The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1907-03-29

|
well.dressed, unkempt native. for.
elgn-pushing and crowd!ng, bah.
! bling and gesticulating
| There was no turning them away,
| those poor fellows. for not only were
| there clergymen among them, as Gin
| bold had seen, but reverend gentlemen
were In many cases leaders Of special
contingents of home.seekers, and many
others in the crowd carried letterl
IN contributors to the fund which
were not TO be ignored. 1t was la;o
In the day before the last application
was received, the last drcary explana.
! ton made. the last golden promise Ut
tered Day after day the crowd surged
! into the office and out again. And 1t
| grew not only In size, but in its cx
actions, for humanity In general !s
very insistent In the matter Of its
rights when they involve freefor.all
schemes. Then the notoriety which
the newspapers gave the scheme not
only increased the size of the crowds
but II brought in couple Of govern
ment inspectors, who wanted to know
If II was being thoroughly explained
To each applicant that the non.specula
tive clause in the government con.
tract would be rigidly enforced II also
brought in ''plain-Clothes man from
Mulberry street, who caused the part.
ners additional concern.
They set out upon their task with
81
They were sending . horde OF unfor,
Inmates thousands OF miles away from
familiar associations, to mountain
Businesses which in many cases would
yield nothing to the plow, and in re-
turn they were eXactinG the only prod.
uct which made the land worth the
acquiring Summoned to their office,
the hOme.seekcrs came one by one.
and In the private room the question
was put TO each. Some OF them, poor
innocents. were eager and willing to
do anything in return for the boon Of
/ a promised home. Some had TO be
coaXed, some wheedled, some threat.
cned. and few, who saw through the
whole business, placated. But on the
morning OF departure Gimbold and
Hochhetmer had secured signed op.
lions on mineral rights from three.
fourths of the home.scckers. The rest
were considered too risky to approach.
On the morning Of the departure
they went over to the railway station.
Nothing but the fascination of seeing
the last of their handworK took them
there.
In the depot they were given n rous.
ing reception, and they beamed from
one to another of their dnpes, and
went among the mothers and their
children, helping them to seats in the
train and bidding them Godspeed with
benign courtesy that was beautiful
to behold.
In the end they were compelled to
make a speech-Gimbold made 1t from
the rear platform of the train--a
speech 80 inspiring in its patriotism,
so tender in its pathos. that the en-.
thusiasm invoked was tremendous,
and the people struggled with one an.
other to get to the orator, who was
forced to retreat into the car. There
he met the government inspector face
to face Back of the inspector stood
the plain clothes man from police
headquarters.
And now, Mr.. Gimbold," began the
inspector without preamble. "and
now that you have excited those limo
cents until their feelings are at the
breakng-point, what do you think they
would do to YOU II ! were to tell them
that those options of yours rendered
their homestead claim invalld?"
Why II" stammcred Gimbold.
taken aback, "I--i--dont know what
you mean"
oh. yes you do" replied the inspec.
tor, calmly. You have with you
signed options on all the ore bodies
underlying tho claims of these people.
Suppose ! tell them they have invali.
dated their titles?"
Il don't believe it," clustered Gin.
bold hotly. ITS a point of law--it
would have to be proved"
Granted" said the inspector; "bu,
lHDNt ltllo"S "puiun walt Tor ten
law to settle 1t If told them of my
doubts"
We'll what are you going to do
about it," demanded Gimbod. revert.
iEg to that umeworn defiance.
why, I'm going to tell them, unless
you hand over those options"
Never
Il guess you'd better give them up.
Gimbold," put in the "plan.clothes
man Il don't believe the chief would
like 1t to be found out that you had
disregarded his advice"
Gimbod thought a moment. Then
the futility of resistance must have
struck him, for with an imprecation
he pulled thick wallet from his
pocket and handed 1t to the inspec.
tor.
The crowd outside surged up tho
steps and into the car, calling loudly
for Gimbold and his partner. The peo,
pie wanted to see more OF the men
who had done SO much for them.
a.