Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-03-22
Twelve Hours With a Millionaire
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THE bell rang at 1890 O'Clock


tuhoied without getting to sleep until
the Dig clock in the drawing-roon.
downstairs had struck three.
There was danger of a strike at the
factory OF the Air Engine company:
Canadien pirate had exactly copied
the latest models of the company's en-
glnes and had cut the price 40 per
cent; the monthly statement of the
Parrs Office showed a loss of 10000
francs; confidential information from
ale university was to the effect that
faul PettyJohn. Jr., was becoming dis
sipated; how was the last supreme
court decision on the antitrust law to
be evaded?
In the quiet and darkness of the big
upper room President Pettyjohn's
mind had been like a Kaleidoscope.
filled with confusion of broken frag-
ments, which continually formed
themselves into new and terrifying
combina lions.
When he finally fell into an uneasy
sleep it vas to dream of a man in his
shirt sleeves standing before a punch
press with flock of vultures, which
kept him continually lodging. flying
about his head. President Petty John
had worked on the punch job himself
20 years before. The vultures were
the thousand complex, unsettled, in
sistent problems which tore him,
asleep and awake
At 1880 o'clock President Pettyiohn' s
IMAM" raped at his bedroom door.
Mr.. Anthony is here, sir, aad says
he Of
SHOW him up" said President Pet
tyJohn, "ond bring me up cup of cot
fee
He had awakened from his sleep of
less than five hours with his mind as
tense and strained as when he went to
bed. The private secretary found him
sitting beside the bed in bath robe,
drinking a cup of black coffee and
reading the morning papers.
"The brass molders and polishers
went out at seven o'clock" said the
young man. 'Larkin wants to shut
down the whole factory. / came over
to tell YOU"
go back and tell Larkin to wait I'M
til 1 get there" said President Petty
John. Tell him not to go too fast"
Larkin was the general manager of
the international Air company.
"Order my buggy at once" said
President Pettyjohn to his man, land
tell Mrs. Pettyjohn 1 can't stop for
breakfast"
Then he hurried into his clothes.
On his way TO the factory he noticed
in the paper that the stock of the r.
S. w. railroad, in which he was inter
ested, had dropped ten points. Then
a f1aring headline caught his eye: "All
Trusts Knocked Out" it read. ''Su-
preme Court Decision Sounds the Doom
of Monopoly"
'Stop 1T Starkey's Office" he called
to his driver. Prescott Building"
He spent ten minutes with the cor
poration lawyer, who had not read the
decision, but thought things looked
dangerous on the surface. He would
prepare a written decision and call at
President Pettyjohn's house that even
Ing at eight.
At the corner of La Sale street a
man stopped the carriage. President
Pettyjohn threw the door open in Il
fever of Impotence. 4 tall man with
a gray coatee was leaning over from
the curb. President Pettyjohn recog
nized him at the first glance.
Paul" he began, I'm over my head
I'm r. S. w. They're calling for mar
gins and l haven't a cent. Let me have
q thousand. If you don't I'll go broke
and worse than that"
President yjohn' eyebrows came
down over his eyes and his mouth set
81 I, Il
honored at the bank of boyhood friend
ship.
Il can't give you a cent" he said.
Then he told the driver to hurry. No
one knew what might be happening at
the factory.
Lord" he said to himself, eff people
knew how busy L am perhaps they'd
let up little"
There was big crowd of men gath
cred before the entrance to the fac
tory. They looked at President Petit
John sullenly. He went in and found
telegram lying on top of his closed
desk. Before he took off his coat he
opened it. 1t was dated at New Haven.
Wire $780," it read. Am in trouble.
Must have money at once" Signed
Paul"
So the report about Pauls misbehav-
ior at Yale was true. President Petty
John stole enough time to hope that it
was nothing dishonorable.
But Larkin, the general manager:
Potter. the superintendent, and An
thony, the private secretary, were al
ready gathered about his desk.
81 think we had better shut down the
plant said Larkin.
eyes" said Potter, land make the
FIGHT right now, once for ALL"
sThere are 223 men out already"
broke in Anthony.
"Take your notes." said President
Pettyiohn, to his secretary.
.sTo the Brass holders and Polishers
-Gentlemen: If you will appoint
committee of five to represent you 1
shall be glad to meet them in confer
ence in my Office at two o'clock this
afternoon.
s.Send that note over my signature
Mt once and let me see the answer"
Snow this Paris business" began
Iarkin, 81 believe the French manager
IS a crook. His report for the last
month shows a loss of $4,000, and at the
same time he sends in orders for 200 Nc.
2 engines. I can't see"
A messenger boy came in and handed
a card to President Pettyjohn. Lady
to see Mr.. Pettyjohn," he sand.
The card was that of Mrs. Brownell-
$500, NrS Rroxyrell-Peterson was