Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-02-02
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ed that it was too big for him to
ultimatum to that effect he accepted
and bought them out. The plan was
his own, but he sent down to the
States for competent engineers to car
ry it out. In the Rinkabilly water
shed, eighty miles away, he built his
reservoir. and for eighty miles the
huge wooden conduit carried the wa
ter across country to Ophir. Esti-
mated at three millions, the reservoir
and conduit cost nearer four. Nor
did he stop with this. Electric power
plants were installed, and his work
ings were lighted as well as run by
electricity. Other sourdoughs, who
had struck 1t rich in excess of all
their dreams. shook their heads gloom
lily, warned him that he would go
broke, and declined to invest in so ex-
travagant q venture. But Daylight
smiled. and sold out the remainder OF
his town-site holdings. He sold at the
right time, at the height of the placer
boom. When he prophesied to his old
cronies, in the Moosehorn Saloon. that
within five years town lots in Dawson
could not be given away. while the
cabins would be chopped upofor fire.
wood. he was laughed at roundly, and
assured that the mother-lode would
be found ere that time. But he went
ahead, when his need for lumber was
finished, selling out his sawmilis as
well. Likewise. he began to get rid
of his scattered holdings on the vari.
GUS creeks, and without thanks to any
one he finished his conduit, built his
dredges. imported his machinery. and
made the gold of Ophir Immediately
accessible. And he. who five years
before had crossed over the divide
from Indian River and threaded the
silent wilderness. his dogs packing In
dian fashion. himself living Indian
fashion on straight moose meat. now
heard the hoarse whistles calling his
hundreds OF laborers to work. and
watched them toll under the white
glare of the arc-lamps.
But having done the thing. he was
ready to depart. And when he let the
word go out. the Guggenhammers
We'd with the English concerns and
with a new French company in bid
ding for Ophir and all its plant. The
Guggenhammers bid highest, and the
price they paid netted Daylight a clean
million. 1t was current rumor that he
was worth anywhere from twenty to
thirty millions. But he alone knew
just how he stood. and that, with his
last claim sold and the table swept
clean of his winnings, he had ridden
his hunch to the tune of Just tritie
over eleven millions.
HIS departure was a thing that
passed into the history of the Yukon
along with his other deeds. All the
Yukon was his guest, Dawson the
seat of the festivity. On that one
last night no man;s dust save his own
was good Drinks were not to be pur-
chased. Every saloon ran open. with
extra relays of exhausted bartenders.
and the drinks were given away.
man who refused this hospitality. and
persisted in paying. found dozen
fights on his hands. The veriest
chechaquos rose up to defend the
name of Daylight from such insult.
And through 1t ALL on moccasined feet.
moved Daylight. hell-roaring Burning
Daylight. overspilling with good ma
ture and camaraderie. bowling his he
wolf howl and claiming the night as
his. bending mems arms down on the
bars, performing feats OF strength. his
bronzed face flushed with drink. his
black eyes flashing. clad in overalls
and blanket coat. his ear-fiaps dang
ing and his gauntleted mittens swing.
ing from the cord across the should
ers. But this time 1t was neither an
ante nor stake that he threw away.
but a mere marker in the game that
he who held so many markers would
not miss.