davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

run all hill You've cut down our
pressure so that we can't open I'D in
the city Is there q leak? %
Not at all, sir" said the calm ypung
man from Chicago. I've recently
bought out the factory, you know, and
were greatly increasing our capacity.
Besides, we're conducting some expert
ments just now that take a lot of heat.
We're trying TO make a new radium
polish that'l do great things. If youth
present your bill I'll give you check
for the amount
We'll, you've got to stop using 80
much, that's ali" roared Hoefeid. I'll
take you into court If you don't"
GO ahead" said the new proprietor,
boldly, but he was, as a matter of fact.
badly frightened. He wired to Peter
Potter for instructions.
InatS easy" came pack the answer
Take your contract into court and get
an injunction against their shutting off
the supply. Act first
The Injunction was issued and next
month the consumption OF gas in the
Larsen Sunlight Polish factory went up
many more millions of feet. TomIin-
son groaned as he advanced the money
10 Peter Potter, but the mains Of the
Public Gas company were still empty
and there was nothing else to be done
About the middle of the third month
Hoefeld came around to see TonIin-
son with a proposition. He would sell
the plant and all the gas wells of the
Public Gas company and its aIlv. The
Fayette County Natural Gas company.
for half million dollars.
Tomlinson issued and sold to the pub
Tic at par an issue of bonds to the
amount of an even million dollars. That
supplied the funds for the payment to
Hoefeld and more than reimbursed the
Citizens company for its expenditures
on Peter Potter's account.
Peter Potter sent In by mail q per-
sonal bill for 100000. 1t came back
with letter of remonstrance and re-
fusal from Tomlinson. When the pri-
Nateer read this letter his jaws shut
together with a sound like the click OF
the mandibles Of bird of prey.
John G. Tomlinson, president the
Citizens Gas company, Metropolis.
Kentucky" he wired back. Call at my
office at o'clock tomorrow"
Tomlinson came. He came after he
had been warned by Fuller and other
friends who knew Peter Potter that
it would not be safe to stay away.
Mr. Tomlinson," Peter Potter said.
without preliminaries, what I did to
the Public Gas company It would be
just as easy for me to do to you, now
that you have bought the property"
He produced the contract with the
Larsen Sunlight Shoe and Stove Polish
factory and asked the astonished and
Indignant Tomlinson to look IL over,
The title to that contract is now in
me" Potter concluded. IF you want
It, my bill must be paid at once.
called you up here to Chicago to say
that ] had made a mistake in the size
Of my bill. 1t is $15O,000, instead Of
an even hundred. You seas you say
there is a point of business honor In
Volved. And 1 believe in enforcing a
point OF honor-even among thieves"
(Copyright.)
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

chased the shoe and stove polish fac
tory OF Henry Larsen. with all its as
sets. paying $1,000 cash down and TAX
immediate possession.
On the next Thursday afternoon
Tomifnson came up again from Me-
tropolis and called at the Office of Pc
ter Potter at the appointed hour. He
was extremely anxious, for tho an
nounced opening of the Public Gas
company was now only few days off.
The privatecr was standing at his Of
nee window. locking out at the distant
lake and rocking away as usual, when
the colored man ushered Tomlinson
into the room.
Tomlinson." said Peter abruptly,
are you prepared to spend $4,000 a
month for half year,
NO. OF course I'm mott What do
you mean Lord. Potter, that's a lot
OF money! blurted the startled gas
president.
TT might be for some people," said
Peter Potter.
But what are you going to do?" per-
sisted Tomlinson.
I'm surprised at you, Tomlinson, ;"
said the privateer. I'm really sur
prised! But you don't expect me to
tell you"
But how can be sure of anythinx?''
pleaded the OIL ssident.
You can't TOmlinson, you can't.
That's the great trouble with these
semi-speculative enterprises. But If we
go ahead I don't believe the Public
Gas company will turn on its gas on
the day announced"
We'll" said the despairing and mys-
titled Tomlinson, '.go ahead then. Wen
try 1t on, anyhow"
The day before the date announced
for the turning of gas into the city
mains of the Public company Hoefeld
and his associates had arranged a pri-
vate test to see that everything was
in order. The test was an utter fail
ure. There was no pressure In the
mains. They worked the long distance
telephone and had double pressure put
on the pumps at their main reservoirs.
Still something was the matter. The
gas didn't come. Hoefeld hurried the
announcement of a postponement into
the newspapers.
1.-THE delay will be only temporary"
he said.
But two weeks of hard work did not
locate the cause Of the failure The
main pipe line was carefully inspected
for every foot of it's distance and no
leaks were found. Hoefeld himself
went down into Tayette county and
directed the search. He
could get no trace.
Finally one day, three weeks after
the day originally appointed for the
test, an emplOye of the Fayette County
Gas company in the regular course of
his work called at the Larsen Sunlight
Shoe and Stove Polish factory to read
the gas meters. He discovered that
during the past few weeks millions
and millions of feet of gas had been
used, and gasped with establishment.
Half an hour later Hoefeld came
rushing into the Larsen factory, furious
with anger.
whats the matter here?" he de-
manded. you're using enough gas to
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
BY HENRY M. HYDE.

