The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1913-10-14
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up. Others might be slipping away
every second. Who was going to lead
the financing? Lloyd? Wittersteiner?
How would the money be raised--in
the open market? What would the
capitalization be--the bond issue?
Others than the small fry brokers
were busy that night The great
control of the sea traffic ahead for a
tremendous disaster if the great plan
should prove feasible. The heads of
this great combine were among the
few excluded from the conference,
omitted from Lloyd's invitation list.
With their friends and allies they
We're deep in a council of war, laying
shrewd plans to grease the wheels or
international politics so that they
would operate against the tunnel
Rives found the elderly financier in
secluded corner of the smoking
room, where a window commanded a
view of the Jersey hills and the air
ships winking and flashing against
the sky, and the occasional upward
leaping shafts of light that guided
them across the Alleghenies on the
line for New York.
After Mr. Wittersteiner had hos
pitably seen to the wants of his guest
as to liquid and nicotine refreshment
he nodded to disordered profusion
of kilograms scattered on the little
table among the bottles and cigarette
boxes
your friend, Mr.. Allan" he OBJ
served, with a quaint smile, has not
let any grass grow under his feet.
Rives feigned a puzzlement that
was not all real
I'm what way. Mr.. Wittersteinery
The old man chuckled. Il have
been getting some information from
some Of my European agents about
his activities In the real estate field.
RIvEs SURPRISED
Rives could hardly conceal his en-
barrassment why, surely, Mr.. Wit
tersteiner-" he began. but the old
man interrupted him with q gesture
tut, tut. You need not defend
hint was perfectly obvious, but it
is the obvious that the small man
overlooks. 1t augurs we'll for the sue
cess of the man plan that the man at
the head of 1t is prompt and clear
headed"
II am glad you feel that way about
IT," said Rives, with some relief.
you are interested?" Mr.. Witter-
steiner smiled broadly.
"A few millions" confessed the
other, with laugh. Il never should
have thought about 1t. but am being
kidnapped into slave labor, and Allan
let me in as a balm to ruffied ease.
Mr.. Wittersteiner nodded approx
ingiy That is good. He is a gifted
man, Mr.. Allan, a far seeing man.
He will go far. But" he added,
gravely, 81 hope not too far"
How do you mean?" asked Rives
quickly.
why. it was very shrewd of him
to select for the entrance sites deserts
and waste places where the land could
be had for a song, but it would not
do to try that same principle with the
stock of the company-it would not
do for him. I hope he will remember
that older and more responsible heads
are concerned.
II am sure that Allan has no idea
of anything but that Mr.. Lloyd and
his allies shall conduct the financing
In their own way with the proper
safeguards for himself"
A BIGGER GAME
THAT is right" approved Mr.. Whit
tersteiner. THE profits from this real
estate transaction will not be incon-
siderable, but at the same time you
must not forget that it is only trifie
Ia side show. No matter how great
the profits are, it Is simply the work
of real estate operator. But, as
say, it speaks well for him ] am glad
that he is not merely an engineer.
You have known him longy"
Ever since our college days
HE is of wealthy family?"
Not by long shotr' declared
Rives with energy. He worked in
coal mine when he was II years old
and was the only man in the mine
with brains enough to find way out
when most of 1t caved in. That
brought him to some prominence in
the news, and wealthy old woman
in Chicago undertook his education.
He told me that watching the drums
hauling cages UP and down the shafts
gave him his first taste for engineer
ing. Then he went to work for the
electrical people and developed allan
lite. i helped him to finance it and
that gave him a moderate fortune.