The San Francisco call., 1908-10-11
CHAPTER VII
Hammer and Tongs

l was raining dismally the evening
of the following day when Ford saw
from his Pullman window the dull
sky glow of the metropolis of the
middle west. 1t had been a dispiriting
day throughout. When q man has
flung himself at his best into a long
battle which ends finally in unqualified.
loss, the heavens are as brass. and the
future is apt to reflect only the pale
light of the past failure.
IL was after the train had entered
the suburbs OF Chicago that blue
coated messenger boy came through
the Pullman, with the car conductor
for his guide. Ford saw himself pointed
out, and moment later was reading
a telegram, with tumult, not of the
drumming car wheels, roaring in his
ears.
Had talk with my sister and made
up my mind to see you through-if 1
don't get tired and quit. as usual Secure
options on that short road stock quick.
and wire me care McV. & NJ Funds
to your credit in Algonquin National.
chicago Another directors meeting
today, and things look a little less
chaotic. Answer. ADAIR."
For some time Ford could only read
and reread the exciting telegram,
scarcely trusting the evidence of his
senses. That the coldly Indifferent
members of the p. S-W board with
man like President Colbrith at their
head. could be swung into line in the
short space Of a single day by a young
fellow who seemed to be little more
than spoiled son of fortune was
blankly incredible.
But he was not long in realizing
that the cherished scheme for which
he had studied and struggled was ac-
tually beginning to stagger to its feet;
or in reaching the equally stirring con-
clusion that his part in the suddenly
reopened game called instantly for
shrewd blows and the swiftest possible
action.
The stock holders in the three local
roads which were to be united to
bridge the Chicago Missouri river gap
were scattered all over the middle
west To secure the necessary op-
tions on working majorities of the
stock would be a task for a financial
diplomat, and one who could break the
haste making record. by being in a
dozen different places at one and the
same moment Moreover, secrecy be-
came prime factor in the problem
II the opposition, and particularly the
Transcontinental people, should get
wind of the move, it would take Is
millions TO do the work of five, as
Banker Magnus had intimated.
notwithstanding the thickly mar
shaled obstacles, Ford had his plan of
campaign pretty well thought out by
the time his train was slowing into
the union station. Before going to
New York he had painstakingly 10
Gated" the required holdings of the
three stocks. Some of them were in
Chicago. but the greater number OF the
men to be bargained with were local
capitalists living in the smaller cities
along the lines of the three short rail-
roads,
In his bag was a carefully compiled
list Of these stock holders, with their
addresses and the amounts of their re-
spective holdings. At the worst. he
concluded, IT should mean nothing
more formidable than deal of quick
travelling, some anxious bargaining
perhaps. and a little finesse to keep his
object in securing the options safely
in the background.
This was how 1t appeared in the
prospect; and the young engineer had
yet to learn that the securing of op-
tions is a trade by itself-a trade by
no means to be caught up in passing,
even by the most gifted tyros.
Hence, it was extremely fortunate
for this particular tyro-more fortu-
nate than he could possibly know
at the moment = that his tele-
phone message sent from the first
telephone he could reach after his
train stopped in the union station
caught Kenneth at the Green Bag
club. 1t was a mere chance that he
knew that Kenneth, the senior member
Of the firm of attorneys having gem
eral oversight of the Pacific South
westerns legal department, was at the
moment in Chicago; a chance hanging
upon the fact that he had met Kenneth
as he was passing through on his way
eastward. But IT was not by chance
that the first familiar face he saw
on entering the rotunda of the Grand
Pacific hotel was that of Kenneth. The
sight was merely the logical result of
Ford's urgent request telephoned to
the lawyers club.
by Jove, Kenneth; this comes with
in two inches of being miracle!-my