The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-06-01
enirrsns aisr.Nr

WA quiet Well-urAnlng mAns eouitA
10 live upon The results Of bonssi ioil .aus
anxious 20 render unto every man hi
doe he bought bis land when i wa
cheap, In fact. when The price was mere
Is nominal, Apd what With huutiuE 81,
hshing and cuIlivAung such lands q. Al
was inclined 10 clear he managed 70 iiyi
very comfortably Another Of the esrll
settlers was Jasper Gripper. But Grip
per Was s different SORT Of = man from
somerby. lie was close aad tricky ans
could bear down bard upon BIS neighbaI
when pursuing bis own Interests II,
boAs,ed to bis friends that no man Should
oYerresch bin. Ay, Jasper Grippef, Uu
thou mayest oyerfeaeh thyselt We shaI
see. Time passed on and i became
known TO the lumbermcn OF The Massa
Quoit that the best pine 10 the country
came from the Wild River region. Ont
day in early spring gentleman came al
from the distant city and looked up aud
down the river on Jasper Grippers ian1
aud the following day be was joined By
two other gentlemen. 6ripper had often
thought what a splendid place fer dan
aud mill With firm dam the power
would be enormous. There was only
one difficulty; the extreme freshets tc
which the river was subject in the spring
aud autumn would render it difficult to
fix the dam. But there were engineers
! who could overcome all such difficulties
Finally the gentleman who had first visit.
ed tie fall introduced himself TO Mr..
Gripper as Mr.. James Bates and frankly
stated that lie had been commissioned to
examine the fall and II be thought proper
TO purchase II. Jasper Gripper was
keeniy aud sharply alive. His eye teeth
were cut. lie knew that for several
years the attention Of lumbermen bad
been directed TO the Wild River pines
and that lately the people had discovered
that tie land was of the very best quality.
And moreover, be knew that the fall up
on his land was the only site upon the
river anywhere in that region, where the
dam could be safely erected. There was
another fall six miles below, upon David
somerby's estate, but II was OF wild,
roaring, turbulent character, locked 10
the jaws OF towering granite, where no
mills could possibly be built.
OF course, said Mr.. Bates, we cannot
think of paying much for the water priv
iege, and but very little for the land
which would be required for our build
ings. 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 a
ready market for your lumber, bnt the
value of your surrounding land will be
enhanced.
Mr.. Gripper winked and then nodded.
He had his own interests to look afler-
II be did not look after them be was sure
nobody else would. After deal of
thinking he said he would sell the water
privilege, together with ten acres Of land
adjacent, for two thousand dollars. The
agent was astonished. lie considered the
price ridiculous,
Why, said he, You did not pay so much
for your whole territory,
1t made no odds what he (Gripper)
had paid. His price had been named,
and the company could take it or let it
be. Mr.. Bates was not authorized to
accept such terms. He must confer with
bis principals, and he went away. In a
few days he came again, this time in
company with three others. They went
up and examined the water privilege,
aud they came back to Mr.. Gripper's
house, where they informed that indiyid
ual that II he would throw in ten more
acres Of land, they would accept his offer.
Gripper thought he had them. He bad
thoroughly digested the matter, and bad
come to the conclusion that the water
power would be of iuestimabe value to
the company TO improve it, and that they
were bound to have it,
Gentlemen, said he, my offer OF two
thousand dollars was made for your ac-
ceptance several days ago. / did not
leave il open TO your pleasure. | have
since been examining the property more
thoroughly, and have concluded not to
sell Tor less than three thousand
/ Why, bless your soul, man cried one
OF the company; do you realize how our
mills, erected on that site, would benefit
youf Tile value Of all the rest OF your
property would be doubleday, quad
rupled--tbe moment our wheels are set
ia motion. We bad supposed you would
freely give the water power TO respon-
sible company who would improve it.
MIR. Gripper laughed scornfully. lie
knew bis own interests better than that |;
/ they could take up with his offer, or they
could leave II, as they pleased. After
much discussion, Mr.. Bates rose and
said;
Mr.. Gipper, we would like your final
offer TO remain open TO our acceptance
three days, at the end Of which time you
shall have our answer. viii you accom-
modAte usg
When said three thousand dollars,
said Mr.. Gripper, | meant to include
only ten acres Of land. Ifyou want ten
acres more, mast call il Eve thousand.
And with this monsirous proposition,
which was 10 be open three days, the
parties separated. Oee Of the gentlemen
Of Mr., Bates party was Benton Mcintosh