The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-06-19

cliffs at the summit of Jubal noun
tain; middle distance of valley where
the course of the Chiwassee river was
defined by n bed of fleccy mist rutiied
into semi-transparency by the warmth
OF the morning sun; TO the left, be-
yond the narrower strip of mist mark
ing the windings of the Little Chiwas-
see, the bold forehead of Bull noun
tain overlapping the town. These were
the frame for the picture which human
activity was etching into the level area
inclosed by the two streams. Long
vistss of streets marked by burrows
turned mt the curb lines; open spaces
dotted with the stakes of the surveyor
and heaped with piles of brick and lum-
Der; uncounted numbers of half-fin-
ished buildings upon which the work
men clustered like swarming bees; the
mufiled drumming of hosting engines;
the strident exhausts of the locomo-
tives in the railway yard; the clang of
hammers in boiler shop-everywhere
the sights and sounds of restless in
dustry and impatient progress.
Under such circumstances the gre
garious impulse asserts itself irresisti-
bly,. Thorndyke looked about him for
a possible sympathizer, and, by proc
ess OF natural selection which is as un-
accountable as IL is inerrant, he pitched
upon a young man sitting apart from
the various groups on the veranda.
Drawing up a chair, he began TO I'M
burden himself.
1T beats anything / ever heard OF"
he said. "What is there behind il ALP"
Standing as a target for the gunnery
of other peoples surprise was no new
experience for the man of Philips selec-
ton. and he smiled good-naturedly. "A
good many people have asked that ques-
ton. can't answer II TO my own salts
faction, but others would say the coal
and iron; the lack of important manu-
featuring centers in the south, and the
consequent pressing need for one just
here; the climate, and hundred other
things besides"
"Are the coal and iron reallties?"
"Oh, yes, very much so; this noun
tain behind the hotel is n vast coal bed,
and that one over there"-pointing to
the cliffs across the Little Chiwassee-
"is equally rich in iron of fair quality"
"Then the people are not merely crazy
enthusiasts. after ALL"
THAT'S as you please TO look at IL.
So far as natural resources go, the place
is solid. There is any quantity of build
ing material, marble, sand and lime
stone, fire clay, timber, coal and iron.
If a city may be built upon the mere
presence of raw material, Allacoochee
is fact accomplished"
THAT implies n doubt; may / ask the
reason 2"
Certainly, though I'm not at all sure
can make il plain. All the advantages
have named and dozen more are here,
to be sure, but they've always been here,
and il remained for our friends the pro-
moters 20 find out that they would war
rant all this" including the visible part
OF Allacoochee by comprehensive ges-
ture. "More than that, the same adj
vantages may be found in plenty Of To-
calities in the south, some of them
much more accessible than this valley.
And then have an old-fashioned idea
They smoked in silence for little
while, and then Thorndykc took a card
from his case and handed it to his COM
panion.
Let me introduce myself" he said.
81 just got in last night, and you may
be able to tell me what want 10 know"
II am entirely at your service. Mr..
Thorndyke."
The reply was prompt and courteous,
and Philip read Robert Protheroe, G.
T." on the card which was handed him.
"My physician has sent me here" he
explained, land he tells me / must live
out OF doors. How shall go about it2"
"IIow do you want to go about ito"
Philip laughed. "I'll have TO confess
that my plans are trifle indefinite. /
had an idea that perhaps 1 might go
into the woods with the lumbermen or
the turpentine gatherers."
you're still too far north for that;
there are no lumber camps or turpentine
forests in this part OF the state, and IL
there were, / hardly think the life would
be what you want. Your trouble is
pulmonary"
"Ycs; pulmonary"
Protheroe reflected for q moment.
This country Is said TO be favorable
for consumptlves-on better authority
than that of our friends OF the pros
pectus, 1 mean--and IL you ask my adj
vice" lie paused and looked inquir-
ingly at Philip.
"Yes; please go on"
II should say that you might find out
what IL will do for you by getting board
at some farmhouse In the valley. You
could put in your time tramping about,
end the scenery would give you an OBJ
Jet. There is only one difficulty"
'What is thnt?"
"Farmhouses where you can get any
thing 10 eat besides bacon and corn
pone are not plentiful In this part Of the
country"