A Word of Warning by J. I. Taylor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 28, 1912

A Word of Warning

By J. I. Taylor

As the eyes of many of the people of the North are being turned toward south Texas, because of its climate; and as there are many real-estate men who are doing all they can to bring people into the country, and are not sparing means, methods, or words in advertising the merits of the lands they have for sale, I think it advisable to give a word of warning to our people.

South Texas is a fairly good country, in quite a pleasant locality, and those of our people who wish to come might do the right thing in coming; but I would warn them against the “land sharks.”

For instance, some time ago a man went through north Texas and other places, selling lots in what he reported to be a town that was well started in building and business. While selling these lots, he would advertise to give away a certain number, allowing the people to draw for them. One of our brethren drew two lots. One was represented to be a valuable business lot, with a hardware store on one side and a grocery store on the other. He charged the brother fourteen dollars for the papers for the two lots.

The brother, thinking to do a kindness to the South Texas Conference, offered to donate them to the conference. With our field missionary agent, N. H. Conway, I went to see the lots. The place was in the woods, had never been surveyed into lots, and there were no improvements of any kind upon it. We were told that the man had gone everywhere, giving away lots, and getting his pay from the deeds to them. He had bought the land at a few dollars an acre, and by laying it out into lots, had sold his land at a large increase by simply charging for the deeds. The lots were absolutely useless, and those who have paid for deeds have lost whatever they have paid.

This is only one case. There are real-estate schemes of all kinds in the country.

I trust our people will not allow themselves to be taken in by any of these gold brick schemes. If they wish to buy land, they should look at it for themselves, and then not depend too implicitly upon what the land men tell them.

J. I. TAYLOR, President South Texas Conference.