Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD; DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
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"HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL"
The City
By
is.
W
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GYNOPSI8.
Broulllard, chief engineer of tho Nlquola
Irrigation dam, meets J. Wesley Cort
wrlght and his daughter, Genevieve, and
explains tho reclamation work la them.
Cortwrlsht sees In tho project a big
chance to make money. Tho financier tolls
OenovJevo that tho engineer "Will como
down and hook himself If tho bait Is well
covered." Cortwrlsht organizes a corn-
Fc
any and obtains srovernmcni contracts
O furnuil power anu muicnui mr mo
dam construction. A busy city Bprings
m nhmit thn alio. Htevo Mosslncalo
threatens to start a Bold rush If Broull
lard does not Inlluenco President lord to
build a railroad branch to tho placo. thus
opening tin easy market for tho oro from
tho "Littlo BuBan" rnlno. On a visit to
Amy Marslnealo nt her father's mine
Broulllard finds sho understands him bet
ter than he had thought. Ho tolls her of
his ntcd for money to pay off his dead
father's debts and that to bo frco ho
would sacrifice anything savo his lovo for
one woman. Though his Influence Is vital
to the building of tho railroad extension
she tells him to bo truo to hlmsoir. Ho
decides for It Mlrapolls, the city of num
bered days, booms. Cortwrlght persuodos
Droulllard to become consulting engineer
of tho consolidated electric powor com
pany In return for J100.000 stock.
---
What do you think of a high
salaried government employeo
who would "sell out" his pub
lic trust for private gain even
If he did so In order to win hap
piness for the girl he loved?
Isn't this country suffering right
now from too much of just that
sort of thing?
T-"" '-
CHAPTER IX
The Speedway
It whb In the days after ho had
found on his desk a long envelope In
closing a certificate for a thousand
shares of stock In tho Nlquola Electric
Powes, Lighting and Traction company
that Droulllard began to loso his nick
name of "IIoll'8-Firo" among his work
men, with tho promlso of attaining, in
duo time, to tho moro affectlonato
tltlo of "tho Littlo Big Boss."
At tho onvolopooponlng moment,
howovor, ho was threatened with an
attack of heart failure It was scarco
ly bollovablo. But a hastily sought In
terview with tho company's president
cleared tho air of all tho incredibili
ties. "Why, my doar Droulllard 1 what In
Sam Hill do you take us for?" was tho
gonial retort when tho young engineer I
sad mado his doprccatory protest.
"Did you think wo woro going to cut
tho melon and hand you out a pieco of
tho rind? Not so, my doar boy; wo
oro not built on any such narrow-gaugo
linos. ThafB what wo aro willing to
ray for a good, reliable government
Drake It's going to bo your business
to boo to It that tho reclamation Borv
lco gets exactly what its contract calls
for, kilowatt for kilowatt."
"I'd do that, anyhow, as chlof of con
struction on tho dam."
"You mean you would try to do it.
Ab an officer of tho powor company,
you can do It; as an official klckor on
tho outsido, you couldn't feazo ub n
particle. What? You'd put ub out of
business? Not much, you wouldn't;
we'd play politics with you and got a
man for your Job who wouldn't kick."
"Well," Bald tho inhoritor of BUddon
wealth, still matching tho promoter's
mood, "you won't get mo flrcd now,
that's one comfort When will you
want my oxpert opinion on your aux
iliary dam?"
"On our dam, you moan. Oh, any
tlmo Boon; say tomorrow or Friday
or Saturday, if that hurries you too
much. Wo sha'n't want to go to work
on It boforo Monday."
Being hlmsolf nn exponent of tho
modern theory that tho way to do
things Is to do them now, Droulllard
accepted tho hurry order without com
ment. Celerity, Bwiftncss of accom
plishment that was almost magical,
had bocomo tho Mlrnpolltan ordor of
tho day. Plans concelvod ovomight
leaped to tholr oppositions in thingB
dono as if tho determination to do
them had been all that was nocossary
to tholr realization.
"You shall havo tho report tomor
row," said tho nowly created consult
ing engineer, "but you can't go to
work Monday. Tho labor markot is
empty, and I'm taking It tor granted
that you'ro not going to stdmpodo my
ohovelors and concroto mon."
