A ranch, in Calhoun Co., Texas, two miles from Port Lavacca, containing 22,000 acres owned by Mr. W. H. Thomas, has been bought by a Northern syndicate for $132,000. It will be cut up into small tracts and colonized. The plans for its development also provide for the building of factories, hotel, &c.

The Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific Railroad Co. has sold to Otto Plock, of Paris, France, 7,554 acres of land situated in Ouachita Parish, La. The consideration was $26,440.68 cash. It is said to be the purpose of the purchaser to establish a large colony of Swedes on these lands, selling the lands to them in small lots on easy payments.

Real estate continues active at Fort Worth, Texas. There is a great demand for small houses. “If I had twenty-five such houses today I could rent them all before night,” said Mr. W. R. Sanner, a real estate agent. “I do not know a better investment,” he continued, “than to build such residences, with modern improvements, to cost from $1,000 to $2,500.” Messrs. Huffman & Co. have in hand a trade in adjacent counties, for Ohio parties, which represent the sum of $20,000. California parties are negotiating for pasture land held at $16,000.

Messrs. J. Thompson Brown & Co., Richmond, Va., received recently a letter from Callao, Peru, from a gentleman who wishes to purchase real estate at Richmond. The same firm reports that every mail brings them from two to five letters from parties in the West and Northwest, who write they have decided to settle in Virginia, and want information as to real estate, etc. In the past ten days they have been in negotiation with one or more parties in Ohio, Michigan, New York, Minnesota, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Colorado, St. Paul, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Wisconsin, and other points who wish to purchase farms, manufacturing or building sites. From one of the locations named they are trying to locate a colony of fifty families on a tract of 5000 acres.

A dispatch from Rocky Mount, N. C., states that parties from the North are negotiating to purchase 20,000 acres of land in Nash and Halifax counties for development and investment.

The Island City Abstract Co. has been organized at Galveston, Texas, with H. M. Truehart, president; I. A. Harrington, secretary, and Joseph Lobit, treasurer, and $20,000 capital.

“The Real Estate, Title and Guarantee Co.,” has been organized at Newport News, Va., with the following named officers: Carter M. Braxton, president; L. P. Stearns, vice-president; Charles Sheppard, secretary; Arthur Lee, treasurer. The capital is $100,000.

A New York capitalist has just invested $62,500 in real estate in New Orleans. The transaction was made through Messrs. Robinson & Underwood, real estate agents, New Orleans, who state that other purchases will follow this.

Messrs. G. M. Reynolds & Co., of Norfolk, Va., sold recently a number of lots adjacent to Portsmouth, improved and unimproved, for an aggregate of $13,000.