The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-06-28

one ot tue company. 40 you realli
how our mills, erected on the site, woul
benefit you? The value of all the re
OF your property would be doubled
aye, quadrupled-the moment on
wheels are set in motion. We had SUI
posed you would freely give the waite
power to responsible company VIII
would improve it,"
Mr.. Gripper laughed scornfully. II
knew his own interests better than that
they could take up his offer, or leave i
as they pleased.
After much discussion, Mr.. Bate
spoke thus:
"Mr. Gripper, we would like you
final offer to remain open to our accer
lance three days, at the end of which
time you shall have our answer. Will
you accommodate us p
When / said three thousand dol
lars" replied Mr.. Gripper, q meant t,
include only ten acres of land. If you
want ten acres more. l must call i
thirty.tive hundred"
And with this monstrous proposition
which was to be open three days, the
parties separated.
One Of the entlemen Of Mr.. Bates
party was Beneto Mcintosh, the most &C
complshed civil engineer Of the day
You speak of another fall below
here" he said, after he had left Grip.
per's residence.
Yes" answered Bates, "but you
will find it utterly impracticable."
Still Mcintosh desired to look at it,
and thither the party bent their steps.
The fall was found to be a tumbling,
dashing flood, pouring down a decliv,
ity OF at least seventy feet in distance
OF twenty rods, leaping and surging
over the jagged shelves Of rocks into a
boiling chasm below, while on both
hands arose perpendicular walls of solid
granite. showing that at some period
far remote the mountain torrent had
literally cut its way through the ada
mantine ledge.
Mcintosh examined the land below
the falls, and at point not far distant
in that direction he found shallow
swell, or gully overgfown with grass
and shrubbery, but with a deposit OF
river sand upon its bottom. The ap-
pesrance of the place attracted his at.
tention
Probably" said Mr.. Bates. ait is
where the melted snow and heavy rain
find their course from the hills"
II think not" said Mcintosh. "This
sand is from the river-not from the
hills-and you will observe that it could
not have backed up by any rise from
the water below. Let us follow it,"
So they struck into the water path,
and followed it up around the ledge, by
an easy and gradual ascent, until it led
them upon the rivers bank nearly a
quarter of a mile from the fall.
Eureka" cried Mcintosh, clapping
ais hands, exultantly. "Here we have
! water course, marked out and graded |
~ Nature herself, which will yield a
bower UNNECESSARILY superior to the |
me above. And, moreover, all danger
rom flood is debarred."
The others quickly comprehended the
alue of the discovery. They saw that
y cutting canal along the old water
curse over which the river had poured
stream at its highest food, they would
e able to control the water at will, and
Sc it over and over again for mills, set
n below the other along the grace
lilly curved track. And two things
lore-the sites were more favorable
,r building than were those above,
18th better timber land surrounding,
nd the furious cataract would not be
atween their mills and the market.
The next question was, Who owned {
le newly discovered privilege? 1t be.
nged to David Somerby. They visited
m and carefully opened their business.
!" Look here, gentlemen" he said, af-
r they had beaten the bush awhile
cir experience with Gripper had made S
EN- cautious" let US understand {
CHI other. Tell me plainly what you t
mt, and | will tell you as plainly what '
will do on my part" U
Mr.. Bates made up his mind that he 4
d an honest mana straightforward
an-to deal with, and he stated his !
se plainly and frankly. He not only
d how the company would develop
9 W alter power and erect their mills, ,
I he went on to point out the advan- 3
yes which would result to the owner .
the adjoining land, both in enhanc-
, the value of the land in itself, and
o of the magnificent pine and spruce I
nber with which il was covered. ?
Mr.. Sombery listened attentively, and =
length told them to call upon him on =
, following morning. lie wanted to .
ep upon it. u
That evening Jasper Gripper called i
wn to see his friend Somerby. He "
nted to purchase five hundred acres, !,
re or less. of the pine interval spruce = =
land adjoining his land. Gripper = !.
lght shy, and hung on, and Somerby y
ly got rid of him by assuring him -
It he was not at present at liberty to Il
Aha y chuckled Gripper. "Them r
3 mill fnlka have ham hnra Thn.r