"Oh, no," concludod tho city builder,
"wo Bha'n't do that. You'll admitin
your capacity of government watch
flog that wo havo played fair in that
came. Wo havo imported ovory work
man wo've needed, and wo shall Im
port more. That's ono thing nono of
bs can afford to do bull tho labor
e&arhot And it won't bo necessary;
wo havo a trtlnload of Italians and
Bulgarians on tho way to Quesado to
toy, and thoy ought to bo hero by
Monday."
"You are a wonder, Mr. Cortwrlght,"
waa Broulllard's trlbuto to tho worker
of modern miracles, and ho went his
way to rldo to tho upper end of tho
rsJloy for tlw exploring purpose.
On the Monday, as President Cort
wrlght had bo confidently predicted,
tho train load of labororo had marchod
In over tho War Arrow trail and tho
work on tho auxiliary power dam was
begun. Oa tho Tuesday a small army
tt llnsrotm iirrlvrt k set tho polos
W
1 1
of Numbered Days
FRANCIS LYNDE
Copyright by Charles Scribner's Son
and to string tho wlros for tho light
ing of tho town. On tho Wodnosday
thero wcro fresh accessions to tho
army of builders, and tho frolghtora on
tho Quesado trail roported a steady
stream of artisans pouring in to rush
tho city-making.
On tho Thursday tho grading and
paving of Chlgrlngo avonuo was bo
gun, and, truo to his promlso, Mr. Cort
wrlght was leaving a right of way In
tho street for tho futuro trolley
tracks. And it was during this event
ful week that tho distant thunder of
tho dynamlto brought tho wclcomo
tidings of tho pushing of tho railroad
grado ovor tho mountain barrier. Also
but this was an itom of minor im
portance it was on tho Saturday of
this week that tho second tier of forms
was erected on tho groat dam and the
stripped first section of tho masstvo
gray foot-wall of concroto raised itself
In muto but cloquont protest against
tho feverish activities of tho miracle
workers. If tho protest woro a throat,
it was far romoved. Many things
might happen beforo tho gray wall
should rlso high enough to cast Its
shadow, and tho shadow of tho coming
end, over tho miraculous city of tho
plain.
It was Droulllard hlmsolf who put
this thought into words on tho Sunday
when ho and Grlslow wcro looking
over tho work: of form raising and find
ing it good.
"Catching you, too, is it, Victor?"
queried tho hydrographor, dropping
easily Into his attltudo of affablo cyni
cism. "I thought It would. But tell
mc, what aro somo of tho things that
may happon?"
"It's easy to predict two of them:
Somo peoplo will mako a pot of monoy
and somo will loso out"
Grlslow nodded. "Of courso you
don't tako any stock in tho rumor that
tho govornmont will call a halt?"
Droulllard was shaking bio head
slowly.
"I don't pretend to havo opinions
any moro, Qrlzzy. I'm living from day
to day. If tho tall should get big
enough to wag tho dog "
They wcro in tho mlddlo of tho high
staging upon which tho puddlors
worked whllo filling tho forms and
Grlslow stoppod short
"What's como ovor you, latoly, Vic
tor? I won't say you'ro half-hoartod,
but you'ro certainly not tho samo
driver you woro a fow weoks ago, bo
foro tho men quit calling you 'Holl'a
Firo. "
Droulllard smiled grimly. "It's go
ing to bo a long Job, Grlzzy. Perhaps
I saw that I couldn't hopo to keep
koyed up to concort pitch all tho way
through. Call it that, anyway. I'vo
promised to motor Miss Cortwrlght to
tho uppor dam this afternoon, and it's
tlmo to go and do it."
It was not until thoy woro climbing
down from tho staging at tho Jack's
Mountain approach that Grlslow ac
quired tho ultlmato courago of his con
victions. "Going motoring, you Bald with
Miss Gonovlovo. That's another
change. I'm boginnlng to boltovo in
your seven-year hypothosls. You are
no longor a woman-hator."
"Oh, bally I Thoro aro times whon
you mako mo fool as it I had eaten too
much dinnor, Grlzzy! This is ono of
them. Put it in words; got it out of
your systom."
