The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-12-21


bought up big blocks of wheat.
Ali this time thee iique was hugging
itself and counting, in its minds eye
the millions Of the "Oid Man." that ii
expected to absorb. The newspapers
fell into the habit Of speculating upon
the number OF millions OF bushels that
the Armour house was short, and how
much the house stood 10 lose. And some
mighty good people fell to ccmmiserat-
ing the great packer and recalling hi:
Zig benefaction in the shape OF Armour
Institute and Mission. And they ser
monized over the iniquity OF specula-
ton.
But the "Oid Man Of the Wheat Pit
never said a word. He just sat in that
little inner Office and fired kilograms all
over the west and gobbled up grain
enough to feed all Chicago fog five years.
and ne paid his good, hard cash for it
He likewise sent his young man TO inter-
view the steamship agencies, and learn
ed just Wicare the fleets were scattered.
He computed tonnage and chartered YES
sci upon vessel, with what appeared 10
be reckless extravaganza. A score OF
the biggest vessels upon the lakes, boats
That carry from 100000 TO 200, 600 bushels
OF grain, were turned back westward
and ordered to sail for Duluth for car
goes. Some Of these boats were speed
ing homeward to go into winter 5ertas
The winter was upon the lakes and the
close OF navigation bad been declared.
Some o. the veSsei-owneTs demurred.
They feored that they might be caught
out in the ice. Big iron steamers had
been caught in the ice before this,
crushed like egg-slells and sent to the
bottom. But Armour said that he would
pay the freight. and the owners and
captains knew what that meant.
The great warehouseman played all
OF MS cards. He even refused to per-
NIT old winter to dictate to him. He
made a contract with Barry's towing
line to pay $50 day for five towboats
to plow the foaming ice in Duluth har-
Dor and keep open water for his big
SHIPS to get through. Barry sent the
Industry. the Tomlinson, the Progress,
the Raber, and the Barry, all big,
staunch tugboats, into the harbor. They
plowed about through the ice, winch
was nine inches thick at times. and the
harbor remained open.
LETTER DIDN'T KNOW.
But the boomers did not know this.
They believed that all OF that good
wheat would be unable to get away from
Duluth-that it would be literally frozen
in.
The "Old Man" never said word.
Hejust chartered a couple OF tugs from
another company to keep the 500 Canal
open and three more to cut up the ice
in Thunder Bay, where the ships had
gone for the grain stored in the elevators
at Fort William. And every one Of
these snorting, aggressive tugs was
bunting into the ice fields and churning
up the CONCEALED surface OF the lake for
the glory and profit Of the house Of Ar
mouP.
The big ships loaded down to the
guards with wheat and set sail for Chi
cago, each with two little tugs snorting
and chopping ice. little way in front,
opening up channel out to clear water
Thus the Onoka, with 1l2, 900 bushels,
the S. S. Curry, with 10000 bushels,
the City of Paris. with $4,000 bushels,
and the Selwyn Eddy with 10000 BUSH
els, got away. And by the time the
board go. wind Of the unprecedented
movement of wheat for this port. still
other huge steamers were out of the ice
and on rheir way thither.
The La Sale, with 96,Oo0: the Wright,
with $4,000; the City Of Genoa, with 105,-
600; the Gfchrist, with $500: the City
OF Venice with 100, 900, and the Hartsell
with $4,000 bushels, got safely away,
and the City OF Genoa AMI the Wright
even hurried back for second cargoes.
The Wilson and her town with $780,
900 bushels crunched' through the ice,
and the W. B. Grover came through with
$4,000 bushels The Thompson and
whaleback No. lis started with 10000
and $4,000 bushels, respectively.
Other vessels loaded TO a dangerous
level and essayed the venturesome voy-
age in winter to Chicago Last OF all
came the City of Gansor, laden with
10000 bushels Off grain. She nosed her
way through the ice fields, piloted by
the5 nCrting tugs. It was hard and
dangerous passage. but at length the ice
wSs left behind and the open wafer OF
Lake Superior entered. But the Bangor
was not yet out Of trouble, for she got
in the ice in the canal and
Was run upon bowldsr. A big hole
was punched into her false bo5tom, but
she got off and atte, hasty repairs fin
ished her voyage.
And more, two vessels on their way to
Buffalo were actually turned back after
Lake Erie and ordered to carry
back to this city the grain they had tax
Ell aboard but a weak before.
But ne house OF Armour had other |
agencies bringing in the wheat that now /
fills the elevators. Wheat came in by !
canal bcst, and hundreds OF carloads !
arrived over the various noads from the |
grain belt Never has 50 nue.. wheat |
arrived thus early by t.aln. The big 1
eleva tots are surrounded by aunireds |
Of cars waiting 70 be unfoaded. And al !
that wheat came down. and X still COM |
ing, hundreds OF cars a day, from Mn |
neaDolis and ;.la northwest.
On December II, NJ lsss than iss cars !
loaded with No. / northern and twenty |
thee loads with No. red stood on the /
tracks about the Armour Warehouses,
upon tIst day. On tae 11gh 1
ninety-eig:Tt cars Of No. nor-1e-n and /
,venty-one OF No. . red came in
BY last Saturday night Amour e.e-
vstors \. 3, and Annex. on Goose Is
ani. had stored within thesr walls 1
!. 81. .iS4 bushels % choice No north
s-n- And taeo s1er Armour warehouses
L.