The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-12-15
"Why, 1t .Do,ud dro.cn us, -

sue Dy Slde perpendicular to and on
the upstream side of the horses. The
weight of the water clamped them in
place. Big rocks and gravel shoveled
on In quantity prevented the lower
ends from rising. The wide slant of
the legs directed the pressure so far
downward that the horses were pre-
vented from floating away. and slowly
the bulk Of the water. thus raised q
good three feet above it's former level
turned aside into the new channel and
poured out to inundate the black ash
swamp beyond.
A good volume still poured down to
the fall, but 1t was so far reduced that
work became possible
Nov. boys!' cried Orde. Lively
while we've got the CHANGER!
The twenty-six foot logs were placed
side by side. slanting from point two
feet below the rim of the fall to the
ledge below. They were bolted to-
gether top and bottom through the
four holes bored for that purpose. The
task finished. they pried the flash
boards from the improvised dam.
piled them neatly beyond reach Of
high water. rescued the sawhorses and
piled them also for possible future
use and blocked the temporary chan
mel. The river, restored to its fmme-
mortal channel by these men who had
so nonchalantly turned 1t aside, roared
on. Orde and his crew tramped back
to the falls and gazed on their handi-
work with satisfaction. Instead of
plunging over an edge into q turmoil
of foam and eddies. now the water
flowed smoothly. almost without a
break. over an incline of thirty de.
grees.
Logs IL slip over that slick as a
gun BARREL" said Tom North.
Quite cheerfully they took up their
long, painstaking journey back down
the river.
The trail led the crew through many
minor labors. all of which consumed
time. At Reeds mill Orde entered into
diplomatic negotiations with old man
Reed. whom he found singularly
amenable. The skirmish in the spring
seemed to have taken all the fight out
of him. or perhaps, more simply. Orde's
attitude toward him at that time had
won him over to the young mans side
Orde's crew built new sluiceway
and gate far enough down to assure !,
good head in the pond above.
In September the crew had worked
down as far as Redding. leaving be
hind them river harnessed for their
uses. Remained still the forty miles
between Redding and the lake. Orde
here paid off his men. A few days
work with pile driver would fence
| the principal shoals from the channel
He stayed overnight with his par.
ents and took the train for Monrovia
to meet Newmark.
"Hello. joel" greeted Orde. his teeth
flashing in contrast to the tan of his
face. I'm done. Anything new since
you wrote last?"
Newmark had acquired his articles
Of Incorporation and sold his stock
Perhaps his task had in it as much OF
difficulty as Orde's tanning of the river
Certainly he carried it to as successful
conclusion. The bulk Of the stool
he sold to log owners. Some blocks
even went to Chicago. His own little
fortune Of twenty thousand he paid il
Tor the shares that represented his hall
Of the majority retained by himself
and Orde. The latter gave note a
10 per cent for his proportion of thu
stock. Newmark then borrowed fif
teen thousand more, giving as security
a mortgage on the company's newly
acquired property-the tugs. booms
buildings and real estate. Thus wa.
the financing determined. 1t left th,
company with obligations Of $500 {
year in interest. expenses which would
run heavily into the thousands and al
obligation to make good outside stool
worth at par exactly $4,000. In addi
ton Orde had charged against his &C
count a burden of $1,000 year inter
est on his personal debt. To offse
these liabilities, outside the river i'm
proyements and equipments, whicl
would hold little or no value in case O
failure. the firm held contracts to de
liver about 10O,OOO.OOO feet Of logs
After some discussion the partners de
cided to allow themselves $500 apiec,
by way Of salary.
1.-THE only point that is at all risk,
to me-" said Newmark, sis that w,
have only one season contracts. If TO
any reason we hang up the drive O
fail to deliver promptly we're goin.
to get left the year following. and thel
it's b-u-s-t-bust."
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