St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-16

brought capital; capital would have
brought temptation; and that's what
we're all locking for here. Laundry
might have stranded his steamboat and
his company, escaping with the capital
TO some friendly shore beyond the juris-
diction Of the New York courts.
That's what we do with ideas here,
but in Aurora Octave got along better
without them. He made his early sue
cesses on the plan recommended by the
late Sir Joseph Porter. He polished up
the engine in Aliens warehouse so
carefully that he was rewarded with an
interest in the business. Meanwhile
Octave mad saved a few hundred dol
lars, and had built little house, work.
ing Oh it at odd moments.
Then Came the Idea.
and Octave Immediately mortgaged his
house. He probably did this in defer
ence to a well-established Western Gus
tom, which is to begin everything with
q mortgage. In the East we nave a
much better custom, namely, to induce
some one else TO mortgage his house and
then get the money away from him. But
Octave was not business man, and he
money, says Howard Fielding in the
New York Times
His scheme was to make Fox river 4
naVIgaDle stream. That was the basis
OF it. The value of the achievement |
will explain later. Fox river is pull
ing, feeble minded streamlet, which IN
damp weather trickles through Aurora.
1t has been damned by several milIers,
and. in general, by every body who has
had anything to do with it. If man
should walk up this stream to Batavia,
seven miles from Aurora, and keep in
the middle of it all the way, he would
probably get his feet wet.
The c., B. q O. railroad at that time
had monopoly Of AurOra's commerce.
No other road came nearer than Bata-
via, where the Chicago q Northwestern
had a station. 1t came into the alleged
mind of Octave that connection could
be made with the c. & Y. w. by way of
Fox river He would open a competing
line and ruin the c., B. u Q.
Very soon afterWard there appeared
in al old, deserted coal yard near 0c-
taVe's home the outline of a strange,
unnamabie structure. At first it was
supposed to be a coal shed; then some
body said it was a hen coop. a local
editor, TO solve these doubts, inquired
OF octave, VINO SAID Win prlde that 1t
was a steamboat. The editor was glad
that he hadn't relied upon guess work
~ am rejoice that you call" said De-
taVe, who spoke with strong French
accent. II have, since long time, the
desire to pray your advice"
Fire AIVay,''
said the editor in that classic English
for which Illinois is justly celebrated.
Il 90 TO make" said Octave, that
Fox river a navigable stream"
You'd better get a move on said
the editor: lit was drying up as l came
over the bridge"
You mock yourself Of me. hey?" said
Octave, but 1 show you, make him a
navigable stream. l navigate him, InaYi-
gate him till to Batavia"
There are three dams and two bridges
between here and Batavia" said the
editor.
They viii disapper, they will van
ish." cried Octave.
The rivers good deal more likely
10 do that"
You know the law, hey?'' said Oc-
tave. Does it not say that dams and
bridges cannot be built over naYigable
stream?'
UndeniabIy; and Octave stuck to the
point. The editor tried to explain