"It noods only throo words: You are
hypnotized. A month ago this clty
buildlng fako looked as crazy to you
as lit still does to thoso of us who
haven't boon invltod to Bit down and
tako a hand In Mr. Cortwright's littlo
garao. Now you seem to havo gono
over to tho othor sldo. You hobnob
with Cortwrlght and do offlco work for
him. You know his fako 1b a tako;
and yot I ovorhoard you boosting it
tho othor night In Poodlos' dining
room to a tableful ot money maniacs
as If Cortwrlght woro giving you a
rnko-on"
Droulllard stiffened hlmsolf with a
Jork ns ho pacod bosldo his accuser,
but ho kept his tompor.
"You'ro an old frlond, Grlzzy, and a
mighty good ono as I havo had occa-
Blou to prove. It is your prlvllogo to
caso your mind. Is that nil?"
"No. You aro lotting Gonovlovo
Cortwrlght mako a fool of you. If you
woro only half sane you'd boo that sho
is a confirmed trophy hunter. Why,
alio oven gets down to young Griffith
and uses him to dig out information
about you. Sho "
"Hold on, Murray; thoro'B a limit,
and you'll bear with mo If I say that
you aro working up to it now." Broull
lard's jaw was Bet and tho lines bo
twoon his oyes wero dooponing. "I
don't know what you aro driving at,
but you'd hotter call it off. I can tako
caro of myself."
"It I thought you could if I only
thought you could," Bald Grlslow
musingly. "But tho Indications all
lean tho othor way. It would bo all
right If you wanted to marry hor and
sho wanted you to; but you don't and
aho dooan't And, besldos, thoro's
Amy; you owo hor Bomothlng, don't
you or don't you? You noodn't grit
your teeth that way. You nro only
gottlng h part of what Is coming to
you. 'faithful aro tho wounds of a
frlcud.' you know,"
W
"Yes. And whon tho psalmist had
admitted that, ho Immediately asked
tho Lord not to let tholr precious
balms break his head. You'ro all right,
Grlzzy, but I'll pull through." Then,
with a determined wrenching asido of
tho subject: "Aro you going up on
Chlgrlngo this nftoraoon?"
"I thought I would yes. What
shall I tell Miss Masslngalo when sho
asks about you?"
"You will probably tell hor tho first
Idiotic thing that comes Into tho back
part of your head. And It you toll hor
anything plffious about mo I'll lay for
you somo dark night with a pick
handle."
Grlslow laughed remlnlscontly. "Sho
won't ask," he said.
"Why not?"
"Because tho last tlmo Bho did It I
told her your Bcalp was dangling at
Miss Genevieve's bolt."
Thoy had reached tho door of tho
log-built quarters and Droulllard spun
tho Jestor around with a shoulder grip
that was only half playful.
"If I believed you said any such
thing ns that I'd murder you!" ho ex
ploded. "Perhaps you'll go and tell
her that you red-headed blastoderm!"
"Sure," said tho blastoderm, and
thoy went apart, each to his dunnago
kit.
CHAPTER X
Table Stakes
521
c
Thero wcro a dozen business blocks
under construction In Mlrapolls, with
a proportional number of dwellings
and suburbanv villas at various stages
in the raco toward completion, when
it began to dawn upon tho collective
consciousness of a dally increasing
citizenry that something was missing.
Garner, tho real estate plunger from
Kansas City, first gavo tho missing
quantity Ub name. Tho distant thun
der ot tho blasts heralding the ap
proach of tho railroad had ceased be
tweon two days.
Up to tho poriod of tho silenced dy
namlto thunderingB new industries
wcro projoctod daily, and investors,
tolled in ovor tho high mountain trails
or across tho Buckskin in dust-en-crustod
automobiles by methods host
known to a gray-inustachod adept in
tho art of promotion, thronged tho
lobby of tho Hotol Motropolo and
bought and sold Mlrapolls "corners"
or "Insides" on a steadily-ascending
scalo ot prices.
