The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 2

2 Boston Globe Atonaay, June U6, liiti FOR SALE SWAMPLAND (suitable for retirement homesite) Ask the iYames, faces in the neivs 'ay. Globe I Globe Wire Service Author Pearl S. Buck, whose "The Good Earth" won both a Pulitzer Prize an da Nobel Pribe in literature, celebrates her 80th birthday today in Philadelphia. The only American woman ever to win the Nobel Prize in literature, Mis Buck has turned out a total of 84 books during her writing career. "The Good the story of a Chinese peasant's rise to power, won the Pulitzer in 1931 and the Nobel seven years later.

What is tie law tegvdinf rest room facilities ia public Build-in js? At the Watertown ff of the Registry af Meter Vehicles, an elderly woman asked ta use the rest room and, although there was a ladies room there- she was not permitted ta use it. This started a discussion, as ta whether rest rooms had ta be made available by law in such places. R.B., Wellesley. A A basic question deserves a basic answer. The law, Chapter 143, Sect.

42, General Laws, 6ays that public buildings must have toilet facilities and sets standards for the facilities. It does not say who can use the facilities. Registry spokesman says that at the Watertown office permission is rarely refused. Because of the location of the ladies' room, it is necessary that a female employee accompany a guest. Registration plates are stored in the area leading to the rest room.

A decision has to be made as to whether to close the window and leave complaining customers standing in line or to refuse the request HOMES IN "COUNTRY CLUB RANCHES" ARE OFTEN WITHOUT GARBAGE PICKUP AND WATER, EXCEPT WHEN IT RAINS. (UPI) I Drea true ms that rarely come spell Success for land peddlers Florida's 'Phantom Cities' It: --y 4 1 yj lis JT taSmmmm Land peddling in Florida is a $1J billion-a-year business. Some developers succeed in build' ing charming communities. But often the so-called "dream towns" mac fjiiumuiii cuics mm boast nothing more than acres and acres of empty lots. In a two-part series on Flor- longed the industry to proye Conboy wrong by offering refunds on de-mknd of 60 percent of the purchase prce.

That, the newspaper said, "Would hit all companies hard and probably cause some to fold." A.L. Baker Director of the Division of Land Sales of the Florida Department of Business Regulation, said his office" receives numerous complaints from buyers who have foundUhey can't unload their lots. The Federal Office of interstate Land Sales in the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which fields about 50 to 100 complaints a week; echoed the view. "Even if it's a bonafide developer," said John R. McDowell, deputy administrator of the HUD agency, rare that a lot is worth what the guy paid for it.

Neil EiBahr, executive vice president of peltona flagship of Jackie brothers land developing empire, agreed. "There's a limited market situation" for resale of a lot Until it's' paid for and the community is building, he said. f'We sell' it in the first place as a long-term investment, and we maintain, that person buying a homesite i VINCE CONBOY Vince Gnboy: Real estate's Ralph Nader United Press International NAPLES, Fla Vince Conboy, a 69-y ear-old successful real estate broker, comes across in Naples the way Ralph Nader does at General Motors. Conboy's reputation stems from his 11 -year personal crusade against Florida's land peddlers, including the of the land development business. He says they have milked a million persons of more than a billion dollars in the past 15 years.

Conboy's crusade against the swamp merchants until recently had consisted mainly of a series of unsuccessful class action suits against the companies. Then, a few months ago, he published his own book, "Expose: Florida's Billipn Dollar Land Fraud." Poorly organized and rather badly written, the book nonetheless is chock full of documentation and charges against some of the bigger companies in the $1.4 billion a year industry. Back in his "other home" of Waukesha, Conboy was chairman of the Community Chest, president of the YMCA, grand knight of the Knights of Columbus. In Naples, he used to like to take his wife swimming at the Port Royal Beach Club but then his wealthy neighbors began climbing out of the pool when he showed up. He gets booed occasionally at civic club meetings.

"They ostracize me," Conboy said, "But you can walk the streets of this town and you won't find anyone who will attack Vince Conboy's character." IRA kills 7 in weekend show of strength Ulster violence rises as truce nears By David L. Langf ord United Press International NAPLES, Fla. The, entrance is: a blacktop road to nowhere, percing 200 square miles of scrubland on the! edge of the big cypress swamp. A inis is one or jfionaa pnantorn.) cities," thousands of acres ness axainea ana suDaiviaea i yearss ago and sold mostly on installments at prices ranging roughly from $1000 to $4000 an acre, plus interest. The buyers were factory workers and shopkeepers hoping to build a home and retire in the subtropical warmth of southwest Florida, GIs in Southeast Asia planning for a return to civilian life and speculators hoping to cash in on the land boom.

Today a handful of houses have been built. There are no water sewer lines. A man trying to sell his lot will find there is virtually no market, except at a fraction of what he paid. When and if the tract is ever fully' developed, he may be able to get his money back or even make a profit. The people promoting the property say they never guaranteed improvements on it beyond the building of access roads and drainage canals.

