Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1892 — MADE A SMALL FOR TUNE [ARTICLE]

MADE A SMALL FOR TUNE

HOW TWO SCHOOL TEACHERS DID IT. ■ Two Hundred Dollars Grows to Tsslrs Thousand Within a Year. [Uarion, Indiana, Chronlole.l There are two sisters teaching In the Marion public schools have reason to thank the rapid doveiopn»etiA,of one of Chicago's manufacturing suburbs for a small fortune which has grown from a very tiny seed planted less than a year ago. To a representative of the Chronicle these young ladies told the story of their remarkable investment as follows: “At the close of our school work a year ago we found that we had saved about SIOO each, for which we had no immediate use. We were spending our vacation in Chicago, and stepped into the Chamber of Commerce Building to see Jay Dwlggins <fc Co., whom we had long known. They were just thoii founding the new town of Griffith, whose fuel oil pipe,Bpe% and fqyr great railroads, including a complete belt line enciroling Chtcngo, gave great promise of making this a factory center.

“Wo were inclined to make an Invest- ! ment in the new town and consented to ! join them in the purchase of a flyc-acyo blook whioh they wished to subdivide with some other tracts and put immediately on the market. Our S2OO sufficed to make the cash payment fjr onethird interest in this live acres and we expected to meet the deferred payments from our wages the following year. “After making this Investment we went further on our vacation trip, and what was our surprise a few weeks later to reoelve word that the five aores had been bought, subdivided, and p/wfe pletely sold out. Three poi'Ufftf ■Afh'* taken the entire block at a pi'qfljrwlW niost §6,000, one-third of jfcliichjfy'o learned was at our disposal, h; X “So far we had not even Griffith, but this remarkably quick of Ilffair a gave us a great interest*** the new town, and we went look it over. We found, nlno miles southeast of Chicago limits, a remarkable railroad junction, but little more than that. There were perhaps a dozen houses scattered about in the oak groves and occupied by railroad employes. Thero were no stores, no streets, no sidewalks, no nothing—except a bright future. The surveyors wore just putting down the lot stakes. We found our block in the very oenter of the town plat, with frontage on what promised to be the best business strqet. The lots,, had been sold out at the ridiculously low overage of $l3O each. “We remarked that we would rather buy than .sell at these figure. This quick sale, even at a low prloe, had given us the capital with which to buy. We immediately selected Blook 11 in the Original Town of Griffith, and bought it with the profits wp had just mado. Wo left Griffith, paying: ‘Well, we shall see what a year will bring forth in this promlslngjplace/ “We have just now returned from Griffith after a year's absence. We found four factories completed and many more negotiating to come. Houses are going up on every hand, and streots which hadnot been cut out when we were there a year ago, are now lined with prosperous stores. Our block, if sold at present prices, would realize about $12,000, but we would not take $25,000 for It, if It were similarly located in Marlon, It would bring $50,000. V

“We have seen Marlon grow up from a country town Into a flourishing young city, by the location of factories, and Marion has but three railroads'and has not the great city of Chicago to tie to. “Wo confidently expect within the next live years to see Griffith a great and flourishing city, and that will be time enough to realize on our beautiful block of lots. Sinee we bought our relutives have made further purchases and have made money, too. We certainly believe that Griffith lots bought at present prices and on the vety easy terms at which be had will prove a quickly paying investment," loe Water In Europe. . . If the Americans have accomplished nothing e|ee by,their Invasion of Europe, they have at least Introduced ice water In many of the hotels. And now the American is not regarded as an Idiot and treated with derision when he wants a pitcher of water to cool his stomach withal when ho goes to bed, and even In the most benighted lands the American idea that water Is /sometimes good ,to quench the thirst 6t men as well as horses makes way.