The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-07-22
CHAPTER XVII.

fOru duncan nnu DtTn uiiikEHtly
studying those processes OF up
n building which were 10 rapidly
converting the west into an empire OF
extraordinary wealth and power. Hc
had made many suggestions that had
commended themselves for Immediate
execution. together with some that
mus, wait for years TO come. Hc had
condemned some projects that seemed
hopeful 10 others. aud bc had Induced
notifications In many.
All these things had been done main
ly In bis letters and reports 10 Captain
WIN Hnilam, but tho substance Of
those letters and reports had been
promptly laid before others. especially
before those great nnancicrs OF the
east upon whom ali enterprises Of mo.
ment throughout the country depended
for the means OF their accomplishment.
I'm mat way Guiiford Duncan had be.
come known 10 the master builders"
m hc called these men, and had won
goodiy share of their confidence. lie
was regarded as young man Of I'M
usual gifts In the way OF constructive
enterprise "a triae overbold. some
thought, overconAdent. even visionary.
but, In the main. sound In his caicula.
tons, as results had shown when his
plans were adopted. On the other
hand. some projectors, whose enter
prises he had discouraged as unsound
or premature, complained that 20 far
from being q visionary he was In fact
q pesslmist. a dlscouraglng force thai
stood In the way Of that development
OF the country" from which they hoped
for personal gain OF one kind or an.
other.
Eapper Tandy was duilford Dun.
cans enemy from the hour In which
Duncan had forced that little branch
railroad In the coal regions TO haul
Hallams coal on equal terms with his
own. But Tandy had said nothing
whatever about that He never pub
lished his enmitles TIL the time came
About the time OF Duncan's return TO
Cairo he added another to his otfenses
against Tandy. In way to Intensity
that malignant persons hostility.
Tandy was schemlng TO secure q
costly extension of this branch rail-.
road through sparsely settled and
thin aolled region In way that would
greatly enrich himself because OF his
vast property holdings there, He had
well nigh persuaded group OF capt.
tallsts to undertake the extension
when. acting cautiously, as fnanciers
must they decided to ask Duncan to
study the situation and make report
upon tho project. Hc had already
studied the question thoroughly during
his stay at the mines and was con-
ylnced that nothing but loss could
come of the attempt The region
through which the line must run was
too poor In agricultural and other re.
sources TO afford even n hope OF a
paying traffic The line itself must be
a costly ono because Of certain topo-
graphical features, and, finally, another
and shorter line, closely parallellng
this proposed extension, but running
through a much richer country, was
already In course of construction.
Tandy knew all these things quite
as well as Gullford Duncan did. But
Tandy also knew many methods in
business with which Duncan was not
familiar.
AS soon as he was notified by the
capitalists with whom he was negotlat.
Ing that they had employed Duncan to
examine and report and that their final
decision would be largely influenced by
his Judgment, Tandy, with special po-
lIteness, wrote to Duncan asking him
to call at his house that evening ''for a
little consultation on business affairs
that may interest both OF u.s.
Duncan well knew that he had Of.
Tended Tandy In the matter OF the coal
cars, but as Tandy had made no sign
he could see no possible reason for re-
fuslng this request for business con-
sultation. Moreover, Gulltord Duncan
felt himself under double responsl-
bllity. He felt that he must not only