They point out their selling promotion has stressed the development as an investment for those looking "toward the future." 5 The phantom cities of Florida; such as this one, are advertised around the world with colorful pictures of palm trees and seagulls, sailboats and beautiful women, sunsets on Azure oceans. The message is that any old chunk of boondocks can become a Miami Beach; Land peddling in Florida is a $1.5 billion-a-year-business. Some of the developers succeed in building charming communities with yacht basins, shopping centers, parks and schools. Often, however, these "dream towns" are surrounded by thousands of empty lots whose buyers feel cheated and want their money back. The greedy and the gullible by the hundreds of thousands have fallen victim to fast-talkers operating out of telephone booths, the lure of free vacations and trading stamps, jet paced high-pressure salesmen toting elaborate charts and maps.

That future homesite may be just a piece of underwater swamp, acces- "In Florida in the past 15 years over a million land buyers have lost over a billion dollars buying swamp and wilderness lots and acreage from land peddlers," says Vince Conboy of Naples, 69-year-old former federal appraiser and successful real estate broker in Wisconsin and Florida. One of Florida's leading newspaper (The St. Petersburg Times) chal- Germany, after advertisements were placed in European publications. The NASA spokesman, Jack Riley, said the astronauts have refused to identify their friend, but said he is not Sieger. And, Riley.said, the crew "has not" profited and "will not" profit by the sale.

The envelopes sold by Sieger were advertised as having been stamped, canceled and autographed by the crew. The 12-day Apollo 15 mission was flown in July and August 1971. Following inquiries made by groups of stamp collectors, the Postal Service in Washington learned that 400 envelopes apparently were carried on the Apollo 15 mission by Col. David R. Scott, Lt.

CoL James B. Irwin and Maj. Alfred M. Worden Jr. NASA has refused to confirm that figure, but indicated more than 100 were involved.

Boston Edison has discern-, netted my service for the second time in four months for non payment of a bill in the amount of $707. Not only have I paid my bills when due, but I have only lived here four months and only received two bills, both paid. I have twice arrived at home to discover clocks off, heat, no water, freezer food spoiled. There may be people who do not pay their Mils; even they deserve to be notified when Edison decides to shut off the power. What can I do about this? R.M., Dover.

A There isn't space available to list the errors of omission and commission on your account. Sam Carchidi of Boston Edison says a company representative will contact you and will be prepared to give a detailed explanation. Why does it take the Commonwealth of Massachusetts so long to deposit checks in payment of income taxes? My check dated April 15 was not deposited until June 7. This money could be earning interest for the Commonwealth at the bank. J.K., Arlington.

A A spokesman for Tax Comr. Nicholas Metaxes says that this year more than twice as many people as in previous years owed the Commonwealth money. And the majority, of them waited until April 15 to pay. The Department of Corporations and Taxation does have extra help at tax time, but each return must be r.r.r.A Viorlru4 in cm that fidnrPS on the return agree with figures on the check, sorted, handled, distributed, before the check can be deposited in the bank and begin earning interest. My aunt is a United States citizen living in Canada and receiving Social Security checks.

She has been missing checks since last October. I am trying to help her; she is 74. 1 hope you can get her money for 74. 1 hope you can get her money for her. A.M., Medfield.

A Checking claims for beneficiaries who live outside the United States is a complicated process, according to John Pitzi of the Social Security Administration." Your aunt has received all of her retroactive checks, and she is in current payment status, Pizti reports. She should not experience further difficulty. I bought and paid for a Greyhound bus ticket on February 11 in Boston and had it telegraphed to the Greyhound terminal in Jackson, Tenn. The friend whom I wired the ticket to couldn't make the tip and canceled it. As instructed, I sent my receipt to Greyhound Lines Inc.

in Cleveland for a refund. The ticket cost $52.70, and they never sent the money. D.F., Dorchester. F. Navis, auditor of revenue," Greyhound Lines, states that your refund was mailed April 11.

It was returned by the postal authorities stamped "Person Unknown." It will be re-mailed. Alert your letter carrier. 'Ask the Globe' will study every but it isn't possible to answer or acknowledge' avery one. They will be chosen for general interest and shared with all readers of The Evening Globe and The Sunday Globe. When applicable, give specific details, locations, time, etc.

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Ciw. M. 0pt. 232475 ida'n phantom cities, UPI reporter David L. Langf ord reveals the patterns and pitfalls of investing in Florida real estate, the remedies available through Federal or state agencies and, how a successful real state broker feels about the Florida swamp peddlers.

shouldn't be buying if he doesn't fully expect to pay for it during whatever term it's amortized in our case that's up to about 8 years," Bahr said. "Resaleability really begins to accrue a few years after that because it's at that point the lot is developed and buildable." The Interstate Land, Sales Full Disclosure Act, which has been in effect since 1968, requires the developer to state in writing to the buyer what improvements he intends to make in the property and when these improvements will be made The Florida statute is similar. "The problem with the act is that it requires full disclosure of all the facts, but there's no way to control what the salesman says when he makes his pitch," said Joel Kuper-berg, director of trustees of the state's Internal Improvements Fund. "It's a smudge on Florida's reputation as far as I'm concerned, the fact that you can sell land that you don't have the permits to develop," said Kuperberg. "I think if the state doesn't do something the Federal government will." NEXT: Swamp Peddlers and the law.