A strango mania for holding on, for
pormanoncy, Boomed to havo bocomo
epidemic. Many of tho working men
wero securing homos on tho instal
ment plan. A good few of tho villas
Looks Bad Devilish Bad."
could boast parquetry floors and tiled
bathrooms. Ono coterlo of Chlcagoans
decided to build a slx-storled office
building, with a ground floor corner
for tho Nlquola National bank with
modorn conveniences and that tho
choson building material should bo of
nothing loss permanent than mono
lithic concroto.
In harmony with tho Bamo spirit tho
nowly incorporated Buckskin Gold
Mining -tind Milling company plowed
doop furrows to bed-rock across and
back until tho faco of Jack's mountain
was zigzagged and Bcarred llko a vet
ornn of many battles.
In keeping was tho onorgy with
which Mr. Cortwrlght and his munici
pal colleagues laid water mains, strung
electric wires, drovo tho paving con
tractors, and pushed tho trolloy lino to
tho stago at which it lacked only tho
rails and tho cars awaiting Bhipmont
by tho ratlrond.
This was tho situation on tho day
whon Garnor, sharp-eared listener at
tho keyholo of opportunity, missing
tho dynamlto rumblings, sent a clphor
wlro of Inquiry to tho East got a
"rush" reply, and bognn warily to un
load his Mirapolltan holdings. Being
a man ot business, ho ducked to cover
first uiil tnlkod afterward: but bv tho
m
0
"It
tlmo his hint had grown to rumor rtzo
Mr. Cortwrlght had sent for Droull
lard. "Pull up a chair and havo a cigar,"
said tho great man when Droulllard
had penetrated to tho nerve-center of
tho Mirapolltan nctlvltles In the Motro
polo sulto and tho two stenographers
had been curtly dismissed. "Havo
you hoard the talk of the Btreot? Thero
Is a rumor that tho railroad grading
has boon stopped."
Droulllard, busy with tho work of
setting tho third series ot forms on
his great wall, had heard nothing.
"I'vo noticed that thoy haven't boen
blasting for two or threo days. But
that may moan nothing moro than a
delayed shlpmont of dynamlto," was
his rejoinder.
"It looks bad devilish bad." Tho
promoter was planted heavily In his
pivot chair, and tho sandy-gray eyes
dwindled to pin points. "Wo aro up
against It, that's all. Road that," and
tho promoter handod a telegram
across tho desk.
Tho wire was from Chlcngo, was
signed "Ackerman," and was still
damp from tho receiving operator's
copying press. It read:
"Work on P. S-W.'s Buckskin ex
tension has been suspended for the
present. Reason assigned, shrinkage
in securities and uncertainty of busi
ness outlook In Nlquola."
Mr. Cortwright's frown figured as a
fleshly mask ot irritability. "Lot it
onco got out that tho railroad peoplo
don't believe in tho futuro of Mlrapo
lls and wo'ro done."
Broulllard's retort was tho expres
sion of an upflash of sanity.
"Mlrapolls has no futuro; it has
only an exceedingly precarious pres
ent." For a moment tho sandy-gray oyes
occamo Inscrutable. Then tho mask
of irritation slid aside, revealing the
faco which Mr. J. Wesloy Cortwrlght
ordinarily presented to his world
the faco of Imperturbable good nature.
"You'ro right, Broulllard; Mlrapolls
Is only a good Joke, after all. Somo
times I get bamfoozled Into tho Idea
that It Isn't that It's tho real thing.
That's bad for tho nervos. But about
this railroad fizzle; I don't relish the
notion of having our littlo Joke sprung
on us beforo we're ready to laugh, do
you? What do you think?"
"It Is not my turn to think, Mr. Cort
wrlght." "Oh, yes, It Is; very pointedly. You're
ono of us, to a certain extent; and if
you wcro not you would still bo Inter
ested. A smash Just now would ham
por tho reclamation service like tho
mischief; tho entire works shut down;
no cement, no lumber, no power;
everything tied up in tho courts until
tho last creditor quits taking appeals.
Oh, no, Broulllard; you don't want to
see tho end of tho world como before
it's duo."
It was tho consulting engineer of
tho power company rathor than tho
reclamation servico chief who rose
and went to tho window to look down
upon tho morning briskness ot Chl
grlngo avenue. And It was tho man
who saw ono hundred thousand dol
lars, tho price of freedom, slipping
away from him who turned after a
mlnuto or two of the absent street gaz
ing and said: "What do you want mo
to do, Mr. Cortwrlght? I did put my
shoulder to tho wheol when Ford was
horo. I told him It I wero in his place
I'd tako tho long chanco and build tho
extension."
