Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-07-24

mission and forwarding house at Cairo.
together with coal yard, a bank, five
wharf boats. half Il dozen tugs. an in, |
surance office, -four mill and other
things. He sent for his brothers to act |
as his clerks and presently to become |
his partners.
From the beginning he made money |
rapidly. and from the beginning he /
was eagerly on the lookout for eppor-
tunities which in that time of rapid
change We're abundant. He quickly I
secured control Of nearly all the com /
mission and forwarding business that
centered at Cairo. BY undertaking
the government itself he presently had
contracts for all the vast government
, business of that character
He was always ready TO take up a
collateral enterprise that promised re-
suits. When the Mississippi river was
reopened to commerce 10y the fall Of
Vicksburg and Port Hudson. Captain
Will Hallam was the first to see and
seize the opportunity. He bought ev-
erything he could lay his hands on in
the way OF steamboats, and harges and
sent them all upon trading voyages
each under charge of n captain. but
each directed by his own masterful
mlnd-up and down the Mississippi.
and up and down the Ohio,' and up and
down every navigable tributary of
those great rivers.
1t was Captain VIII Hallam's prac-
tice to make partners of all men who
might render him service Thus when
he saw how great a business there
must be at Cairo in supplying Pitts
burg steam coal to the government
fleets Oh the Mississippi and to the
thousands of other steamboats, traf
ticking in those waters he went at
once to Pittsburg. and two days later
he had made Il certain Captain Red his
partner in the control of that vastly
rich trade
Captain Red was the largest owner
Of the Pittsburg mines and the pioneer
In the business of carrying coal laden
barges In acres and scores of acres
down the river, pulling them with
stern wheel steamers Of large power
but still of II power insufficient Tor the
accomplishment of the best results.
Captain Reds fleet was unable to
control the trade. Captain TIallam
pointed out 10 him the desirabiiity OF
making it adequate and dominant
Within two days the two had formed
partnership which included number
Of New York bankers and investors as
unknown and silent stockholders in
the enterprise, and an abundant CAPT
tai was provided. An order was given
for the hurried building of the Ajax.
the Hector. the Agamemnon. the Her
cules and half dozen other stern
wheel steamers of power so great that
they could carry the coal needed for
their own furnaces, but must tow 1t In
barges alongside
These powerful steamers were To
push vast fleets of coal laden bargcs
down the river all the way from Pits
burg on the east to ST Louis on the
west and New Orleans ga the south.
They were to supply, through lIallam's
agents, every town along the river aud
every steamboat that traiiicked to any
part of 1t. uallam was master of 1t
all. Cairo was to he the central dis
tributing point. and II anybody along
the river owned a coal mine In Ken.
lucky or Indiana or elsewhere he was
quickly made to understand that his
best means of marketing his product
at a profit was to sell II through the
Hallam yards Mt Cairo.
In the meanwhile, as one region aft
err another In the south was conquered
by the Union arms. Captain Hallam.
whose long river service had brought
him into acquaintance with pretty
nearly everybody worth knowing south
Of Cairo. established agents OF his own
at every point where there was cotton
to be bought at eXtravagant prices.
payable in gold. even while the war
was going on. These agents bought
the cotton. the planters agreeing to de-
liver II upon the banks of the rivers
and leave 1t there at HaIlam's risk.
Then Captain Hallam's steamboats,.
big and litt.. would pl..,h their way up
the little rivers, take the cotton on
board and carry 1t to cairo
Captain VIII Hallam was quick to
mae up his mind with regard to a
man. He was exceedingly accurate In
his human Judgments. too. and his con-
Edence In them had been strengthened
10y experience In successfully acting
rpon them. As he phrased 1t. he "knew
how to size man up" and as the EN-
plOyer OF multitudes OF men In all
parts Of the country and In all sorts of
capacities he had daily need Of the
skill he had acquired in that art. 1t
was rs much part Of his equipment
for .i' conduct Of his vast and varied
enterprise as was his money capital
itself
When young Duncan presented him
self In the private Office after his
nights rigil as Waterman Captain
Hallam asked him to sit Captain Hal
lam had been impressed by this new
conner. and he wanted to talk with
him.
He broke at once into catechism.
WHY did You do ..!at htile fire cy-
In nj shinD act llst ui,r'fI'