The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-09-04
. THE FARMERS RAILROAD.


he was converted and became a camp meeting ex-
horter and revyalist in his ignorant hearty and pc
culiar way; but suddenly ''the power left him and
he returned uncomplainngly TO his farm drudgery
holding fast all the while in his devout faith. To all
appearance he a serious, hard working farmer
like hundreds of others who helped enthrone King
Wheat in that frozen land He was regarded as
queer" by his neghbors; but they were all queer.
He thoughtful, and the long winter nights
gave him opportunity for much reading. In some
way his attention became fixed the transportation
problem and it absorbed him. Bit by bit plan came
to him, and at length he unfolded it friends and
relatives. They told him that il was wild and inn
practicable but their words disturbed him in way
This meeting at Lansing was his first one, and it
had attracted a great crowd. But it silent
demonstrative throng The road was to be called the
Farmers railroad and it TO be built by the farm
ers of the Red River valley themselves The project
to profits, except to keep up repairs and
equipments, and to be wholly cooperative But
the message too good to be and the audience
would not receive let. When he had done ne asked
any who cared TO PROFOUND questions to him. but no
replied. All sat perfectly quiet until one arose
and left; then by one all the remainder followed
his example. Yet they were all sef-convicted COW
ards. They believed Minds was right and that his
scheme possible but they were afriad to say so
to another They were saying TO themselves
I'VE build the road? / believe really can but it
sounds foolish and am not going to expose myself
to my associates rdicule when is evident that they
all think Minds is crazy"
MINDS sat quietly IN MS Cnalr until they mad all
gone, and then arose. and said nothing as he helped
the janitor put out the lights. As they walked down
the stairs he made remark about the weather
and with CHEEKY "GoOd-by' he went to his hitchiDg
rack and soon off his pony for home. His
thoughts may very bitter as he rode across
the trackless treeesS fenceless and almost housees
country from Lansing TO the boundary thirty miles
away. But not at that time at any other time
did any hear him speak bitterly hopelessly To
his wifes anxious inquiry he said:
q a
anything guess they didn't think much of the talk
but when they think over the railroad scheme they'll
change their minds.
Mastered and led by his damon, he began a sys-
tematic canvass of along the proposed route TO
the river. His fame had preceded him, and he was
pictured a harmless vision chaser. In several of
his meetings he interrupted by Jeers but his
good nature did not leave him. At Brighton, how
ever, the river, he met his first encouragement Jul
dicious and respectful questions asked OF him.
and several leading citizens remained to talk with
him after the meeting over.
He had felt. for some time. great longing to go
TO St Paul and learn how the great roads were
aged But he had little money, and he could not
ride his pony far without danger of hurting it per-
manently. SO he crossed the river and began a 400
mile walk 10 s.. Paul
It was one of the Mogul's cheerful days. Pros
poets for the intercontnentaI inauguration scheme
were becoming excellent and it looked to the Mogu
if visit TO Europe would place the two
great lines in his grasp So he said quickly TO the
Office boy who announced Minds:
"Oh. we'll let him in"
Minds entered It was late spring, just before
seeding and the northwest a mass of mud. A
portion of the mass seemed to have chung to Minds
His face was unshaven and worn. His winter cap
and knotted.
At his desk sat the Great Mogul tall porty force
full and with the magnetic tone and air of success
Thirty years before he had worked as day laborer