"Did you and beforo you had a
stake In tho gamo? That was a white
man's boost, right! Think you could
manage to got Ford on tho wlro and
encourage him a little moro?"
"It Isn't Ford; it is tho Now York
bankers. You can read that between
tho lines In your man Ackerman'B tele
gram."
Tho stock gentleman In tho pivot
chair thrust out his Jaw and tilted his
freshly-lighted cigar to the aggressive
anglo.
"Say. Broulllard, wo'vo got to throw
a fresh piece of bait into tho cage,
something that will mako tho railroad
crowd sit up and tako notice. By
Georgo, If thoso gold hunters up on
Jack's mountain would only stumble
across something big enough to adver
tiso "
Broulllard started as if tho wishful
magic bad been a blow. Llko a hot
wavo from a furnace mouth it swept
ovor him tho sudden realization that
tho moans, tho ono all-powerful, earth
moving lover tho promotor was so
anxiously seeking, lay In his hands.
"Tho Buckskin peoplo, yos," ho said,
making talk as tho rifleman digs a pit
to hold his own on tho firing line. "K
they should happen to uncover a gold
reef Just now it would simplify mat
tors lmmonsoly for Mlrapolls, wouldn't
it? Tho railroad would como on, then,
without a shadow of doubt. All tho
bankers in Now York couldn't hold it
back."
Now camo Mr. Cortwright's turn to
get up and walk to ono of tho win
dows. "Como here," ho called curtly, with
a quick flngor crook for tho onglneer,
and when Broulllard Joined him:
"Can you size up that little caucus
over yondor?"
Tho "caucus" was a knot ot excited
mon blocking tho sidewalk In front of
Garnor'a real estato offico on tho op
posite side of tho Btreot. Tho purpose
of tho excited ones waa not difficult to
divine. Thoy woro nil trying to crowd
into tho Kan8as City man's placo ot
business at onco.
r
--.... -.-.
What steps will Broulllard
and Cortwrlght take to stop the
threatened panic and save them
selves or do you think they
will be able to get out of the
mess without losing their In
vestments? i,.l,ii,.--,-'-i-t---,"i"-.",-i'i '
(TO BE CONTLNUUD.)
u
TO PUNISH 116 GUARDS
LOTS OF TROUBLE AHEAD FOR
THE BALKY TEXANS.
Secretary Baker Announces Men Who
Refused to Serve Will Be Tried
at Once.
Washington, May 25. Reversing
his previous decision, Secretary Baker
announced that tho 116 members of
tho Texas National Guard who failed
to present themselves for muster Into
the Federal servico will bo brought to
court-martial Immediately under tho
present law.
Mr. Baker had intended to await tho
signing of tho new militia law now
before tho president and proceed un
der its provisions.
Secretary Daker explained his ac
tion by pointing out tho Dick law re
quires an obligation to defend the
constitution and obey orders ot the
governor of tho state, but not the
ordor of the president. Tho Hay
Chamborlln act requires an oath to
oboy ordors of both the-governor and
tho president)
Upon recommendation of Judgo Ad
vocate General Crowder tho secretary
has decided that tho alleged offense
of the guardsmen refusing to "pre
sent" themselves for muster, was com
mitted under the Dick law and trial
should bo under that law.
General Crowder in a supplement
ary opinion held that tho Hay-Cham
berlaln act would not abolish the of
fense with which tho Toxans are
charged, as has been suggested. On
this showing it will not be necessary
to issuo a new call for tho border
militia after tho Hay-Chamberlain bill
is signed.
RETREAT ADMITTED BY ROME
Bulgarians Join Austrian Troops In
Drive Against Italians Advance
Checked.
Rome (via Paris), May 25. Along
the Isonzo front tho Italians have mado
prisoners ot Dulgarlaus, showing that
Dulgars havo Joined tho Austrians in
their present offensive.
