Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-03-11
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THE LOMBARD STREET
DEPOSIT

safe in the middle of the hall, an
where are the clerks to sit? I suppos
he will have clerks? Why, man, h
won't have a minutes peace"
Mr., Speeding smiled grimIy.
He will have all the peace h
wants" he said.
5 And the vaulsa--I should hav
thought that vaults would be the yer,
thing you wanted for this" He tappe,
the corner of the sheet where was in
scrihed decorously: Plan for the cree
ton of a new safe deposit"
There is the safe" said Mr.. Sped
ding, and smiled again.
This William SPEEDING, now unhap
PLY no longer with nS-he died sudden
ly, as l will relate-was q large, smooth
man with a III manner. He smoked
good cigars, the ends Of which ht
shipped off with a gold cigar-cutter
and his smile came readily, as from g
man who has no fault to find with life
TO continue the possibly unnecessary
details, | may add further that whilst
tenders were requested for the erection
or the new safe deposit, the provision
OF the advertisement that the lowest
tender would not necessarily be accept
ed was justified by the fact that the
offer Of Potharn & Holloway was APP
proved, and it Ia an open secret that
their tender was the highest of all.
M client requires the very best
work; he desires a building that will
stand Shocks" Mr.. Speeding shot a
swift glance at the contractor. who sat
at the other side Of the desk. Some
thing that a footing little dynamite
explosion would not scatter to the four
winds"
The contractor nodded.
You have read the specifications"
the solicitor went on-he was cutting
a new cigar, land in regard to the ped
estal-ah-the pedestal. you know"
He stopped and looked at the con-
tractor.
1T seems all very clear" said the
great builder. He ook a bundle of pa
pers from an open bag by his side and
read, The foundation to be of con-
crete TO he depth of 20 feet The
pedestal TO be alternate layers OF dressed
granite and steel in the center a
steel-lined compartment, 10 inches by S.
and half the depth of the pedestal it
self"
The solicitor inclined his head.
That pedestal is to be the most i'm
portant thing In the whole structure.
The steel-lined recess-I don't know
the technical phrase-which one of
these days your men will have to fiji
In, is the second most important: but
the safe hat Is to stand so feet above
the floor of the building is TO be-but
the safe is arranged for"
An army of workmen, II the hack
neyed phrase be permitted, descended
upon Lombard street and pulled down
the old buildings. They pulled them
down and broke them down, and lev
cred them down, and Lombard street
grew gray with dust. The interiors
of quaint old rooms with grimy oak
pane'ing were indecently exposed to
a passing public. Clumsy, earthly carts
blocked Lombard street, and by night
fiaring Wells lights reared amidst the
chaos.
And Iare-armed men sweated and
delved by night and by day; and one
morning Mr.. SPEEDING stood In a driz-
zle of rain, with a silk umbrella over
his head. n expressed, on behalf OF
his chent his Intense Sat.action al
the progress made. He stood on a slip
perry plank that formed a narrow road,
n wOrkmen, reused to unusual ac-
tivity by the presence of THE Firm
Mr. Spedding's cicerone-moved to and
fro al a feverish rate OF speed.
They don't mind the rain" said the
lawyer. sticking out his hin in the di
rection OF the toiling gangs.
1.-THE Firm" shook his head.
Extra pay" he said kaconicalIy
I'VE provided for that in the tender
he hastened to add in Justification OF
his munifcence.
So in rain and sunshine, by day anc
by night. the new safe deposit came
into existence.
Once-it vas during a night shift, 9
brougham drove up the deserted cit,
street, and a footman helped from thu
dark interior of the carriage q shiver
ing old man with a white, drawn face
He showed a written order to the fore
man, and was allowed inside the un
painted gate OF the works
He walked ~gingeriy amidst IN,
debris OF construction. asked ne
questions, made no replies L
the explanations OF the bewildered fore
man. who wondered what fa% scinatioi
there was in a building job to brinl
an old man from his bed at 8 O'Clock
IN a chill spring morning.
Only once the old man spoke.
Where will that there pedestal be !?
ne asked I'm a harsh. cracked cockne,
voice; and when the foreman pointe,
out the spot. and the men even thei
busiIy filling In the foundation, the oil,
mans lips curled back in an ugly sniil
that showed teeth too white and reg
ular 20. a man of his age. He sal
no more, hut pulled the collar OF hi
fur Goa. the tighter about his leaf
neck ard walked wear:iy back to hi
carriage.
The building saw Mr.. S~pcdding's eli
emf no more--if, indeed. IL was MI
Speddings client. So far as 10 .:nowr
he did not again visit Lombard stree
before its completion--even when tn
last pane or glass had been fixed In tn
high gilded dome. when the last sla
OF marble had been placed In the ornat
walls OF the great hall. even when tn
solicitor came and stood in silent con
temptation before the great grant
pedestal that rose amidst a scaffoldin
! Of slim steel glrdsrs supporting a stair