Tag Archives: real estate

November 6, 1925

Jax Beach, Friday Night Nov 6th.

My Dear Sweetheart,

You have been mighty good to me to write so regularly when I have not done so. I certainly have been busy, Dear, and I want you to know that I thought of you just the same and that I love you as much as ever. I have been getting some new material which was more interesting and promising than anything we have worked with it. I can’t make any definite statement yet, and I’ll be sure of myself before I do so. Should I be able to produce the disease now I could not report it in the near future, and would not expect to do so until I was so sure of my stuff that there would be no possible chance for an error. Dr. K.S. received the proof of our article a few days ago (the one which Dr. White nursed so long). He dropped me a line that there were only a few corrections (typographical) and that he corrected those and returned it. I am rather glad that he did this, for if I had seen the proof Dr. White would have wanted to go over it and he would have kept it a long time again. As it is, it will probably come out in next month’s issue. Dr. K.S. says that this is all that he cares to publish as the work is now where he cannot help very much. I intend to see that I get my own out under my own name this time. I am glad to have published some with him as he has a prestige among medical men.

November 6, 1925

November 6, 1925

I am enclosing a letter re: Fulford lots which may be interesting. When I looked at our lot, the one next to it had a real estate sign so I asked what they were holding it for. The enclosed letter says that it has been sold. Judging from the prices they are asking for the others, which are several blocks away from ours I believe that the list price $3150 which the Fulford people place on ours is not an inflated price but about what it would bring on the market. The acreage at Jax looks better than it did at the time we bought. One subdivision is being developed a little beyond our tracts, but it isn’t a high class one. Nearer to Jax than ours a new division is now open by a good company who are placing restrictions on the buildings. This looks good. When they have finished this, our tracts ought to be pretty good acreage. They are higher than any development in the vicinity of Jax.

I had not considered it necessary to have a best man who was not married. I’ll have to look into this matter. I don’t believe my brother would do it. He is working on some road contracts and only a death would get him away from them. I’ll make up that list for you, too, and will send it before long.

With a sweet goodnight, I am,

Always,
Your
Walter.

November 4, 1925

Wednesday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

I had a real good letter from you last night and I feel much better now. I was worried until I received this one. It is a bit cold here now and the wind is blowing, but it isn’t very disagreeable. Yesterday was the same way. I spent the day in Jax. Dr. K.S. said it had been a long time since I had seen him and it was interesting to visit. He is not going to the meeting in Dallas, but thinks he would like to go to Dallas in June when the A.M.A. have their meeting. I imagine we will return to Florida just after that meeting in June.

November 4, 1925

November 4, 1925

Yesterday’s paper gave an account of land purchase in the west part of Jax for developmental purposes. Said $500,000.00 was paid for a large tract, but it did not give the acreage and location. The company are ones who developed three sections near Miami and they are high class and restricted. This development will be of some value in boosting our acreage though I cannot tell much about it right now. Ours is higher than anything they could have purchased and should make a good residential section. I had a notion of selling one of the tracts, but I don’t know whether it is wise or not. It might be better to sell the Fulford one, though I am not anxious to turn it loose either. If we had the Dallas home in Jax we could hold onto all.

I am as busy as can be Dear, and it seems that the work goes slow at that. It requires lots of time and attention.

With worlds of love, Dear, I am

Your,
Walter.

November 1, 1925

Jax Beach, Sunday Nite.

My Dear Sweetheart,

It has been a bit cold yesterday and today. It started a few days ago, then rained, and now we have some wind and damp weather. Have had on winter suit and sweater, for I do some work on the porch which is screened. When I have dissections to make or vessels to sterilize, I go out there.

November 1, 1925

November 1, 1925

The paper says that there are between three thousand and thirty-five hundred people living at the beach this winter. Before last winter there were usually about three hundred. At night I note that most of the houses are lighted. The stands on the board walk are closed with the exception of about two, but there are three restaurants open. The two meat markets, bakery, drug store, and three or four grocery stores are all open. When the weather is nice the crowds still come down on Sat and Sun. Today it is too cold for bathing, but there are a bunch of cars on the beach and I note that the life saving crew are out there in bathing suits and sweaters. There are a couple of girls in the crew and they are said to be good.

I have worked most all day but not steady. I had some stuff in the traps this morning which needed attention so I brought it in and have taken care of the material. It takes quite a while to dissect, fix, preserve and stain the stuff. It is a long tedious job, but I usually have several lots going at one time. At the same time I have cultures of living material which need attention. These are kept in an improvised incubator, consisting of a wood box heated with an electric light bulb.

