Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-12-20

couple OF weeks! asked Orue.
Il caught Johnson's drive and went
on down river with him TO the lake.
do not like the life at all. but the drive
interested me. 1t interested me so
much that I've come back to talk to
you about it. I'm going to ask you
few questions about yourself"
"Oh, I'm not bashful about my ca
reerr' laughed Orde.
How old are you?" inquired New
mark abruptly.
Thirty"
How long have you been log driv-
ing?"
About six years."
"Why did you go into it?"
Because there's nothing ahead OF
shoveling but dirt" Orde replied, with
a quaint grin.
"Hsee," said Newmark after pause.
'"Then you think there's more future
to that sort of thing than the sort of
thing the rest of your friends go in
for-law and wholesale groceries and
! banking and the rest Of ft?'
There is for me-" replied Orde SIM
ply.
"Yet you're merely river driving on
a salary at thirty"
Orde flushed slowly and shifted his
position.
I'm not asking all this out Of idle
curiosity. I've got a scheme in my
head that think may work out big
for US BOTH
well" assented Orde reservedly, Gin
that case-Pm foreman on this drive
because my outfit went kerplunk two
years ago, and I'm making fresh go
at it,
"Failed?' inquired Newmark.
Partner skedaddled." replied Orde.
Now, suppose you tell me what the
devil you're driving att
Look here" said Newmark, abrupt
~ changing the subject. you know
that rapids up river fanked by shall
lows. where the logs are always going
aground"
II do"
''WelI, 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.
off DAILY did it, for instance, then all
the rest of the drivers would get the
advantage of it for nothing"
'Get them to pay their share"
Orde grinned- I'D 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 employr
about 500 men,"
Now, suppose" leaned
forward-"suppose a firm 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 1t drive
with less than 500 men and save mon
eyY'
at might" agreed Orde.
eff such a firm should be organized
to drive the logs for these ten firms at
so much a thousand. do you suppose it
would get the business?"
"It would depend on the driving
firm" said Orde. you see. mill men
have got to have their logs. They
can't afford to take chances. 1t would
not pay"
Then that's all right" agreed New
mark. with CLEAN of satisfaction
across his thin face. would you
form a partnership with me having
such an object in view?"
Orde laughed.
Il guess you don't realize the situa-
ton" 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"
How much are you worth?" Orde
inquired bluntly.
Twenty thousand dollars. How
much capital would we have to have?'
asked Newmark.
Orde thought for several minutes.
eve would need somewhere near
SIS, 1000" he estimated at last.\
That's easy" cried Newmark
'We'Il make a stock company-say
100000 shares. Wen keep Just enough
between US to control the company
say 81 900. 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"
81 must have something to live on
said Orde thoughtfully at last
$50 must u said Newmark Wen
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 can ! tell what to charge
them?
horo - 4c~1,ro &I&,k 1884, 1Ioe.