The three persons pulled guns from under their habits after waiting in line before a teller's window and were last seen running up Fall's Road with an undisclosed amount of cash. Six persons were killed in a weekend of violence, including three British soldiers whose landrover touched off a mine. A 17 -year -old Catholic youth was shot from a passing auto in Belfast Saturday arid two men were killed in Belfast shooting incidents yesterday. British troops claimed they shot 14 guerrillas yesterday, i. In all, 389 persons have been killed in the last three years.

and five pounds on the command module. NASA said the three crewmen could not confirm that the signatures on the envelope sold by Sieger are genuine. But Sieger is widely known as a reputable dealer, said Lester E. Wi-nick, president of the space topics study group of the American Topical Society and a member of the Chicago Collectors Club. He said Sieger charged 4850 German marks for each letter and made $150,350 on'the sale.

Sieger has refused to say where he got the letters or even if he paid tor them, reported Charles Hahn, Chicago Sun-Times stamp columnist. Winick said he has a copy of a letter, sent to the office of the Texas attorney general by Mrs. C. B. Car-sey, a notary public who works for NASA.

In the letter, she said she notarized 100 envelopes, which Scott said BOBBY FISCHER When Bobby Fischer didn't show up in Reykjavik, Iceland, as expected yesterday, there was conecrn he had changed his mind about- meeting Russian Boris Spassky in the world chess championship July 2 But Fischer, in seclusion in Los Angeles has every intention of playing Spassky. The exact time the American champion will arrive is uncertain. Although Rep. Bella Abzug was defeated in last week's New York primary, she has not -lost her spirit. She plans to help Sen.

George McGoyern win the democratic presidential nomination. If that succeeds, she says she' will "work hard to pull all groups that support McGovern together to defeat President Nixon in the fall." The National Federation of Press Women has admitted a male photog- rapher to membership. Phil Webber, a photographer for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, became the federation's first male member Saturday after the organization opened its enrollment to IRA sources said the Provisionals would strictly enforce the cease fire once it was in effect. They said the Belfast IRA commander told militants who oppose the cease fire that Provisionals would join- with the official wing in punishing those who did not observe it. At the same time, the Provisionals warned Catholics to be prepared for attacks from militant Protestant groups after the cease fire begins.

Leaflets distributed in the Catholic Ardoyne area urged residents to stock up on canned food and milk and, in an emergency, do whatever their local IRA commander ordered. on earth he and Irwin carried to the surface of the Moon while-Worden, in the command module circled overhead. "AH three of them affixed their signatures and I notarized the 100 instruments; thus attesting to their signatures," Mrs. Carsey said. After Winick and the other collectors made their inquiries, the matter was investigated by the office of Gordon C.

Morison, manager of the Philatelic 1 Affairs 1 Division of the Postal Service in Washington. said in a telegram to Winick last week that the department's "inspection service learned that 400 space covers apparently identical to the one shown in the advertistment were taken to the Moon and back by the astronauts on the Apollo 15' He said the 400 envelopes were postmarked at the space center "just prior to the time of launch" and re- turned to the astronauts, who took them aboard their spacecraft. United Press International BELFAST A gunman trying to plant a bomb killed a policeman today in Newry only hours before a midnight (7 p.m. EDT) cease-fire goes into effect in Northern Ireland, There new bombings and bomb threats after a weekend of violence that took six lives. A British army spokesman, said the bomb badly damaged a pub but In Belfast today three persons it was not immediately known if anyone was injured in the explosion, disguised as Catholic nuns robbed a bank and escaped into the streets.

Stamps that went to moon fetch fortune By Richard Foster Chicago Sun-Times One hundred envelopes taken to the moon by the crew of Apollo 15 were later sold by a German stamp dealer for more than $150,000. A spokesman for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, in Houston said the 100 envelopes were given by the three crewmen to "a personal friend" in The envelopes treasured by stamp collectors were sold in less than a week early this year by Hermann E. Sieger, a dealer in Lorch, THE OFFICES OF FRANK J. MESSY CO. Will eland all day Uitj 0it lUspiet thi Lit Frank J.

Hennessy, Sr. Riley said "a quantity of envelopes" was taken by. the astronauts in their personal preference kits, normally used by the astronauts to carry personal mementos of the trip. All the items in the kit were reviewed" and certified by Donald K. (Deke) Slayton, director of flight-crew operations.

The crew gave the 100 envelopes to their friend, and that was the last they saw of them, Riley asserted. "Because a market value was later placed on the envelopes, Slay-ton ordered all of the others turned into NASA management, where they are now being held," Riley said. Final disposition will be made by the NASA headquarters legal counsel, Riley said. Pressed as to whether 400 Jlopes might have been landed on the moon, Riley said the weight limitations for each personal preference kit is eight ounces on the lunar module.