The San Francisco call., 1908-10-25


cuss word"
It was week after the successful
placing Of the western extension build
ing fund bonds with the Dutch syndi-
cate, and Ford, having ordered things
10 his liking on the newly opened Chi
cago hne had taken the long step
westward to Denver to begin the forg-
ing Of the third link in the great rail-
way chain.
trisbie, now first assistant engineer
in charge OF construction, had come
down from Saints Rest for confer
ence with his chief. and the place of
conferrings was a quiet corner in one
Of the balconies overlooking the vast
rotunda Of the Brown Palace hotel. this
because the carpenters were still busy
In the suite Of rooms set apart for the
Offices Of the assistant to the president
in the Pacific Southwestern headquar-
ters downtown
You mean that the time is too
short?" said Ford. speaking to Fris-
bie's emphatic objection.
Too short at both ends" contended
the little man with the devilish mus
taches and chin beard. The Copah
mining district is 120 miles as the crow
flies from the summit of Plug pass
say 40 by the line Of our survey down
the Pannikin, through the canyon and
up to the town. Giving you full credit
for more getting ready than 1 sup
posed any man could compass in the
three weeks you've been at it, I still
think it is impossible for US to reach
Copah this season"
You must change your belief, Dick"
was the curt rejoinder. This is to be
a campaign, not only Of possibilities,
but Of things done. We go into Copah
with the steel gangs before snow flies"
L know; that's what you've been
saying all along. But you're looking
at the thing by and large, and I'm
figuring on the flinty details. For ex-
ample: You'll admit that we can't
work to any advantage west Of the
mountains until we have made stand
ard gauge out OF the Plug mountain
branch. How much time have you
been allowing for that?'
NO tine at all for the delay: about
three weeks. maybe. for the actual
changing OF the gauge" said Ford
coolly.
"All right" laughed Frisbie. only
you'll show US how. 1t doesn't lie in
the back OF my head-or in Crapsey's,
unless he's a better man than 1 hired
him for"
who is Crapsey?"
He is a Purdue man that I picked
UP and started out on the branch to
make figures on the change of gauge.
The other three parties. under Major
Benson, Jack Benson and Roy Brissac.
are setting the grade stakes down the
Pannikin, and Leckhard is wrestling
with the construction material you've
been dumping in upon US at Saints
Rcst That left me short, and hired
Crapsey."
Good. II he is capable he may do
the broadening. Call him in and set
him at it,"
But man. Don't you want the fig
ures hrst?"
Ny dear Dick! I've had those fig
ures for two years. and there's nothing
very complicated about that part of
our problem. Gail your man in and
let him attack the thing itself"
Everything goes; you may consider
him recalled. But broadening the Plug
mountain to standard gauge doesn't put
US into Copah this summer. does it?'
NO; our necessities will do that for
US. See here; let me show you" Ford
took out his note book and on a
blank page Of it outlined a rough map,
talking as he sketched. Three weeks
ago you wired ne that the Transcon-
tinental people were massing building
material at the terminus OF their
Saguache branch"
so I did," said Frisbie.
And the day before yesterday you
wired again to say that 1T was appar-
emily a false alarm. What made you
change your mind?"
They are hauling the stuff away
over to their Green Butte line, I'm
told"
why are they hauling ii away2'
'.The blun-their bluff-was called.
We had got busy on Plug pass. and
they saw there was no hope of cutting
in ahead Of US at that point"
Exactly. Now look at this map for
a minute. Here is Saints Rest; here
is the Copah. district. and here is
Green Butte, the junction Of their mar
row gauge with the standard gauge
salt Lake and Eastern. If you were
on the Transcontinental executive
committee and saw an active compel
ing line about to build standard
gauge railroad through the Copah dis
trict and on to a connection with your
narrow gauges outlet at Green Butte,
what would you adviser"
Frisbie nodded. IT'S easy, when you
know how, isn't it. They'll standardize
their narrow gauge TO Green Butte,
make an ironclad traffic contract with
"a