The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-10-25

difficulties are there in the way? You
have miners enough surely"
"Well, for one thing the mine is bad
" ventilated. Many Of the best gal
leries are filed with choke damp and
must be kept closed"
'Why don't you improve the ventila-
ton? AS an engineer you ought to
know how to do that much"
1T isn't feasible, as you would
know, Mr.. Duncan, if you knew any
thing about mining"
"Oh, never mind my ignorance! It
Is your knowledge that I'm concerned
about just now. Do I understand YOU
to say that mine lying only seventy
five feet or so below the surface can
not be ventilated?'
II suppose it might be if the bust
hess could afford the expense"
"The business can and will afford
any expense that may be necessary
to make it pay. If you know enough
of engineering to devise a practicable
plan for ventilating the mine I'll fur
nish you all the money you need to
carry it OUT
He had it in mind to add, IF you
don't know enough for that I'll find a
more competent engineer" but he kept
his temper and refrained.
"'Twouldn't be Of any use," answer
ed Davidson after a moment. "We're
producing more coal now than we can
market"
"How is that? I don't understand.
Your order book-which I looked over
today-shoWs orders a full month
ahead of shipments, besides many can
celed orders, countermanded because
not filled promptly enough to satisfy
the customers. You're superintendent
as well as engineer. I wish you'd try
to clear up this puzzle.''
'Oh, it's simple enough! The rail-
road people won't furnish us cars
enough. I could ship a hundred car
loads tomorrow if I had the cars, but
haven't got 'em, and can't get 'em."
do you mean that you are Offering
coal as freight to this railroad and
the road is refusing it?"
eyes, that's about it. I've asked for
cars and can't get 'em, except a few
each day"
"Do the other mines along this little
branch railroad have the same trou-
ble?'' ....
There is only one other mine on
this line"
| "Well, does it encounter the same
difficulty in marketing it's coal?"
''NO-at least not to so great an ex-
tent You see, somebody there is
standing in with the railroad people.
suppose they've had a little block of
stock given to them-the railroad peo-
pie, I mean. So the Quentin mines
get all the cars they want, and we get
only their leavings.''
"Well, now, Mr.. Davidson, 1 give
you this order: Set to work at once
and bring out every ton of coal you've
got ready in the NINE There'll be
cars here to haul it when you get it
ready. Good night, Mr.. Davidson. I'll
talk with you another time about the
other matters. I have a good deal to
do tonight, so can't talk further with
you now"
Davidson went out after a grudging
"Good night" Duncan did not yet
know or suspect, though he was pres
emily to find out, that to Davidson,
| also, the proprietors of the rival mine
| were paying a little tribute as a re-
ward for silence and for making trou-
BILE.
| Duncan sat for an hour writing let
tiers. One of them was addressed to
the general freight agent of the little
railroad on which the mine was sit
uated. 1t read as follows: .,
Within six days I shall have 100 car
loads of coal at the mouth of this mine
| ready for shipment upon orders. After
| that time shall have about sixty car
loads ready for shipment each day.
| Please see to it that an adequate supply
| Of cars to move this freight are side
| tracked here on time.
Duncan signed that letter with all
needed circumspection. The signature
read:
! For the Redwood Coal and Iron COM
| pany, Guilford Duncan, manager and at
torney at law and in fact for the COM
| pany.
That subscription was intended as
an intimation.
| When on the next afternoon the gen
eral freight agent, who had several
times met Duncan at Captain Hal.
lam's house, read the letter his atten-
ton was at once attracted, precisely as
Guilford Duncan had intended that it
should be, by the elaborate Formally
of the signature. -.-......-
$50 Hallam's got that smart young
man of his at work, has hep the
freight agent muttered. 'Well, We'll
see what we can do with him. But
he deliberately waited till 9 o'clock
that night before responding. Then,
opening the telegraph key at his ell
bow, he called Duncan, and Duncan,
who had learned telegraphing, as he
had learned many other things, as a
part of his equipment for work,
promptly went to his key and answer
ed the call. The general freight agent
| spelled out this meSSa 90.