Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-16


charter boats and 60 down to quarantine
to meet the Government agent before he
landed.
But they missed their quarry. Before
they could get aboard a large private steam
yacht swung alongside, and word was sent
to the agent by the Captain that he had
orders to take the Government representa-
tive ashore on the private yacht. This
would save him time, trouble, and annoy
ance. The Russian was greatly fattered by
this piece of attention and readily trans
ferred himself and his baggage to the pala-
tial craft.
The yacht steamed off; but not toward
the city. 1t headed down the bay and
through the Narrows; but the Government
official did not notice this, for he was enjoy
ing himself in the cabin, where a bountiful
repast was spread for him. He did not know
his host; but from the lavish display and the
beauty of the yacht he took it for granted
that he was one of Americas leading fnan-
cierS and citizens.
1t was a clear case of legal kidnapping.
The yacht had been chartered for day by
the ambitious agent of one of the steel COM
panies, who believed that if he could get the
Russian off by himself for few hours he
could land most of the big order. He wined
and dined the Russian until he was in the
proper mood for business, and then they
talked of the steel trade for three straight
hours. At the close of it the Russian
thanked his host for saving him from the
"sharks" in the business. and closed con-
tract for material which made even the eyes
of the enterprising steel agent bulge with
surprise.
Then the yacht changed it's course and
sailed up to the city, which it reached shortly
after dusk. The Russian was taken up to
his hotel, where swarm of anxious business
man and agents were waiting to see him.
But to their disgust his mission to the coun-
try was practically finished. A dozen enter
tanned him and took him out to see their
steel plants; but the Russian did not buy
Whether or not he had any suspicion that
the sharks in the trade were not so bad as
they had been described to him, the story
does not tell; but he always remained fast
friend of his kidnapping host. who in after
years became one of the leading steel and
iron magnates.
Sorry for His Bargain
A COMPANY on the tidefats of Maryland
was engaged in selling sand and gravel
for construction purposes, and to simplify
the cost of hauling it built a narrow gage
track mile or more long from the shipping
point to the gravel beds. Business was good
for a few years, and they kept extending
their tracks until they had total length OF
over five miles. Then hard times came and
the business went all to pieces, until the COM
pany stood on the brink of bankruptcy.
About all the assets visible were five miles of
narrow gage tracks, some dinky old loco
motives, and hundred fiat cars for hauling
sand.
The president of the concern was shrewd
old man, and after spending most of his for
tune to build up the enterprise he decided
that something had to be done out of the
ordinary. He was good salesman and a
good organizer. He had the charter amended,
which gave the company the right to trans
port passengers and freight. In other words,
his institution was reorganized into rail-
road and transportation company.
Then he came to New York. He didn't
expect to get the pocket railroad listed on
the Stock Exchange; but he was looking for
purchaser. 1t was about the time few
sharp railroad financiers were greediy buy
ing up every little railroad thew could find