Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-06-22

more or less, of the pine interval spruce
upland adjoining his land. Grippcr fought
shy, aud hung on, and Somerby only got
rid Of him by assuring him that he was
not al present at liberty to sell. ."
d" Aha!"' chuckled Gripper. "Them
ere mill folks have been here. They want
tho land. Well, we'll, let 'em buy it; I
shall own the land between il and their
mills, and they'll dnd it hard work to get
their logs up without my consent" ="
And Gripper returned to his home firmly
persuaded that the company had resolved
to purchase his water privilege. Oh! why
had he not asked them i've thousand dol
lars for it!
On the following morning Mr.. Bates
and his friends we're puuctual, and when
Mr.. Somerby had been asked what conclu-
sion he had arrived at, he spoke as fol.
lows:
Gentlemen, have thought the matter
all over, and have made up my mind. l
have two propositions to make, and you
can accept which you choose. All told, I
own about fifteen hundred acres of land in
this section, and the river cuts it nearly in
halves. Full half of it is rich interval COW
cred with pine, and the rest is upland and
hill, with spruce, hemlock, and oak. First,
l will give you the land for your course,
and deed you the power, and also give you
all the land necessary for your mill build
ings, provided that you on your part, will
set at once about developing and improving
the power and putting up the mills. Or, l
will turn all my land into the stock of the
company at fair appraisal, and become
one Of you"
Mr.. Bates was authorized to accept the
first on the spot, and to give bond, if nee.
essary, for the performance Of the compa-
py's part of the contract. But he liked
the second offer best, though before accept
ing it, he must confer at head quarters.
Mr. Somcrby informed him that the Of
fer was opened to him as long as he de-
sired. '.
On their way back, Mr.. Bates and his
companions called on Jasper Gripper.
Gentlemen" said Mr.. Gripper, as soon
as mutua! salutations had been exchanged,
you will understand that when offered
the twenty acres of land, I did not intend,
for the price named, to include the timber
standing thereon"
" 1t makes no difference" returned Mr..
Bates, with a smile, "we have concluded
not to purchase your water privilege"
How! Not purchase ?" gasped Grip
per.
"No We do not want it." Mr.. Bates
didn't think it. necessary to tell him of bet
ter power which they had discovered.
"But, gentlemen, there mus. bc some
mistake" '.'- BE-
They assured him there was no mistake
at all Mr.. Gripper was in agony. He
would toke $4,000; he would take 81 500 !;
he would take whatever they we're willing
to pay. He would give them the water
and the land if they would only put up
their mills thereon.
But they would not do it. In seeking
to overreach them he had overrcached
himself. And they left him prey to re-
morse and bitterness of spirit.
The company before whom Mcintosh
laid their report appointed commission,
with full power to decide and negotiate ;
aud upon visiting David Somerby's section
they concluded to accept his second propo-
sition. So he surrendered bis land into
the stock of the campauy, and became one
Of them; and We may here remark that
six months later he was not little sur.
prised upon being appointed superiutend-
ent of the numbering gangs, with salary
such as his widest dreams Of wealth had
never grasped. .-s.l...-
The water power was developed under
tho engineering Of. Bento Mcintosh, and it
proved greater than he had anticipated.
The mills we're erected--6rst mills for
saving lumber, and then mills for grinding
grain, aud in time other mills for making
cloth aud for fabricatiug various other
articles necessary to the comfort Of man.
The laod Of Jasper Gripper was, Of
course, raised in value; but it availed him
not. The sight Of David Somerby, wealthy
aud respected and honorcd with offices Of
profit and trust, while he was Stunned and
shut out from the public confidence, filed
him with wrathful suffering. Verify, he
had overreached himself in his narrowness
.rd eolfehcoeo of enirit