Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-09
COMFY ISLAND MILLIONAIRE
ONCE SLEPT PENNILESS ON
SAND OF FAMOUS RESORT

tied folk in order to make both ends
meet.
He has sold many Of his northern
building.
properties, including several large
Since then, three times within a
period OF fifteen years Louis Stauch
has seen his buildings completely de-
stroyed by fires which originated
elsewhere, and each time he has
erected larger and more costly
structure than the one destroyed,
though in no case has he collected
a dollar Of insurance. His losses
by these fires totaled $750,000. After
the last one he had only $25 to his
name, but before the ruins had
ceased smouldering he signed con-
tract for the present building, which,
without furnishings or equipment,
cost $40, 900.
One day back in the 1905 the late
Col. Tom Abbott, then Coney Islands
oldest settler, asked Louis Stauch
how much money he had. !.
Three hundred and fifty dollars, "
was the answer.
"Give me $500 of It," said Col. Tom,
"and I'll get you a ten days option
on Norton & Murray's Point. It can
be bought for $4,000, and know
some people who will furnish the
money and let us in on it."
Stauch gave him the $500, but at
the end Of seven days Abbott had
failed to raise the money. With only
three days of his option left, Louis
went to see Otto Huber, the brewer.
This was one of the four times he
has been off the island since he
first went there. Huber kept him
waiting two precious days, then sent
his confidential man with Louis to
see the property. They had to wait
three hours for a train to Coney on
the old Gunther railroad and then
hired a rig to tale them to Norton's
Point now Sea Gate. The long trip
did not improve the temper of HUI
ber's man, and when he saw the
property, consisting of sand dunes
with just enough stunted under
growth to make homes for hundreds
Of wild rabbits, he damned Stauch
for bringing him on a FOOLS errand
and Indignantly returned to report
that the whole Point was not worth
$50. One month later William Zieg-
Ter, the Baking Powder King"
bought the property for $183,000, and
sixty days later sold it to the Nor
ton Land and Improvement COM
pany for $450,00O.
Then Mr.. Huber came personally
to see Louis Stauch, and they have
been the best of friends ever since.
When Staucb, a little later advised
Huber to buy the parcel now occu-
ir6 ,1c WI Il hV.0
listened, and now he is drawing a
yearly land rent from that sand
waste nearly equal to the full pur-
to himself than Is involved in the
signing of lease.
Just to prove his assertion that
he has, been fool all his life, Staucn
tells the following story:
Thirty-odd years ago the late Will
liam Rock was running some penny
ln-the-slot machines at Thompson &
Dundy's "Trip to the Moon,'' which
was the forerunner of the present
Of the island, Luna Park.
Put in $4,000 with me and TIL
make you rich,' said Rock to Stauch
one day. Motion pictures are the
coming thing"
IT don't know anything about pic
lures" Stauch answered.
Neither do T." Rock confessed,
''but I can learn"
Stauch kept his $4,000, but Rock
became a pioneer in the motion, pic
ture industry and made $4,000, 900
put OF 1t in a few years.
Later Louis Stauch made even a
greater mistake. One day word
came to him that William Rock
Wished to see him and Samuel Gump-
er at Oyster Bay. Louis and Sam,
thinking it was only social invi-
tation and being too busy to accept,
paid no attention to it. Next day they
learned that Rock was dead. He
had Sent for Stauch and Gumperz
because, knowing he was near his
end, he wanted to give them $780,
300 each and make them his execu-
tors. When he failed to hear from
them he indignantly changed his
plans.
no Continue Lease
A faraway look comes into Mr..
Stauch's eyes when he tells this
story. "If only I had known he was
sick-dying His lower lip trem-
bles, his voice thickens and ceases.
A large portrait of William Rock
hangs in the place of honor in Louis
Stauch's private office.
Mr.. Stauch is a smokeless smoker.
From early morning until far into
the night he may be seen keeping a
eye upon the various de.
partments Of his busy place, and al
ways with a cigar between his teeth.
He smokes" from fifty to seventy
five expensive cigars day, though
they are seldom lighted. Every few,
minutes he takes a fresh one and
puts its predecessor into his pocket.
AT the end of each week he sends
these butts" as he calls them, to
patients in the Long Island State
Hospital and Kings County Hospital,
inclosing dollar bill for each Of the
many unfortunates whom he knows
personally.
Mr.. Stauch has literally thousands
of personal acquaintance, many Of
them leaders in the various social,
industrial and political walks of life,
but they must all come to see him.
Tor ne practically never steps outside
of his place Of business. For twenty
years he has striven to broaden
years he has striven to have a board
walk built along the waterfront of
the island, yet now that the construc-
ton has reached the border of his
own pavilion property, he has never
seen any part Of it..
Some years ago he resolved to
make his place a winter as well as a
summer resort. Now thaere is sell
dom week throughout the winter
when there are not three or four
social affairs held there. Usually
these are large dinner and dancing
parties given by society people who
have not suitable accommodations
for so many guests in their homes.
Although the contract for the sale
Of the pavilion has been signed, Louis
u, xrysI1 L..