Mrs. McDonald is living here yet. The people who looked at her cottage, offered the $3500 which she asked for the place but wanted to pay $1000 down. She would have taken this, but the prospect wanted immediate possession or $30 per month rent. If she had wanted possession in the spring Mrs. Mc would have sold it. Instead she asked one-half cash. The prospect did not return. I guess the place is not sold yet. Mrs. Mc hesitates in selling it for her husband does not have a place for her at West Palm Beach. It is practically impossible to get living quarters down there and stay within his income which is $10 to $11 per day for 8 hrs work. He wrote that he would probably come here for a few days Christmas. He may find a place for her before that time, in which event she will go down. She expects to go to work in Jax or may be St. Augustine before very long. She is very ambitious and can’t find enough to keep her busy. Since she has been at home, I have been eating here. It is much better than restaurant cooking and I don’t lose but a few minutes at meal time. She is a good cook, and unusually neat in keeping house.

I’ll be mighty glad, Dear, when we are in a place of our own and located so that we can fix things to suit ourselves. I have been wondering about how I could show you about when we are here together. If Mrs. Mc goes she will probably take her car with her. I want you to know the layout of Jax and vicinity before we pick what we want. Of course we can’t get definitely located in our own place until we return after June 1st, but we might find what we want before that time and have it ready. We may have to build a place as the question of getting living quarters is getting rather serious. Jax is getting in on the boom in great shape and it looks as though most every place will be filled.

I love you, Dear, with all my heart and I want you. I hope that I can take care of you to the extent that you will not regret your choice.

With a sweet goodnight

Your,
Walter.

October 24, 1925

Saturday Nite.
Oct. 24, 1925.

My dearest Sweetheart:

Your letter of Sunday P.M. written at West Palm Beach reached me today, and the irregularity of the mail is shown by the fact that your letter from the Beach written two days later reached me yesterday. Of course the difference in the distance makes some difference, but still you traveled faster than your letter, according to that.

October 24, 1925

October 24, 1925

I am enclosing a little article on the Florida boom that I came across in the Uvalde Leader-News. I hope that the steps that are being taken to stop the rush will not be effective any time soon, don’t you?

This morning I was very much shocked when someone ‘phoned that Mrs. D.H. Crisp, the wife of my former employer for whom I kept books for about six years, had suddenly died last night. It was so sudden that it was a shock to everyone. As soon as we heard it I went to her home for a few minutes. I always have a feeling of utter helplessness and uselessness in a case like this because all I can do is to show respect by going and carrying flowers. They already had enough friends to sit up with the corpse tonight. The funeral is to be tomorrow afternoon. I feel so sorry for Mr. Crisp, and it is especially sad as she left two little girls, one eight and the other four years old. No doubt one of his sisters here will care for them.

Sweetheart, I love you, you don’t know how very very much. I wish I could be with you right now.

Always, your loving,
Ina.

Sunday P.M.
P.S. I rushed off this morning without carrying this letter, so I am enclosing the one for today also.

You can click and zoom into the image of the letter if you want to read the news clipping.

October 23, 1925 (Walter)

The Beach, Friday Night.
Oct 23d

My Dear Sweetheart,

Have gotten into the harness again and have lots to do, though I had very little work carried over from a few weeks ago. Before leaving I cleared up all the work I could and did not have any experimental animals left. At the present time I am running some traps on the beach and during the day I am using the material as fast as it is caught. It is quite a chore to have a bunch of experimental animals and I am keeping away from it unless it is necessary.

October 23, 1925 (Walter)

October 23, 1925 (Walter)

Mrs. Mc has her house for sale and today there were two parties to look at it. I hope she doesn’t sell for I am pretty well located for my work and too I am in hopes that you can be here with me for a while. The boom is causing lots of people to look for houses at Jax and most of the cottages down here have been rented for the winter. Jax is getting into the real boom and I believe that it will have a good substantial growth from it. It is not a tourist city like Miami and Palm Beach, but its growth will be of a more stable kind. Lots of eastern capital is coming now and real buildings are going up. I hope we will cash in well on our acreage.

I expect a letter from you tonight, Dear, as we have not had mail today.

Always,
Your
Walter.

October 23, 1925 (Ina)

Friday Nite
Oct. 23, 1925.

