land and had wrested living from 1t
and that he had buried two little child
rem there, he was given a clear title.
Luck? Perhaps, but the thrifty, in
duEtrious and honest nature of the
Ir an had something to do with his MAX
ing the most OF It. He became coun-
ty commissioner and was one of the
pioneers OF the county. His word was
as good as gold and he had the respect
Of the comm unity
All of which goes 10 show that real
estate deal is not such a dull topic as
II sometimes appears.
The Commonwealth Edison Co. will
build a power plant on the land 1t has
acquired from the Eggsrs estate.