Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-07-23
CHAPTER I.
Arrow and Fire.

between the Missouri and the Sierra
Nevadas, except for Denver, Salt Lake
City, and a few mining camps, was a
trackless, forestless desolation known
only to Indian, coyote, and venture
some emigrant. Yet two men under
the golden wing of the government
planted a line of lonely posts, and
linked them with a chain of stage
coaches. Over this t~reacherous way
sped daily messages, men and treas
ure; sped, and arrived-if frost and
Indians permitted.
Late on an autumn afternoon the
Overland Mail was toiling sunward up
a western rampant of the Rocky noun
tains. Two passengers were on the
box with the driver. The center man,
booked as Alfred Vincent, was slight,
fair, and, to the superficial eye, young
to b%oyishness. His air Of n bred
to the best of city refinements con-
trasted sharply with his fellow-trav-
eler, who had been introduced as Mr..
Phineas Cadwallader, though the
driver afterwards called him BLOW
hard Cad" which nickname he vindi-
Gated by a constant stream of gossip.
But an astute observer would have
seen that he was trying to penetrate
the reserve, the slight mystery that
surrounded his fe~llow-traveler.
Yet whatever the mystery, Alfred
Vincent was now. posting westward
with a letter in his pocket signed by
Coils P. Huntington, and directed to
Leland Stanford, governor of Cali
fornia, and president of the Central
Pacific Railroad company. Alfred paid
slight heed to the others. His impa-
tient imagination winged him far from
present inaction, over mountain n
desert, to the far west, to unguessed
conflicts of the future.
Holy Mackinaw! Only fools would
think of building a railroad through
this God-forsaken country"
The caustic sentence reused Alfred
from his reverie; and Phineas noted
that railroad was the magic word
that broke the spell. The driver, Will
liam Dodge, better known as Uncle
Billy" readjusted his quid of comfort,
spat with precision, and touched up a
tagging leader with the tip of his rod
long whiplash. well, I'm not taking
the chances of calling Gove'no' Stan
ford a fool"
"Of course he amt. He don't intend
to build any railroad, either. Not over
the Sierras, anyway. He's got a bet
ter thing Phineas' sidewise look dill
gently sought a rift in Alfred's mask.
"Meaning?" Uncle Billy questioned.
"That Dutch Flat Swindle. Those
C. P. fellers have their wagon road
built over the Sierras, and"
How in blazes can they build a rail
road, Cad, without a wagon road!
Don't they have to feed their advance
construction camps? And won't they
have t o do it for years, while they
cut their miles of tunnels?
ooh, they'll put their railroad
through to Dutch Flat maybe; but
from there on they'll go it by mules;
take all the toll they can get from the
$12, 900, 900 f~reightage Nevada pays
every year to the transportation com
panies. The G. P. people want a bite
of Louis McLane's pie. that's all"
They're going to get it, you bet!'
The driver smiled; yet his low, leisure
" words seemed q fiat.
mot by a joyful" Phineas lifted
his voice and pounded the air; ant
Alfred detected the sham note, thu
bid for effect. what do you suppose
we are doing along the line? Why
San Francisco merchants can sit II
their Offices and sell to all California
to Nevada, Idaho and southern Ore
gon. at any price they choose to name
And McLane and all the other trans
portation folks can haul the goods a
their own figures; they won't even lie
the towns have post offices becaus
they like to carry letters at half a do
lar apiece. San Francisco bays full Q
ships, and the mountains are full G
gold; and we're getting it going bot
ways. out and in"
Eyes, yo're taking too much" tn
driver replied. "Yo're killing W
gold-egg goose"
Phineas' smile was unpleasant. "Ol
no! She's hearty yet. And we won
divvy up the eggs, either, with thos
seven by-nine shopkeepers in-that mu'
hole they call Sacramento. Do 20
n we'll let them make a fishinl
pond of the bay, and a winter waite
ing-place of San Francisco? Not o
your gold toothpick!"
Uncle Billy's eye flashed its fri
hint of resentment. "Stanford's wor'
enemy wouldn't think Of calling hi
seven-by-nine; and / reckon Californ1
yoters'll have something to say. i
lands got right smart influence wit
them"
"Yes. They voted both state ar
city bonds, didn't they, Mr.. Dodge
Vincent asked, joining the conyers
ton at last.
ooh, call me Uncle Billy" said Il
driver. tits so long since anyo1
called me Dodge, I need an introdu
ton to the name"
"You bet Stanford's got infiuen'
with the voters" Phjneas broke in b
fore Uncle Billy came to Vincent
question. But San Francisco brail
and dollars can beat voters any tim
Did any of our citizens subscribe (
stock? The rabble voted bonds for I
but have the supervisors issued the
yet? You bet not!"
II should think Gov. Stanford cou
compel; the laws with him, isn't it
Alfred asked, with a languid air tn