My dearest Walter:

Your letter of Tuesday night came, and it seemed good to receive one from you there again because that seems more like home. I don’t know why it is, but I sort of breathed a sigh of relief when I knew you were back there. No doubt it is because the mail is more regular, and then too I think there is more comfort in thinking of or writing to a person if you know where he is and that your mail will reach him in due time. It seems so indefinite otherwise. For instance, the letters you found at the Beach on your return were almost history by the time you received them and the ones I wrote you and addressed to Caxambas were no doubt a week or more old by the time they were forwarded to the Beach. At any rate, I love you just the same wherever you are, but the nearer you are, the better it suits me.

October 23, 1925 (Ina)

October 23, 1925 (Ina)

Dear, I appreciate your concern about my being so blue and I suppose I should have written you the reason at that time, but I was in hopes that I could soon decide that it was all my imagination. I was afraid I couldn’t explain it so you wouldn’t misunderstand me, so I thought I wouldn’t say anything. However, as you now know, I did write you a letter later, addressing it to you at Caxambas, explaining my feelings. I feel sure now that I was wrong about it, and I beg your pardon, Dear, for thinking it. Your letters sound differently now. Those others were just written hurriedly I’m sure. No, Sweetheart, not for one moment have I regretted our engagement, but I was afraid you had. You have no idea what a relief it is to have the feeling now that you don’t regret it.

I was very much interested in the real estate letter. I am so glad the value of the property is increasing so rapidly, and I sincerely hope it will continue to do so. Won’t it be fine to make that much on the side? I am so glad you bought it when and where you did.

It makes me so happy, Dear to feel that you still love me as much as you ever did. I didn’t realize how very very much I loved you until I thought you might be getting indifferent. Sweetheart, I will be so happy when we can be together all the time. Then there will not be the trouble of misunderstanding letters. You seem so far far away now, and it takes so long to get a reply to a letter. When we are together, if we are uncertain about anything, we can explain it right then, get a reply immediately and then feel satisfied instead of having to wait a week or two to find out. I think it will be great.

I love you worlds and worlds.

Always, your
Ina.

October 19, 1925

Monday Night.
Oct. 19, 1925.

My dearest Sweetheart:

My! but I’m so happy tonight. Your two letters (of Wednesday and Thursday) came this evening just in time to save the day (or me). Honestly, I believe they would have almost had me to bury if I hadn’t heard pretty soon. I have been gazing into that empty post office box for four days, and I was getting desperate. Of course I knew you were on the road a great deal of the time, but I knew at the same time that within four days’ time you could surely find an opportunity to at least drop me a card. It was the longest time I had missed getting a letter since we have become engaged, and, that fact, added to the feelings I expressed in yesterday’s letter, gave my imagination plenty of room to work. So when Papa brought in your two letters this evening I felt thankful enough to shout. And, too, Dear, these didn’t sound a bit like they were prompted by a sense of duty. They “hit the spot” and made me feel so happy. Even the cold wind whistling around the corner of the house doesn’t sound lonesome tonight, and the fire in the fireplace is more cheerful than it has been in nights and nights. Even if a ghost should appear at the window by my side, I verily believe he would brightly smile tonight.

October 19, 1925

October 19, 1925

Sweetheart, I’m delighted with the Fulford report. The increase in value of the property there is far better than I dared hope in such a short time. It was evidently a very wise buy, and I am mighty glad you made it. Yes, indeed, that profit will come in fine when we get ready to purchase or build a home of our own. I am very enthusiastic about your real estate possessions. May their value increase! Your account of the conditions and values there was very interesting and made me realize more than ever the Florida boom.

If it takes this letter as long to reach you as it took yours to reach me, you may get it some day next month.

I love you, Dear, worlds and worlds. I didn’t fully realize how very much until I felt that there might be something wrong. But I am so happy tonight and I love you, love you, love you.

Always your
Ina.

October 18, 1925 (Walter)

West Palm Beach, Florida, Oct 18, 1925
Sunday PM.

My Dear Sweetheart,

It seems like a mighty long time since I have had one of those letters which always makes things look brighter. I am getting hungry for one. If possible I will drive through to the Beach tomorrow, but if it is late when I get to Augustine I’ll spend the night there.

October 18, 1925 (Walter)

October 18, 1925 (Walter)

I took Mr. & Mrs. McDonald out for a ride in her car this morning. We went to the beach here and then south to Del Ray. Returned by Boynton where they showed me an investment which they made in a lot about a year ago. It is a 50 x 125 corner costing $2000. Developments are coming to some extent & it is listed at $3500 now. I like our lot better due to the fact that it is in a higher class development. Theirs is a business corner and may be a filling station location, as near as I can figure. This would make it a mighty good investment. Would probably bring them $15000, but it may be three years or even five years from now. I believe that our lot will be worth 5000 to 6000 after Christmas. That’s when the winter tourists usually come, though this year they have been here all the time. Lots of people are camping, living in tents, garages & almost any place they can find. They make $11 per day of 8 hours as carpenters, electricians and plumbers. Bricklayers and plasterers make more. All get double pay for overtime and many work long hours. They pay more than this at Miami. Workmen on houses go to work in Chryslers, Lincolns, and other good cars while the builder is often the one to walk. The people who made good investments down here five years ago have reaped enormous profits. Lots of money to be made yet, but the competition is keener and deals are not handled so much without substantial payments. The fellow looking for short time options can’t use the “shoe string methods’ as much as during the past few years.

