The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-06-03


I'm the matter of management"
Breed smiled and looked at Phillip
at have larger work for him." he said
"Largerw exclaimed Rollins. scar
there be anything bigger than to com
bine a quarter of n million miles OF
railroad, every foot OF transportation
highway In the United States. under
one economic head, eliminating graft
and waste and putting them all upon
working basis of legitimate profit
and public safety?"
Breed waved his hand. ''Much
larger" said he. ''This is only an in
cident. l wish you would tell me just
what reforms you propose instituting
Mr.. Rollins"
"First of ALL" said Rollins earnestly.
treasured. 81 would secure for every
through line 100 pound open hearth
steel rails. made in new mills from
larger ingots. with the cones of i'm
purity cast entirely aside and the com
pact residue kneaded into proper con-
sistency by an entirely new system
OF rolls. There are other things that
need to be done-the establishment of
perfect block systems. of automatic
, brakes and other accident preventing
devices and the abolition of grade
crossings-but the main matter of
public safety rests in perfect rails.
! Ten years ago l tried to fight this
proposition, and l nearly succeeded.
The Tallahassee Iron and Coal com
pany offered to make open hearth rails
TO my specifications. The Unified
Steel corporation found that to control
the stock of the Tallahassee Iron and
Coal company was much cheaper and
more profitable than TO spend the
needed millions in re-equipping their
plant"
"Your first step, then, suppose.
would be to begin fight on the Uni
fed Steel corporation" observed Breed
"That. in a nutshell, is our problem"
declared Rollins.
"Your problem Is already solved. Mr..
Rollins" said Kelvin. with a smile.
"Mr. Breeds control of the railroads
has left the Unified Steel corporation
high and dry. Moreover. we have Sc
cured entire control of the Iroquois
Iron range. and, no matter what the
Unified Steel corporation does. we shall
set up our own rolling mills and make
rails by our own process from our
own ore"
But the program will be left entire
ly to your own discretion" interrupted
Breed. You shall have a contract
for one year, renewable for ten years
If your preliminary steps meet with
my approval"
"Allow me 10 understand" said Rol-
Inns. I'm that year am to be abso-
lutely without interference in any
way?"
with two EXCEPTIONS" replied
Breed. 81 want a private rebate on
all shipments of bread or cereal stuffs.
Next, here is list of names. These
men are not TO be employed in any
capacity nor benefited in any way"
Rollins looked over the list and
smiled. "There isn't a man here
whom I would lift a finger to save
There is not n man I'm that list but has
had an interest in car company,
coupler company, brake company. n
locomotive tire company or some other
manufacturing concern which furnish
ed supplies to his own railroad at
enormous prices. There is to be no
graft In the new construction"
Certainly not" agreed Breed.
'"rhese roads must be conducted for
legitimate profit and public safety. If
there is any graft / want it myself.
and / am content to take dividends
for mine. For one year you are the
absolute dictator of the largest en-
pire I'm the world-the combined rail-
roads OF the United States"
From his desk he took contract.
confined TO one sheet of paper. which
he handed TO Rollins.
That gentleman took the paper, read
IL over and caught his breath. ut is
n generous salary" he admitted. "more
generous than / should have dared to
ask for"
Huh! l am saving money on It."
declared Breed. ITS only a portion
of thousand fancy salaries that ex-
pect you to stop at once"
Rollins nodded his head in compre-
hension. 81 will take great pleasure
I'm stopping a few of them"
Kelvin conducted Rollins TO room.
next to his own, that had been fitted
with n commodious desk and all that
should 60 with II. Rollins sat upon
the desk and looked about him smil- |
ingly.
looks fairly complete. doesn't Il?
Did you have hand I'm this?"
mo" said Kelvin. puzzled and |
piqued as well. at has been arrang-
ed for long time, think. Mr.. Breed |
has probably been planning to make |
Forest Lakes the capital of New York |
city"
perhaps the capital OF the United
States" retorted Rollins, smiling I'm |
answer 10 the jest "Who knows?
He has n good start. He has paid a
lot of attention to detail too. Every
thing is complete now except for Sec
rotary" and idly he touched one OF the
row of buttons along the right hand
edge of his desk, the one marked
Secretary"
Instantly the door Of the adjoining
room opened, and a sober faced and
looking young man. rud-