Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-07-16
CASES OF BAD LUCK.
THRILLING HlTCHES WHICH HAVE
COST A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY.

little Accidents, Generally Unavoidable,
That Sometimes Prove Deciding Factors
In Transactions of Considerable Impor-
lance.
A good many of the important events
of this life are governed by little things.
Many fortunes have resulted from
trifles. On the other hand, thousands
have been lost.
Not many days ago a furniture van
broke down ON one of the linesl of an
important tramway system. Within
five minutes 30 trans were drawn up,
waiting till the line was cleared. Lift
ing jacks were procured, and i'll three
quarters of an hour the obstruction was
removed, yet that slight delay cost the
tramway company over go. 1t had
disorganized the whole system. The
trans failed to put in IN appearance at
the usual stopping places at the appoint
ed times, and throughout the length of
the lines waiting passengers Travelled to
their destinations by other conveyances.
There is perhaps no such costly trifie
es an engineering hitch. Not long since
q well known firm delivered Il torpedo
destroyer TO the naval authorities. She
was in every respect a perfect boat. the
result Of mastery designing and splen-
did workmanship. yet at the very outset
of her steam trials she met with a mis-
hap which necessitated her return to
the contractors for repair. This hitch
cost the firm 5000 and was found to
have been brought about by a careless
workman thoughtlessly emitting to
screw steam cock tightly and fit it
with washer.
Another curious instance resulted in
a clear loss of e25O, 600 to the unhappy
victim. He was the holder Of large
quantity of South African stock, bought
at low price during slump. On sud
denly receiving the tip that it was like
ly to boom Immediately, he settled a
limit at which to sell, ard when the
| price had reached this figure wired his
] broker to sell out Immediately. He left
his Office with jaunty step. He had net
ted a fortune il one coup. A few hours
later the stock fell just as suddenly as
| it had risen, and to q figure consider
ably below that he had originally paid
| for it, Judge, then, of his dismay when
his stockholders clerk drove to his
house and asked for confirmation of a
telegram they had just had, which ap-
peared to have been delayed in trans
| mission. II was his message authoriz.
ing them TO sell, and as the stock was
/ at such low figure they were anxious
| to consult him before moving in the
matter. The unfortunate investor was
dumfounded at the lost opportunity.
which Oh inquiry proved 10 have result.
ed from all accident To the telegraph
boy. He bad been knocked down and
stunned by q cab and conveyed to "a hos.
| pital. His message had been sent cut
again as soon as possible, but the de.
lay, slight as it was, had lost one man
huge fortune.
The man who suffers mostly by tri
fling bitches is the inventor IDnumer-
able fortunes have been lost Ivy five
minute delays in getting ont projections
during which times others have stepped
In with similar ideas and annexed the
reward Of their promp:ness. A curious
and somewhat pathetic instance in con
nection with an invention happened u
an engineer who had spent some year,
in perfecting hydraulic railway brake.
The idea was in every way perfect. and
In conjunction with his son I've had con
structed models and partially drawn NJ
patent specifications. To the latter
however, he had not confided n certain
small mechanical detail-the very on'
which had cost him 50 much labor e
work out successfully-his idea beinl
that his son should endeavor to over
come the difficulty himself till the pat
ent was entered. when he was to Learn
i the secret Of the mechanism.
| The very day before the specification