The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-05-13

Breed smiled and looked at Phillip.
Fl have larger work for him." he said.
"Largerl" exclaimed Rollins. Can
there be anything bigger than to COM
bine a quarter Of 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. ] wish you would tell me just
what reforms you propose instituting,
Mr.. Rollins"
"First OF ALL" said Rollins earnestly,
Heassured. ~ 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 a 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 aud other accident preventing
devices and the abolition of grade
crossings-but the main matter of
public safety rests in perfect rails.
Ten years ago tried to fight this
proposition. and ! 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-cquipping their
plant"
"Your first step, then. I suppose.
would be TO begin fight on the Unit
fed Steel corporation" observed Breed.
'"rhat. in a nutshell, is our problem"
declared Rollins.
"Your problem is already solved. Mr..
Rollins" said Kelvin. with 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 Orc"
"But the program will be left entire.
ly to your own discretion" interrupted
Breed. You shall have n contract
for one year. renewable for ten years
If your preliminary steps meet with
my approval"
"Allow me to understand" said Rol-
fins. ''In that year ! am to be abso-
lutely without interference in any
way?"
with two exceptions" replied
Breed, ~ want Il private rebate on
all shipments Of hrend or cereal stuffs.
Next, here is list of names. These
men are not to be employed in any
cnpnclty nor benefited in any way"
Rollins looked over the list and
smiled There isn't man here
whom would lift finger to save.
had an interest In car company. n
coupler company. n brake company. n
locomotive tire company or some other
manufacturing concern which furnish.
ed supplies to his own railroad ut
enormous prices. There is to be no
graft in the new construction"
Certainly not" agreed Breed.
''These roads must be conducted for
legitimate profit md public safety. If
and am content to take dividends
for mine. For one year yon are the
absolute dictator Of the largest en-
pire in the world--the combined rail-
roads OF the United States"
From his desk he took n contract,
confined to one sheet of paper, which
he handed to Rollins.
That gentleman took the paper. read
It over and caught his breath. ut is
a generous salary" he admitted. more
generous than l should have dared to
ask for"
"Huh am saving money on It,"
declared Breed Its only portion
Of thousand fancy salaries that ex-
pect you to stop Mt once"
Rollins nodded his head in compre-
hension. II will take great pleasure
in stopping few Of them"
Kelvin conducted Rollins to a room,
next to his own. that had been fitted
with a commodious desk and all that
should 80 with 1t. Rollins sat upon
the desk and looked about him smil-
ingly.
"I1ooks fairly complete. doesn't It?
Did you have hand in this?"
"No," said Kelvin. puzzled and
piqucd as well. ut has been arrang-
ed for long time. I 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 in
answer to the jest. WHO knows2
He has n good start. He has paid a
lot Of attention to detail too. Every
thing is complete now except for sec.
retary." and idly he touched one Of the
row Of buttons along the right hand