Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 3 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 21

A prominent and unusually successful operator of California land, who has handled the largest properties in Fresno County and, while advancing his own interests, has aided thousands in oppressed foreign lands to acquire a title to homesites in the Golden State, is Charles Teague, who has sold a larger acreage to absentees than any other operator in Fresno County. He pursued the policy of offering the best to people who were not on the ground to make their own investigations. Even with this conservative policy, home-seekers are often discouraged by hearing disparaging statements relative to conditions in Fresno after their arrival — statements emanating from local people who do not appreciate local advantages — which is most discouraging to new arrivals. These new arrivals, however, have grown wealthy on lands the wiseacres condemned. It is stated that ninety percent, of the land sold by Mr. Teague was marketed for less than sixty dollars an acre. Much of this property has sold, after being planted to vineyard and orchard, for more than a thousand dollars an acre, and there is not an acre that has not greatly advanced in value. Mr. Teague has always had the greatest faith in Central California, and contends that the opportunities are as good in Fresno now as at any previous time.

Mr. Teague is a native of Devonshire, England, where he was born in March, 1869. His father was William T. Teague, who came to San Francisco in 1871, bringing his family with him. The lad attended the San Francisco schools until 1881, when he came to Fresno. By 1890 he had acquired land for himself, and ever since then he has been buying and selling California acreage. In 1892 he organized the Shephard-Teague Land Company, and in 1912 he brought into existence the Teague Investment Company, of which he is president and manager. He is also interested in and manager of several other large land companies.

Through his efforts, mainly, the First National Bank of Clovis was organized in 1912, and he was its president for several years, until he could no longer devote his time to the institution. He organized the Producers' Oil Company, the first company to develop oil in commercial quantities in the Midway field; and in the spring of 1913, when the fate of the Associated Raisin Company was in the balance, the future of that concern was assured largely through Mr. Teague's public-spiritedness and sacrifice. According to the Fresno Republican of that period, it was Mr. Teague's energetic action that saved the day. He was the first subscriber for stock, opening the offering with a subscription of $2,500; "and then," says the report, "came what had been expected and feared — the dropping out of the stockholders until no more takers were heard. One of the most critical moments in the meeting had come, and Charles Teague proved himself equal to the occasion. 'I will take $500, if nine others will do likewise,' shouted Mr. Teague from his seat. Immediately there was a rush of takers, which filled his order. Finding that assuming the leadership brought results, Teague came back with the proposition that he would take another $250 worth of stock if nine others would take like amounts. Again his challenge was accepted, and another $2,500 was added to the list and twenty-five more squares erased from the blackboard." When the subscriptions were closed, it was found that Mr. Teague was third on the list, having pledged himself altogether for the sum of $4,250 in order to steady the Associated Raisin Company.

Mr. Teague has disposed to advantage of the most extensive properties in Fresno County, and has interested an immense amount of capital to invest in this section. He has ever been as eager to assist families without means to settle here, giving such attractive and favorable terms as would enable them to pay for their lands out of a portion of their crops. Many of the settlers in this community, assisted by Mr. Teague, have thus become among the most prosperous ranchmen in Fresno County.

As an illustration of Mr. Teague's practical public spirit it may be mentioned that after the outbreak of the World's War in 1914, when a committee was formed in San Francisco to offer the Belgians land in California, Mr. Teague immediately designated 500 acres of his Fresno County holdings to be subdivided for them, "and stated that he would not accept any money on the land until it had produced a crop, and then only would he take annual payments. He also agreed to give the refugees employment until their lands were productive, to guarantee their grocery bills, and finally to have an impartial body of appraisers fix the value of the land, and the moneys due him. Before and since then, Mr. Teague has colonized 60,000 acres in Fresno County, and has brought in families from all over the United States and Europe.

Charles Teague was married to Marguerite E. Butters, the ceremony taking place on August 14, 1913. The bride is a daughter of the late Henry A. Butters, of San Francisco, the capitalist of South African fame. Mr. Teague is one of the organizers of the Sunnyside Country Club of Fresno.