AMERICAN SUPERIORITY 281 



grown nervous over the prospects. When the excitement 

 was at its height, Chipman suddenly placarded city aud 

 county with yard-long bills in green, red, yellow and blue 

 colors, which announced to every one who had eyes to 

 see and brains to comprehend, that the magnificent 

 newly-laid out city of Alameda would surely become the 

 only place worthy of a gentleman to live in. It was made 

 plain as daylight that perhaps within t a year's time 

 wharves, steamship and railroad lines would help to 

 make this the most attractive spot on the Pacific coast. 

 This and many other illusory stories appeared before 

 the dazed eyes of the readers, who were slowly led to be- 

 lieve that they were to be participants in the foundation 

 of another New York. Having for a time moulded the 

 minds of the unwary in such and similar announcements, 

 he finally played his trump card. Notwithstanding the 

 undeniable fact that the value of those city lots could 

 hardly be estimated, he, Chipman, had decided to part 

 with them, free to all who agree to build a wooden 

 structure for residence purpose, no smaller than sixteen 

 by twenty feet within ten days from date of agreement. 

 And all this as a token of love for his fellow-men. Thus 

 stated Chipman, the philanthropist. 



That brought the crowds. They came in ship-loads 

 from across the bay and as Alameda has in reality some 

 of the natural beauties, which the board-bills described, 

 the majority of visitors thought well of the proposition, 

 especially as they could get something for nothing — ap- 

 parently. Americans are well aware of the fact that a 

 real-estate boom must always be taken at a discount and 

 they should not be disappointed in their anticipation re- 

 garding Alameda. Many had enlisted and secured the 

 lots but, — will you believe it, — most of them failed to 

 build the little house. And how many people bemourn 

 to-day their lost opportunities. AYell does our German 

 poet advise us: "Learn to cling to opportunities." No 

 sooner had about a dozen houses been erected, when phil- 

 anthropist Chipman stoju>ed his "free for all" proposi- 

 tion and declared his previous offer null and void, except 