The first glance at his visitors card
had given Peter Potter a fairly clear
idea of what was wanted. The Chi
cago papers had noticed the great fight
between the Citizens Gas company.
which had for twenty years absolutely
controlled the Metropolis field, and q
new company, which had secured a
franchise, laid mains and pipes and
promised largely to cut down the price
of gas to consumers. That evening the
business privateer read in one of his
carefully kept scrap books the detailed
story Of the struggle so far as it had
been printed. As a veteran In such
campaigns between big corporations It
was easy for him to read between the
lines and supply what was missing. 1t
was really very interesting and COM
plicated fight. The Citizens company
was capitalized for SIC, 600. 900 and the
profits 1t had at stake were enormous
Peter Potter felt that an independent
command In such a struggle might be
well worth his while.
At O'Clock the next afternoon Tom
linson came back. His first glance
around the baroness OF Peter Potter's
Dig office was not convincing. Il did
not seem possible that a man who
worked with so few tools could be SO
formidable. But he remembered what
Hooper had told him about Potter's
queer ways and tried not to look sur
prised.
Peter Potter was leaning forward
over his desk as Tomlinson came in.
His chin rested on his right hand and
long forefinger lay alongside his
arching nose.
so Hoefeid sold you out, eh?" he
said.
The gas president was startled. How
did this man come by that bit of I'M
foreground information? 1t was a sore
point with him. But there was no use
in denying it.
Yes, the dirty dog, that's Just what
ne dlo, Tomlinson declared. And then,
as he thought of the alderman's per-
fidy and the memory of his own wrongs
and losses grew strong again. he went
on hotly.
For five years that Dutchman was
on our payrolls, drawing his thousand
month. Why, 1 treated him like a
brother, Potter. He was chairman of
the committee on franchises, and it was
his business to bury everything that
was calculated to make us any trou-
Die. Eighteen months ago the Public
Gas company franchise was introduced
in the council. 1t went to Hoefeld's
committee. and there it slept. We
thought it was out of the way for good
and all. And didn't we have a right
to think so? Then one day, Hoefeld-
the sneak-came down to our office and
held US up for an extra thousand. That
same evening he called I'D the Public
Gas ordinance for passage, suspended
the rules and rushed it through, with
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
THE SALT LAKE HERALD: SUNDAY DECEMBER 80 1906

