The Redwood gazette., 1909-12-29

let you re merely river driving Oh
a salary at thirty
Orde flushed slowly and shifted his
position.
'I'm not asking all this out of idle
curiosity. I've got scheme in my
head that l think may work out big
for us both"
.'Well.' assented Orde reservedly, Gin
that case-I'm foreman on this drive
because my outfit went kerplunk two
years ago, and I'm making a fresh go
at it,
'Failed?" inquired Newmark.
partner skedaddled," replied Orde.
"Now, suppose you tell me what the
devil you're driving at"
'Look here" said Newmark, abrupt
ly changing the subject, you know
that rapids up river flanked by shall
lows. where the logs are always going
aground?"
81 do"
s'Well, why wouldn't it help to put
string of piers down both sides, with
booms between them to hold the logs
in the deeper water?"
'It would" said Orde.
"Why isn't it done, then?"
"Who would do it? countered Orde.
"If DAILY did it. for instance, then all
the rest of the drivers would get the
advantage of it for nothing"
sect them to pay their share"
Orde grinned. "Id like to see you
get any three men to agree to any
thing on this river"
"How many firms drive logs on this
stream?"
''Ten," replied Orde without hesita-
ton.
"How many do they employ?'
"About 500 men,"
SNOW suppose '-Newmark leaned
fOrward-"SuppOse frm should be
organized to drive all the logs on the
river Suppose it improved the river
with piers and dams, so that the driv-
| ing would be easier Couldn't it drive
with less than 500 men and save mon
ey?"
'Tt might" agreed Orde.
"If such firm should be organized
to drive the logs for these ten firms at
so much thousand do you suppose it
would get the business?"
''It would depend on the driving
6rm." said Orde. You see. mill men
have gor to have their logs. They
| can't afford to take chances. It would
not pay"
Then that's all right" agreed New
mark. with CLEAN of satisfaction
across his thin face. Would you
form partnership with me having
such an object in view?''
Orde laughed.
Il guess you don't realize the situa-
tion," said he. Wed have to have a
| few little things like distributing
booms and tugs and a lot of tools and
supplies and works of various kinds"
well, we'd get them.' s
"How much are you worth?" Orde
inquired bluntly.
Twenty thousand dollars. Low
much capital would we havSsfo have?'
asked Newmark.
Orde thought for several minutes.
1--WE would need somewhere near
$75,00O." he estimated at last.
That's easy" cried Newmark
well make stock company-say
100000 shares. Well keep just enough
between us to control the company
! say $1,000. I'll put in my pile. and you
can pay for yours out of the earnings
! of the company"
THAT doesn't sound fair"
You pay interest" explained New
mark. 'Then we'll sell the rest of the
stock TO raise the rest of the money"
Il must have something to live on
said Orde thoughtfully at last.
80 must l." said Newmark. well
have to pay ourselves salaries, of
course, but the smaller the better at
| first. You'll have to take charge of the
men and the work and all the rest of
it. / don't know anything about that.
I'll attend to the incorporating and the
routine. and I'll try to place the stock.
You'll have to see first of all whether
you can get contracts from the logging
firms to drive the logs"
HOW cstH tel WudC 10 charge
them?"
We'll have to figure that very close
/ ly. You know where these different
drives would start from and how long
| each Of them would take?"
''Oh. yesv'
"Well, then we'll figure how many
days driving there Is for each. and
how many men there are, and what it
costs for wages, grub. tools. Well just
have to figure as near as we can to the
actual cost and then add a margin for
profit and for interest on our invest
ment.'
Amanda now announced dinner.
Newmark looked puzzled and as he
arose glanced surreptitiously at his
watch. Orde seemed to take the sum-
mons as one to be expected, however.
/ In fact. the strange hour was the
usual Sunday custom in the Redding
Of that day and had to do with the
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