The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-09-24
A GIGANTIC DEAL.
HOW DUPONT SUPPLIED THE
POWDER FOR CIVIL WAR.
As INF. JONES'" The Great Powder
Maker Bought All There Was in
England and Charged the Govern
ment Nothing. a

brench RoyallSt, Eleuthere L. Dupont
de Nemours, who found Republican
France an uncongenial home, they
have grown to be the greatest mills in
i the world for the making of explosives
At the time of the civil war the Du-
points were, as they are today, powder
makers for the United States govern
ment. In 1861 the secretary Of war
sent for the Duponts, and La Motto
Dupont, one of the heads of the firm,
went to Washington in reply to the
summons.
Are you prepared to furnish very
large amount of gunpowder?" said the
secretary of war.
That depends on our obtaining salt
petre," was the answer. 'The salt
petre Of the world is mined in India,
of course, under the control of the
British government, and the markets
are in London and Liverpool"
The secretary of war was startled.
II England should prove unfriendly
during the course of the war which was
opening, the saltpetre market would,
of course, be closed to the United
States.
"The government must buy a large
amount at once" he said.
Excuse me-" said Mr.. Dupont; "the
United States cannot go into the mar
ket and buy saltpetre at any reason
able price-indeed, it might not be
able to buy it at all; but the Duponts
can get it without exciting comment"
will you go to England and buy
it-buy all there is?''
Mr.. Dupont agreed to CO. and he and
the secretary of war talked a few mo-
ments longer; they made few figures,
and the powder man was provided with
letters Of credit on the Rothschilds.
On the next steamer he sailed for
England and presented himself with
letters of introduction to the Roths-
childs. VERY sorry, Mr.. Dupont, your
letters of credit have not arrived'-
and he was politely bowed uot. He next
presented letters of introduction to
Barring Brothers, the London CORE
spondents of the Duponts. One of the
firm, a Mr.. Archibald, cordially re-
ceived the powder manufacturer.
VERY happy to meet you, Mr.. Dupont;
we have never had the pleasure of
meeting a Dupont, although We have
done business with the firm for fifty
years."
81 am very glad to meet you," said
the American, "for I am in need of
money"
1--WE shall be most happy to furnish
you with all that you require. About
how much will you need?"
Mr.. Dupont looked meditatively at
the floor for a moment, and Mr.. Archi-
bald looked with some curiosity at his
American customer. A homely man
was this powder-maker; high cheek
bones, a square chin, covered with a
thin, uneven bristly beard, spectacles
on his deep, kind eyes; man who
somewhat resembled Lincoln in the
character of his face. Mr.. Archibald
thought he might want several hun
bred pounds. The American had per-
haps found London a little more ex-
pensive than in his western simplicity,
he had supposed. Mr.. Dupont, looking
up, said;
81 shall want 100000, and I want it
right away"
Mr. Archibald was amazed-onIy
British phlegm prevented his exhibit
ing his establishment. Was this Amer
lean new Monte Cristo!
"By right away do you mean now?"
he managed to ask.
81 mean in twenty-four hours; that
is what we call right away in the
United States"
"You will pardon me if I consult
my partners-it is a good deal OF
money"
Mr.. Dupont admitted that it was
good deal Of money, and he took his
hat.
"By the way, when you send word
to my hotel, ask for Mr.. Jones'; am
registered under that name"
Mr.. Dupont, having no money to buy
saltpetre, went sightseeing and spent
the evening at the theater. Before he
was out of bed the next morning Mr..
Archibald called. He had called the
night before and found Mr. Dupont
out. The Barings would let Mr.. Du-
pont have the money.
Mr.. Archibald was hardly gone when
an agent of the Rothschilds FASTENED |
in with profuse apologies. The letters
of credit had arrived; they came on the
same steamer with Mr.. Dupont, but |
were delayed in transmission.
Mr.. Dupont now had money to burn
(this it not altogether slang), and he
set out to buy saltpetre. He proposed
to buy not only the large lots, but to
buy them all. He went first to Liver