then ordered me to SO and get him
$4,000 In cash before s O'clock"
Hooper laughed. IT told you he was
a very independent young eagle bind.
ne said. The only advantage is that
II Peter once starts out n q f3ght her
come back to his perch sooner or LATE,
with what's left Of the other fellow
hanging from his taions. BY the way
you've got to hurry IL you're going tc
get that money there Ia time"
Tomlinson went back to Peter Pot
ters Office with g. roll Of bills.
The money loss IN this fight Is large
enough and threatens to be larger, Mr.
Potter" he said, but there's a cues
ton OF business honor involved be-
Sides"
Yes, business honor" repeated Peter
Potter. Tomlinson looked at hin with
half suspicious, half perplexed look IN
his little, round eyes
Il suppose. Mr.. Potter" he ment on,
you'll guarantee success in this
thing?"
I'll guarantees nothing" Peter an
swered- Come back next Thursday al
o'clock in the afternoon and I'll give
you my report. Good day, sir"
That evening. at his bachelor quar-
tiers on the north side, Peter Potter
tried series of experiments in the 1T
tie laboratory back OF his library. He
was chiefly occupied with long rubber
tube, attached to a gas Jet, couple of
alcohol lamps and a pressure gauge.
With the aid of text book on physics,
he also made some mathematical calcu-
lations
$50 long as they're depending entirely
on the supply from Fayette county, Ii
ought to be easy" he said to himself.
49,, II - - -, Il ~
The next evening Peter Potter took a
train which carried him down into the
natural gas country. The main gas re-
servoirs. where the gas was collected
from all the wells and stored under
pressure. before being pumped into the
pipes which carried it to the city, were
located at Fayette, the county seat or
Fayette county. Peter Potter got off
the Pullman there in the gray Of the
early morning and went across the
street to the little hotel.
II don't suppose there's a bit Of use
trying to sell you Fayette people any
coal, is there?" he asked casually, STOP
ping at the desk after breakfast to chat
with the landlord.
The old man grinned "I don't know.
stranger" he said. "It don't look ma
tural there ought to be any market for
coal here. Gosh knows we ought to
have gas a-plenty. But the Fayette
Natural Gas company has been buying
up all the wells. No telling how high
they'll boost the price"
"Got all the wells, have they?"
Every blamed one in the belt. So
fairs 1 know. They closed up with Hen
nv Larsen last week They's two big
wells on his farm, and he was the last
one of the boys to hold out against 'en.
Now they've got 'em all gobbled."
''How far out does Larsen live?"
ooh, he's located right here in Fay
pipe line here half a mile"
In the lane behind the hotel and on
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
The Fayette County Gas Wells.

The elevator shot straight upward for
two hundred feet 1t stopped at the
seventeenth story to let off a little fat
man, with q red face. He stopped short,
breathing heavily and looked about
suspiciously. Before him a white mar
bic runway stretched down one side
Of the building. At the far end was a
door marked, IN small letters with
'@Peter POtter-ReaI Estate" The
rows of doors on either side Of the hall
were all closed. The air of the place
was lonely, remote and formidable Six
thousand people spent most of their
working hours in the little steel cages
and coops under the roof of that sky
scraper. Yet the solitary hunter, living
in a. log shack thirty miles from the
nearest settler, might be no more cut
Off from commerce and sympathy with
his fellow men than the occupant of
one of these offices.
Alone in the big inside room on the
corner, Peter Potter stood Close to one
of tie windows with face eastward,
looking out over the black chaos of
roofs to the lake. He was rocking back
and forth from heels to toes, his hands
in his trousers pockets, his head sunk
between his broad shoulders.
His old colored man brought in a card
from the anteroom. 1t was an i'm
pressive piece of pasteboard:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

more than two-thfrds of the council
voting In its favor"
Where were the rest OF your fellows
In the council?" asked Peter Potter,
/ Hoefeld had bought 'em all up
the traitor. He'd corrupted every one
OF 'en-nien we'd been paying our good
money to for months and months.
tell you, Mr.. Potter, politics in this
country is just absolutely rotten"
why didn't you fix the mayor?"
I'VE did. And then Hoefald TANNED
the ordinance through the council over
the mayors veto"
Who's backing the Public Gas com
pany?"
"Hoefeld's backing IT." said the little
gas presloent, beating the desk with
his fist. Hoefeld and his gang of
crooked aldermen! They're backing it
with our money, too, With the very
cash we paid them out Of our earn
ingsr"
indignation.
Think OF It, Potter" he said. appeal-
tngly. Here's man we've paid more
than fifty thousand dollars Ia the last
i've years. 1 always thought he was a
good, straight, square, honest fellow.
Even after he got his ordinance passed
offered to buy it from him at a good.
stiff price. He laughed at me and in
suited me; shook his fist in my face
and said I was just as big a CRATER
as he was. Wanted to call in a lot of
reporters and have me tell 'em how
much we'd paid him. since he entered
the council. Said he'd admit It. too.
Now, what can business man do with
a chap of that kind? 1 tell you politics
In this country is a id dirty messv'
It's very shocking, indeed" said
Peter Potter.
He wouldn't sell out-wouldn't lis
ten to reason at ALL" went on Tom
linson. Went right ahead and laid
mains and service pipes all over town.
Laid EN- with our money, Potter, Then
he fixed up deal with the Fayette
County Natural Gas company and had
an ordinance passed fixing the maxi
mum price of fuel gas at fifty cents a
thousand feet Now what do you think
of that?''
Every sad" said Peter Potter.
And now he announces publicly that
the gas will be turned into his mains
on May first. That's only two weeks
off. We've tried every trick in fine
bag without finding anything to block
them" oA
If you've a mind to bring 80 ooo i,
cash over here by 5 o'clock this after
noon, said Peter Potter, "I'u look into
the case. 1t interests me-"
T'omlinson went back to the office of
ms friend Hooper on La Sale street
He was not in good humor.
Your man seemed to know most of
the story beforehand he said. 'sHe
pumped the rest of it out of me and
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
81. LARSEN,
Sunlight Shoe and Stove Polish.

