The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-07-13

ceIed orders countcrmanded because
not filled promptly enough to satisfy
the customers. You're superintendent
as well as engineer | wish you'd try
to clear up this puzzle"
"Oh. it's simple enough! The rail
road people won't furnish us cars
enough could ship hundred car
loads tomorrow If | had the ears. 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?"
"Yes, that's about It, I've asked for
cars and can't get 'em. except 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 il encounter the same
difficulty in marketing its coalY
'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 little block of
stock given TO them-the railroad peo-
pie. mean. So the Quentin mines
get all the ears they want. and we get
only their leavings."
We'll. now, Mr.. Davidson, | give
you this order: Set TO work at once
and bring out every ton of coal you've
got ready in the mine. There'll be
cars here TO haul ii when you get it
ready. Good night, Mr. Davidson. I'll
talk with you another time about the
other matters. | 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
ters. 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 ! 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 il 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 il
should be, by the elaborate formality
of the signature.
80 Hallam's got that smart young
man of his at work, has hep" the
freight agent muttsred. We'll. wei
he deliberately waited till O'clock
that night before responding. Then.
opening the telegraph key at his ell
bow, he called Duncan, and Duncan,
who had learned teleSraphing. as he
had learned many other things, as
part of his equipment for work.
promptly went TO his key and answer.
OIL
spelled out this message:
Simply impossible TO furnish cars
you ask Haven't got them"
Duncan responded:
The Quentin mine gets all cars need
ed. We demand our share. and ! shall
insist upon the demand"
The reply came:
Il tell you we can't do It, I'll run
down to your place tomorrow or next
day and explain.
Don't want explanations" answer
ed Duncan. II want the cars"
But we simply can't furnish them"
But you simply must"
What if refuse?"
"Then I'll adopt other measures. But
you won't refuse" \
''Why not?'
Because know too much" answer
ed Duncan. Il shall send to you by
special messenger on the train that Will
pass here within an hour letter max
ing a formal tender Of the freight !
make that tender by telegraph now,
and you may as we'll accept it in that
way. Your road is chartered com
mon carrier. Your lawyers will advise
you that you cannot refuse freight
formally rendered to you for carriage
unless you can show an actual inabil-
ity. In that case you must show that
you are doing your best by all shippers