The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-09-22
was Immediately on the creek, nearly g.
mile above the point where the bridge was

was Immediately On the creek, nearly q
mile above the point where the bridge was
to be built.
When he had done, he walked back, ex-
amining the banks as he went; then he pre-
scented himself before Riley Vaughn.
Mr. Vaughn. he said, I've an idea that
will help you out of your difficulty
Will it hire teams to haul stone? asked
Riley.
No; but it will enable you to haul stone
without teams.
4Ifit will Well, let me hear what it
is, = said Riley, cha nging his purpose while
speaking.
Raft the stones down, !" said Hamp.
Now look a here, Hamp. See, said old
Riley. I've stood up for you, an said you
want no Ounce when every body else said
you was; but this here looks as eff they was
right an I was wrong How in natur' kin
I raft stone down creek that amt got
more'n six inches O. water in it, a bubblin'
among the stones at the bottom?n
We'll, you see, said Hamp: I've leyelled
up from here to the quarry, and there's
only two feet fall, or a little less, and the
and so, as there's good deal more water
think, it's my notion to build temporary
dam just below the bridge-you enough
timber and plank here to do it with two
hours work of your men-building it, say,
six feet high, there where the banks are
closest together. Before noon tomorrow
the water will rise to the top Of the dam,
and run over. When it does, you'll have six
feet of water here, and four feet at the
quarry and your men can push RATS down
as fast as they can load them"
Glow do you know there's only two foot
fall?" asked old Riley, eagerly
''I've leyelled it," said Hamp.
That is, you figured it out with them
sticks?"
eyes.
@Are you sure you've got the right an
swer?" asked the old man, wild with eager
ness.
Perfectly sure. You see, it's simple. I
plant my sticks"
Never mind about how you do it; I can't
understand that eff you explain it; but look
me in the eyes, boy. This thing means
thousands of dollors to Riley Vaughn eff
you've got your answer right I kin un-
derstand that much; an ee you've worked
out this big sum right for me. I'll choke
the next man that says you're Ounce just
kase you don't take kindly to old Penrud-
docks chatterin sort O. learnin'. I'll do it,
or my name amt Riley Vaughn, and that
what I've been called for nigh onto fifty
five year now"
Old Riley was visibly excited. He called
all his men to the place selected, and sat
them at work building the dam, while
Hamp looked on, and occasionally made a
suggestion for simplifying the work. The
dam was finished at three o'clock in the
afternoon, and at six o'clock the water
had risen two feet six inches, while the
back water had passed the quarry.
work. The water is level, of course, as far
six inches of back water at the quarry to
two feet six inches at the dam; so the fall
is two feet"
1T looks so" said Riley, who was also
eagerly watching the rise of the water.
The workmen had gone home, all of them
convinced that this attempt to lback the
water a mile up the creek was the widest
foolishness; but old Riley and Hamp wait
ed and watched.
1T doesn't rise SO fast now, said Riley.
That's because it has larger surface
but it still rises, and the surface won't in
crease much more now, as there's a steep
place Just above the quarry and it can't
back any further up"
The two waited and watched. Midnight
came, and the measurement showed three
feet six inches depth at the dam. Still they
waited and watched. At six o'clock in the
morning the depth was four feet
two inches. Then Riley sent q
negro boy to his house with
orders to bring back "a big breakfast fol
two" At seven o'clock the breakfast ar.
rived, the measurement showed four feet
three inches and half.
It's a-rlsin' faster agin', said Riley.
Eyes; the level is climbing straight up
the bluff banks now. ana not spreading out
as it rises, !" said Hamp-
At nine o'clock the depth was four feet
eight and half inches, and the men in the
quarry had a raft ready, and were beginning
to load it, Ten o'clock brought four feet
eleven inches of water, and at noon there
were five feet and four inches,
1--WE missed it little, > said Ha1,p. IT
said the water would run over the dam by
noon, and it has still eight inches to rise
before doing that"
We'll, that sort GA miss do t count,
said Riley. You've worked the sum up
right anyhow, an the waters deep enough
for raftin' an still -risin'. It'll go over
the Gam in two or three hours more, an
I'll choke any man at says John Hamp-
den Sees Ounce or anything like
it. An that amt all, said the old man,
rising and striking his fist in the palm OF
his hand. They've been a-sayin' that ole
Riley Vaughn didn't value edication; now
I'll show EN-. I'm a-goin' to make this
dam permanent institution. I'm a-goin'
to build Vaughn & Sees foundry an agri-
cultural implement factory right down the
creek there, an put big lot O improved
machinery in it; an I'm a. goin' to send my
pardner, John Hampden See, off next week
to get the rest o his education where they
sell the sort Of education as is good enough
for him-no a lot o words, but principles
an facts. You tell your mother you're a.
goin to New York right away, 10y. an al
ole Riley Vaughn's a-goin' to foot all the bills
outen your intellect in the comm factory.
You'll study all sorts O. iggerin' work an
machine principles in the big school in New
York what's called the school O. Mines, an
then you'll go to all the big factories an
things"
This scheme was carried out. Hamp
spent three years in study, and returned an
accomplished engineer. He went into the
factory s old Riey's partner, and his work
has been to improve machinery and process
es. The firm own many patents now on
things Of his inventions and the factory is