I am going to have dinner with Mr. & Mrs. McDonald at six o’clock and I’ll probably visit with them at the park. They have a concert there tonight. Mrs. Mc said something about going back with me tomorrow morning. She will let me know tonight. They can’t find living quarters within reasonable price and I guess she will stay at the Beach until he gets a place for her.

I love you, Dear, and I certainly would like to be with you now.

Your,
Walter.

October 17, 1925

Oct 17th
Saturday Night.

My Dear Sweetheart,

My note last night was rather short and as there might be a misunderstanding I want you to know that I would not intentionally hurt your feelings for anything in the world. It is a little different in writing to you when I am on the road for I usually have quite a bit on my mind but I think of you often just the same.

October 17, 1925

October 17, 1925

I expect to leave here Monday AM and if I have good luck I’ll drive through in one day. It is about 325 miles and a few detours where they are working on the road. The last 25 miles will be rough too as I take a near cut to the Beach from St. Augustine. This saves about 25 miles but is a little rough. There is a real estate activity at Jupiter where I have been working some, and also a lot here but it does not look as good as Fulford to me. The prices are high enough too. Kelsey City north of here is a mighty good development, but I can’t invest on any more and have not even talked to real estate folks.

I love you, Dear, and I certainly wish that I could be with you now.

Always your
Walter.

October 15, 1925

Stationery from the Pine Tree Hotel, “Where Summer Spends the Winter,” West Palm Beach, Florida.

Wednesday Night 9/15*

My Dear Sweetheart,

I spent quite a bit of the morning at Fulford and I am more enthusiastic about our investment there than ever. For one year it is a wonderful development, but of course there are not very many homes at this time. The ones constructed are high class and every improvement made is in line with their building restrictions. The first addition, and the one in which we are interested is the one they are developing as a show place for prospects. Our little 50 ft x 150 ft lot does not look big when you see the plat of ground, but its location is about right. According to the company’s list of prices it is now worth $3150. They tell me that in another year it should & will be worth ten thousand. The Co reserved lots in every block on which they will build or which they will not sell unless the purchaser bonds to build at once. The prices seem ridiculously high when compared to city prices in Dallas, but only people with a bunch of money can afford to live there and these are the ones who are building and buying homes. Some rich man will buy and build on the corner next to our lot and will want our lot so that he can have a hundred feet on the front. He will pay us a good price for it too. I did not list it today, but am of the opinion that the best time will be after Christmas when the tourists come for the winter. I believe that we will realize enough out of it to go a long ways in getting our home. Believe me it will be mighty welcome too. The prices of everything are awfully high on the East Coast between here and Miami and I have no desire to live here. Wages, salaries etc are high too, but of course mine is the same whether I am here or any other place. The real estate people get 15% for re-sales, but we won’t mind that.

October 15, 1925

October 15, 1925

You will probably think that we should sell or list it now, due to the nice profit and I would have the same opinion if I had not gone down there. But the developments in sight are going to make it increase rapidly in the near future. I had to visualize it when it was pine woods and it took nerve to put $1250 for the lot. It would not take as much nerve to pay the $3150 at this time.

They are getting $7500 for lots in another addition north of us, which are one block from an artificial lake. There is nothing up there at this time, but they have given land for the proposed University. Water front property was sold for more. We picked the right place last fall. Here is a rough drawing.

October 15, 1925 - Drawing

October 15, 1925 - Drawing

This isn’t much of a drawing but it will give some idea. Classy buildings now on both sides of Fulford Blvd. west of Flagler Blvd. Just south of ours.

I love you,
Walter.

Wrong date – the postmark and contents show this letter was written 10/15.

Historical notes: Fulford was renamed North Miami Beach in 1931. The neighborhood in the drawing is approximately here on a modern map. Flagler Blvd. became NE 19th Ave., and Fulford Blvd. became NE 172nd St. If you don’t mind spoilers, you can read about the first Florida real estate bubble, which was in its late stages when Walter wrote this letter.