The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-09-13

confiagration.
How'll they ever put it out?' Jake's
lips asked.
"How?" the Squire's lips repeated,
as he shook his head.
Up to that night Squire Duffield had
ranked as an ultra conservative among
the boomers, but the sight of that tre-
mendous manifestation of power had
shaken him out of his old ideas and
habits. He felt dazed and uncertain
for several days, when he became rest
less and had an irrepressible desire TO
go TO town and hear more of the won
ders that were coming to pass. All Of
the farmers near town were planning
to plot their land for house lots or fac
tory sites, and the Squire sighed, reflect
ing that his land was too far from town
for any such purpose.
There was TO be a shoe factory, plate
glass factory, an optical glass factory,
and ever so many other works, that
would employ hundreds of men, and
bring in thousands of dollars. The
greatest enterprise of all was to be the
rolling-mill which the suave and inn
posing Major Gloss was exploiting. II
was reported that the company which
he said he had formed represented a
capital Of half million dollars. A
billion could scarcely have impressed
the Swantonians more. Squire Dnf-
fields brother-in-law had sold his farm
at fancy price for the site of the new
mill, and massive buildings were being
erected for the accommodation OF the
machinery, the largest and heaviest Of
its kind in the world, which was being
brought from Furnacetown. the Major
assuring the Swantonians that he could
not think of remaining in a place
where there were only 10000 people
when he saw opportunities presented
by city with such a future as Swan
ton. The rolling-mill and the Buckeye
Development and Improvement Com
pany were the biggest things in sight,
and some people intimated that the two
were one; that is, that the same men
were promoting both.
"Well, what Of it?' returned the
boom-mad spectators "Ain't they
prominent men and capitalists? OF
course, they want TO be on the inside
wherever there are millions to be made,
and they're lucky who can get in with
'em.n
There was q wild scramble for this
privilege-it was the stock exchange
transferred to a virgin field. Swanton
never had seen so much cash or dream
ed Of so many notes, deeds and legal
documents of various sorts as fiOats d
about in those days. The County Re
corder had to hire extra deputies and
clerks; notaries and real estate dealers
sprang up on every corner. A pawn
shop was started to enable the boomers
to turn their last possessions into cash.
LOutish country boys and commonplace
town clerks were alike stung with the
mad desire for speculation, and older
heads were lost with equal preeipita-
ton. paper" was Endorsed readily
and unquestionably, and promptly dis
counted by the bank, which had hired
an extra room and three times as many
employees as ever had been required be-
fore.
Ready-made houses were brought to
town in sections and set up like ridieu-
lOus toys on twenty five foot lots in
Snyder's subdivision, worthless piece
of sEampy land between the creek and
the canal which the Buckeye Develop
ment and Improvement Company had
bought and plotted, theirs also being
the ready made houses. Mass meet
ings were held in the town hall and in
the public square, and enthusiasm was
without bounds.
Squire Duffield could Withstand the
allurements of the craze no longer
His boarded 5000 and all the money
that he could raise by mortgaging the
land, including what he had acquired
through frugality and industry, and
the homestead that had come to him
from his father, were invested in the
rollirg-mill and in allied enterprises
promising a speedy return of dollars
for cents. Farm work was neglected
for the first time in his life-it was not
worth while to grub a living laborious-
ly from the soil when fortune was to
be had by such facile means.
The Squire's sons were swept off their
feet, and from steady, hard-wOrking
young fellows, took to driving reck-
lie sly about the country at all hours of
the day and night, drinking and gam
bling and pursuing q general mode Of
life detrimental to their manners, NOR
ais and finances. Miss Fannie, the
Squirrels only daughter. saw at last the
coveted avenue of escape from social
isolation and household drudgery, and
adopted late rising and dawdling over
her toilet as the first requisites for a
life OF refined and elegant leisure.
Only Mrs Duffield, untiring in her
industry, frugal in her habits, and
homely in her disposition, took no
pleasure in her changed prospects
Despite the quernlOus objections of the
family, she clung to her accustomed
routine of household duties, made as
many pounds of butter week as usu-
al, looked after her garden, sold eggs
and poultry, and in all ways conducted
herself as If she never anticipated liy-
ing upon higher social plane. 1t was
day Of sore trial for her when it was
decided, in view Of the growing import
ance Of the family to remove tn town
and occupy the mansion OF the late
Judge Bigman. Ruefully the good
woman went over and over the place,
doing last offices and laying injune-
tions upon the tenants wife who was
to succeed her, about what to do and
what not to omit Her lack Of pride
and of adaptation to her bettered for
tune disturbed the rest of the family
sadly, but their removal was marred
by far more ominous occurrence.
There had been for several days al
ugly rumor that the gas was giving out
The Squire pooh-pOohed the report, buI
q week later it was not to be thrusl