The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-10

pushed along, the company was organ
led and he formally transferred his
concession. In day or two the money
would be paid IN. He must begin TO
buy materials at once. He was so in
tent on doing the job that he had paid
no attention to the reward. for there
was enough for everybody, and he
would soon be rich man.
Bolger was staying at the MetropOli
tan Hotel. on Broadway, long since
vanished. One night after dinner he
stro,led into the billiard-room to while
away the time \ man playing billiards
at nearby table looked up and saw
Bolger. Don't you remember me? I'm
Johnston" 1t was the man he had
helped in Rio. 4 knew you were here.
I've been wanting to see you. You
didn't know | had an interest in the
street-car line? Well, have. Never
mind how l got it. But l want to tell
you those fellows are not playing fair
with you. They say you haven't any
agreement with them, and that you're no
use to 'ern, anyhow They'll just give
YOU a little something, but you won't
be in it. Bv God it's rough! Say, I'll
turn you over my interest, and you go
to the meeting tomorrow morning. |
guess you know how to fight for what
you ought to have"
So the certificate of interest was en-
dorsed over, and the next morning the
unlimited Bolger turned up at the meet
ing with fire in his eye. He wasn't an
easy man to ignore, and he had his Wig
orous way. When the meeting closed
he owned an important share in the en-
terprise and Johnston's interest had been
he l1a
of his associates was gradually chang
ing to one OF wheedling Difference.
Then the days were crowded with
work There was but little money, and
materials for only mile of track were
bought. kails. cars, ties were all rushed
to Rio, and Bolger was no 1aggard in
getting back. The day after his return
work began, and it didn't take long for
him, even in that land of deliberation,
to put down a mile of road. 1t began
at the Rua do Ouvidor, the street of
fine shops and Of promenading men, and
found its way between the bay and the
hills and through the residence district.
When the first mile was done and
ready to operate there was function y
High officials attended, and there was
speechifying very complimentary to Boil
ger. He responded in his private brand
OF picturesque Portuguese, and the road
was declared open. All Rio seemed de-
termined to ride. The authorized fare
was ten cents gold, and from the first
hour the road was overwhelmed with
traffic. A continuous stream of dimes
flowed into the treasury and mounted
into a huge da1lv income. Under the
powerful push of the man, building never
ceased until MANY miles of road were
finished, and each mile added to the
volume of dimes. All the extensions
were paid for out of these dimes Not
a dollar beyond the original twenty two
thousand had been contributed by the
owners.
Now, at this time Rio was cursed
with a minor coinage in the form of
huge copper disks, so heavy as to make
it profitable to melt them down in the
times of hgh-priced copper, and requir-
ing a slave to carry the money-basket
on shopping expeditions. Gradually peo-
pie fell into the way of using car-tickets
for change. Hundreds of thousands of
dollars worth OF tickets were bought for
this purpose, and the company found its
profits enormously increased by the use
of this money and the wearing out and
loss of the frail slips. The company
owned mint, coming paper tokens and
selling them for high price in gold and
redeeming such as were not destroyed
in rides on the street-cars.
Wealth poured in upon the stock
holders. The results of the enterprise
were dazzling. Millions were offered
for the stock, and hundreds of thou
sands were paid in dividends AS there
was only one avenue between bay and
hills If WAS irnDOSib1e 70 bui1d rom
peting road. Street-car lines became the
rage, and they were constructed in all
other directions. The very Brazilians
to whom Bolger had offered interests
which they had declined with thanks
| fought in the local exchange for stock.
Five years after Bolger, ship-carpen-
ter, had stepped ashore in Rio with a
chest of tools. Bolger, the capitalist, sat
upon the broad veranda of great house.
In front Botago Bay greened in the
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