Tho official statement Issued hero on
Tuesday In part is nB follows:
"In tho Sugana valley between the
Astlco and tho Drenta our troops fell
back gradually on their main lines af
tor ropulslng Austrian attacks through
out tho day of May 22. Tho retreat
was ordorly and spontaneous."
0. K. APPROPRIATION BILL
Measure Carrying $145,000,000 Has
Provision to Carry Out Army
Reorganization.
Washington, May 27. Tho army ap
propriation bill, carrying $145,000,000
and including provision for carrying
out the Hay-Chamborlln reorganiza
tion bill, was agroed to by tho house
military committee on Thursday. Tho
bill Includes provision for a council
ot executlvo Information for co-ordination
of industries and resources in
war time.
Mexican Shot by Rancher.
El Paso, Tex., May 29. Residents
jf Dona Ana county, Now Mexico,
along tho bordor, aro taking extra pre
cautions against trouble following the
shooting of a Mexican by C. D. Caerad,
a rancher.
Greek Cabinet Resigns.
Athens, May 29. Tho Greek cabinet
has resigned, Tho resignation of
tho ministry waa brqught about by
I growing political unrest over condl
I tlons Imposed upon Greeco by the
war.
RETAKE FRENCH FORT
TEUTONS ALSO CAPTURE VIL
LAGE OF CUMIERES.
Ten Thousand Fall In Bloodiest En
gagement of the Three Months
Battle of Verdun.
Paris, May 2G. Tho Germans havo
reoccupled Fort Douaumont, while
the French hold tho immediate ap
proach to that position. This an
nouncement is made in tho official
communication issued on Wednesday
by tho French war offlco, which says
that two now divisions of Davarians
effected tho recapturo after a series
of furious attacks.
This success of tho Germans fol
lowed capture by tho Teutonic troops
of a portion of tho village of Cumi
ores, east of Dead Man hill. Tho
fighting at this point developed Into
a hand-to-hand struggle. Tho French
wore faced by .more than throo divi
sions here.
Ten thousand men have gono down
to slaughter in what is rapidly becom
ing tho bloodiest engagement of tho
threo months' battle of Verdun.
From Dead Man's hill eastward to
the ruins of Fort Douaumont tho
most savage struggle In any theater
of war in tho past two months is
being waged.
PORTO RICAN BILL PASSED
House Kills Amendment Giving Wom
en Vote Greater Self-Government
to Island Possessions.
Washington, May 25. Tho houso
on Tuesday struck from the Porto Ri
can bill, by a vote of 80 to 59, an
amendment designed to grant woman
suffrage to tho island. Tho bill then
passed without roll call, virtually as
introduced. Tho vote on tho amend
ment showed a complete disregard of
party lines, although moro Democrats
than Repullcans voted against it. Tho
amendment was inserted in tho bill
by Mr. Mann, minority leader. Tho
bill, as passed, gives tho Porto Rlcan
government all of its Internal revenue,
regardless of whether tho goods on
which it is paid are used in Porto Rico
or this country.
Tho measuro now goes to tho sen
ate. aQO3es0Q9e3$3ce3e3a
NEWS FROM FAR
AND NEAR
esee&tt39Goe$3
Washington, May 25. Tho senate on
Tuesday by a vote of 38 to 38 refused
to reconsider Us voto of last week of
37 to 41 rejecting tho nomination of
Georgo Rubleo of Now Hampshire to
tho federal trade commission.
Chicago, May 27. Mrs. Anna Dolllo
Ledgorwood Matters and her code
fondants, Charles S. Mellon and Harry
Edwards, wero found not guilty on
Thursday of attempting to foist a
falso heir upon tho probnto court. Tho
Jury was out two hours and forty mln
utes. Tuskegee Head Installed.
Tuskegeo, Ala., May 27. MaJ. Rob
ert T. Moton, a negro of unmixed
blood, was installed horo as prlncipnl
of Tuskegeo institute, founded by
Booker T. Washington for the uplift
of tho colored race.
General Gallienl Near Death.
Paris. May 27. Tho condition of
General Gallienl. formor minlstor of
war, has suddenly grown worse and
grave anxiety is folt ns to hie ch?ncos
of recovery. General Gallienl resigned
on account of HI health.
i
V
f