through the open door Peter saw two
men at work He stepped in.
is MI. Larsen here?" he asked. One
or the men stepped forward.
WHAT'S your spot cash price on shoe
and stove polish?" asked Peter Potter.
The price was named.
wish you'd put me up a gross each
or them as a trial ORDER" said Peter
Potter, laying down the money. ct see
you are using natural gas for fuel It's
cheap down here. I suppose"
Pretty cheap" said Larsen. I'm
paying 10 cents thousand feet
This Fayette County company that's
been buying UP all the wells II be
boosting the price on you pretty soon,
won't they?" asked Peter Potter with
a smile
Not on this boy" answered Larsen.
You see I sold 'em their biggest wells.
and L made 'em give me a contract to
sell me all the gas 1 wanted at 10 cents
a thousand"
They'll probably try to break it,"
said Peter Potter indifferently.
I'd like to see them break it." Lar
sen answered holly, his pride touched.
Look at it now and gee how easy
they'll break it
He went to his safe and pulled out =
piece Of legal cap. over which Peter
Potter cast a hurried but careful eye.
1.-THE Public Gas company of the city
of Metropolis. county of Metropolis and
state Of Kentucky, its heirs, assignees
and successors, party Of the first part,
In consideration of the sale to It by
Henry Larsen, party OF the second
Part, Of his farm on which are located
its gas wells Nos. 20 and %, does here
by bind itself, its successors ana as
signees, to furnish to said Henry Lar
sen, party of the second part, his heirs,
assignees and successors, natural gas
at the rate Of 10 cents per thousand
feet to any amount which he may re-
quire, said gas 10 be burned OF the
premises where is now located his shoe
and stove polish factory
The contract was signed by the presi-
dent of the Public Gas company, and
by Herman Hoefeld, its general man
3ger-
'"That reads like a good contract"
said Peter Potter, but you must re-
member there are a lot of tricky men
in the gas business. Wei, I must be
going. You may send my stuff by ex-
press to Chicago. And you may near
from me later"
Three days later a young man from
Chicago appeared at Fayette and pur-
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

the surface Of the ground ran the huge
pipe which carried the gas from the
pumping station ON across country to
Metropolis. nearly 200 miles away. Pc
ter Potter went out and started to fol-
low the pipe line. On either side a
high board fence protected it from in
terfepence. Presently he came to a lit
tie frame building, built alongside the
line and surrounded by a high stock
ade on one side and out on the other.
In front there was g big gate, and over
IL a sign reading:
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

TO put In the most modern machinery
that can be procured,
The office of the company is at "a E.
South Temple street, In connection with
the George Q. Cannon association suite.
Less than five miles from railroad,
covering q vein the wealth Of which
already uncovered and under the di-
rectien OF one of the best practical
mining men in the west. the Old I'm
perial PROPERTY has before it the very
brightest future
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

ehequer veins, and has already struck
q promising body of ore, His plan is
to continue the tunnel to the above
mentioned intersection, and to sink the
present shaft. which is down 250 feet,
to a considerably greater depth, This
SHAFT has some water in it still, and IT
Is asserted by those who worked in 1t
years ago. that it was in rich ore,
though of a character that could net be
treated In those days, but which is
valuable now, Mr.. Rundberg has a
force OF men at work and is preparing
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

pany soon afterwar6 secured Mr..
Rundberg's services as mine manager,
and he is proving his assertions true.
Mr.. Rundberg's wide experience in min
ing and the work he has done is a
guarantee of success. While In the
employ of Mr.. Samuel Newhouse for
ten years he superintended the devel-
opment of the Highland Boy and Bos-
ton Consolidated mines at Bingham.
and of the Cactus mine In Beaver
county, three Of the greatest copper
mines in the world.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

