Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-02-07
GRfPPER,s MISTAKE.
A PractIcaI StOry..

! 4 u
One Of the frst tsettlers in the Wild
River region was Daniel Somerby.
He was q quiet, welimeaning man,
content TO live upon the results OF
honest toll, and anxious to render un-
to every man his due. He bought
his land when it was cheap, In fact,
when the price had been merely NOM
inal and what with hunting. and
fishing, and cuitivating such land as
he was inclined to clear, he managed
to live very comfortably.
Another Of the early settlers was
Jasper Gripper. But Grippers WAS q
different sort of man from Somerby.
He was close and tricky, and could
bear down very hard upon his neigh
bors in pursuing his own interests.
He boasted to his friends that no man
should ever o7er-reach him.
Time passed on, and ii became
known to the lumbermen Of the Mas
lsaQuoit that the best pine in the eoun-
ltry came ffona the Wild River region.
lone day early in spring, a gentle
man came from the distant city and
Hooked up and down the river on Jas.
tper Gripperis land and on the fol-
flowing day he was Joined by two 9TH
ler gentlemen. Gfipper had often
Thought what splendid place that
would be for q dam and mill. With
q firm dam, the power would be enor-
j NOUS. There was ouly one trouble
1.-THE extreme freshets to which the
river was subject in spring and au
tumn would render il difficult to fix
the dam. But then there were engi-
neers who could overcome all such
difficulties.
| Finally the gentleman who had
first visited the fall introduced him.
self 70. Mr.. Gripper as Mr.. james
Bates, and frankly slated that he had
been commissioned to examine the
fall, and if he thought proper, to
purchase. Jasper Gripper was keen
liy and sharply alive. His eye-teeth
were cut. He knew that for several
! wears the attention of the lumbermen
had been directed to the Wild River
pines, and that lately people had dis
covered that the land was of the very
best quality. And, moreover, he
knew that the fall on his land was the
only site ON the river, anywhere in
that region, where the dam could be
safely erected. There was another
fall six miles below, but it was of a
wild. roaring, turbulent character,
locked in the jaws of towering gran
| ite. where no mills conld possibly be
built.
"Of course" said Mr.. Bates, i've
cannot think Of paying much for the
water privilege, and but very little
| for the land which would be required
for our buildings The expense OF
erecting suitable dam will be very
great, and at best we run great risk. |
You will be the gamer in every way. |
Not only will it open ready market
for your lumber, but the value of all
your surrounding land will be en- |
chanced."
Mr.. 6ripper winked, and then nod
ded. He he'd his own interests to |
look after. II he did not look after |
them, he was sure nobody else would. |
After q deal Of thinking, he said he |
would cell the water privilege, tOgeth-
er with ten acres of land adjaeent, for 1
two thousand dollars.
The agent was astoDished. He |
considered the price redieulous.
why, o said he, "You did not pay |
so much for yogr1WhOle territory"
It made no odds what he (GHpper) |
had paid. His price had been named,
and che company could take 1t, or let
IL be.
Mr.. Bates was not authorized to ac-
eept such terms. He must confer
with his principals. And he went
away.
In a few days he came again, this
time in company; with three 9tners.
They went up and examined the wa
ter privilege, and then came back to
Mr.. Gripper's house, where they in
formed that individual that If he
would throw in ten more acres Of
land, they would accept his offer.
zGripper thought he had them. BE
had thoroughly digested the matter,
and had come to the conclusion that
the water power would be of inesti-
mabIe value to . company able to
impove it, and that they were bound
TO have it.
i.GentIemen,n said he, my offer
OF two thousand dollars was made for
your acceptance several days ago. 1
did not leave it open TO your pleasure.
I have since been examining the
property more thoroughly, and have
concluded not to sell for less than
three Thousand"
'Why, bless you soul man, cried
one the company, ido you realize how
our mills. erected on that site, would
benefit YOU? The value Of all the
rest OF your property would be doub-
led-zaye, qnadfnpled-the moment
our wheels were set in motion. We
had supposed you would freely give
the water-power to q responsible COM
pany who would improve it. ;" I
: Mr.. Gripper laughed scornfully.
He knew his own interests better than ,
that they could take up with his !
offer, or they could leave it, as they I
pleased. {
spoke thus:
'sMr. Gripper, we would like your j
nnal offer TO remain open to our ae- '
eeptance three days, at the end OF 8
which time you shall have our an |
swer. Will you accommodate us ?"
lssWben / said three thousand dol G
lars.u replied Mr.. Gripper, 81 meant
to include only ten acres of land. If a,
you want ten acres more, l must call /
It thirty-five hundred" I
And, with this monstrOus PROPOSE !
lion, which was to be open three days /
The parties separated. .IQ
One of the Gentlemen OF Mr.. Bates s
party was Benton Mcintosh, the most \
civil engineer Of the :
lay.
nere,n he said, after they had LETT 4
5ripper's residence. b
+ 'sYes, y answered Bates, "but you n
viii find it utterly impracticable." y
Still Mcintosh desered to look at 1t, 4
md shither the party bent their steps. v
/ The fall was found to bea tumbling, n
iashing food pouring downa deeli- r
gitv of at least seventy feet in dis
ancs Of twenty rods, leaping and Il
,urEing over jagged shelves or rocks a
mo boiling ehasm below, while on q
10th hands arose perpeudicplar walls 4
If solid granite, showing that at some a
period far remote, the mountain tor i,
rent had literally cut its way through n
he adamantiAe ledge.
Mcintosh examined the land below
he fails, and, ats point not far dis
ant in that direction he found shall ''
oH EweH, or gully, oyergrOgn with %
rrass and stiEEbbery, but with q. de- v
oosit OF river sand upon Us bottom. O
rhe appearance OF the place attracted 7
lis attsntiOn. 4 q
scProbsbiy, . said Mr.. Bates, sit 10 p
TIL