Upon his taking charge Of the Old
Imperial property, Mr.. Rundberg trans
ferred the machinery across the canyon
to the Exchequer ground, believing
that the greatest ore bodies would be
found there. and with the object of
connecting up the workings already
there with those on the New Century
Claim, plan that can be easily ac-
conp1ished. He has started work In
the face of the tunnel in the direction
Of the intersection Of the Star and Tx
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

tered and all the workings practically
are in valuable ore. Good bodies of
thousand-ounce ore have been found,
and as yet have not been explored.
Four cars of $S5 ore have been shipped.
PRESENT OPERATIONS.
A short time ago Mr.. Charles Rund-
berg examined the property for the
George Q. Cannon association, which
controls the company. He spent con-
siderable time on the ground and made
q very favorable report, The COM
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

sG h ahmfras
mha MEmsar
Surveyor Cannon tadas uunmm
. nmaM
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
REAL ESTATE

We have one of the largest lists to be
found in Salt Lake City of Property to
be sold. We can suit our friends if
they are looking for homes or business
property. List your real estate with us
and if it can be sold we will sell it. We
will build you homes on easy terms.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30
BROKERAGE

We hold seat on the Salt Lake Stock
and Mining Exchange, and have MIR.
Preston j. Cannon in attendance at
every call. Send orders by wire or
mail to our office and they will receive
instant attention.
The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-12-30

The operations OF the present owners
have been confined mainly to the de-
-yelopment OF the New Century claim
on the north side OF Esxchequer canyon.
They have shaft down go feet, and
extensive drifts and cross-cuts. Much
high-grade mineral has been encoun--
The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-01
TILIS SUES GREH
AN ECHO OF THE ELECTRIC PARK
 CONTROVERSY.
Former Owner of Street Railway Claims S1O,OOO On Alleged Breach of Contract by Amusement
 Company.

Charging breach of agreement in the purchase of the stock of the Montgom- ery Amusement Company and It's plant 1t Electric Park last August, Richard TiIlis yesterday filed suit in the circuit eourt of Montgomery against Naham !. Greil for damages to the extent of I10.000.
 Equipment to the value of $6,0o0, the papers filed declare, which the defen- liant is asserted to have represented as belonging to the amusement com pany, belonged to parties other than ihe amusement company. This equip ment, which includes furniture. stoves refreshment stand and other prop erty, the plaintiff ayers, has never been turned over to him, and 1t is for he failure to do this that the suit has been brought.
 The agreement which N. J. Greil Is charged with having failed to car ry out. Is contained in the terms by which the plaintiff purchased the property of the Montgomery Amuse- ment Company last August. Accord Ing to the agreement, the stock of the
The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-05-01

week, returned home Saturday, and re. port having had delightful time.
 The retail merchants of the otiy will commence to close their places of busi- ness May l. at six o'clock.
 The Sunday Schools of Opelika will have a union picnic at Pickett Springs in the near future.
 The remains of w. A. Shirah. were carried to Montgomery this morning for interment. MT. Shirah was a mem- Der of Central Lodge No. g, Knights of Pythias, and Opelika Tribe No. 10, Improved Order of Red Men. He is sur vived by wife and four children.
 Work Is progressing nicely on the Opelika Fire Department building. When this building Is completed Opeli- ka will have one of the best fire sta tions in the State.
 Subscriptions are being taken at the First National Bank. the Bank of Opeli- ka, and A. P. Collins drug store for the unfortunates in the California cities.
 Mrs A. H. Nunnally, and son, of New nan, Ga. are visiting General and Mrs. George P. Harrison, at their elegant home on South Tenth Street.
 The First Methodist Church of this city has decided to support a foreign missionary. Quite a nice sum has al- ready been subscribed for this pur- pose.
 Judge J. B. Lyons will leave fin a few days for a trip in California. He will attend the meeting of the Mystic Shriners, to be held in Los Angeles. and then he will spend a while "sight-see- Ing!