The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1913-12-11

WniCu 10 Huitt TIE Sduie.
, 1t seemed queer that Hanford shout
wind up In the bridge business hin
self after drifting through several III
satisfactory positions. but that tire
months of application at the Atlantis
plant came In handy. after all. and h
fually took a desk IN the office of tn,
Patterson Bridge company. He work
ed hard. he was good salesman. anl
In time he was promoted. BY and by
the story was forgotten by every on,
except Henry Hanford Bit be had
lost some precious years.
When II became known that the
English aud continental structural
shops were so full of work that they
could not figure on the mammoth
$5.000000 steel bridge designed 10
| span the Barrata river In Africa and
when the royal commission finally
advertised from London that time was
the essence OF this contract. MIR. Jack
son Wylie. Sr.. realized that his plant
was in magnificent shape to handle the
job with great profit and renown to
the Wylie name. He sent his son. or
Jackson Wylle 1.-THE second" as he
was known since he had become q
partner. TO London armed with the
strongest sort of letters TO almost ev-
erybody in England from almost ev-
erybody In America.
Two weeks later-the Patterson
Bridge company was not so aggressive
as It's more pretentious rival-Henry
Hanford went abroad on the same
mission. but Hanford carried no letters
Of Introduction, principally because he
had no pull.
Jackson Wyle the second had been
to London frequently. SO he found
things there much to his liking. He
had friends with headquarters at
Princes and Romano's who were de-
lighted to entertain so prominent an
American. His letters gave him entree
to the clubs and paved his way So
cially wherever he chose to go.
1t was Hanford's first trip. He ar
rived with nothing but grip full of
blue prints and no destination outside
Of the parliament buildings. where he
counted upon finding the Barrata
bridge commission eagerly awaiting
lis estimates. Instead he failed not
'nly TO find the commission, but any
'ody who knew anything about 1t. He
lid locate the offices finally to discover
ress. He was informed that the COM
mission had convened once and hence
vas not entirely an imaginative body,
nd on one visit TO the office he dis /;
overed that Sir Thomas Drummond.
ne chairman, was inside. but his clerk.
nth whom Hanford had become ac- [
informed him that Mr.. Jack 1
On Wylie the second from America was {
oseted with his lordship. who could
Of be disturbed. When Hanford got t
In touch with the situa-
on he soon saw that introductions, )
,quaintance and social influence b
ould go further toward landing the q
arrata bridge than mere engineering b
,ility or natural capacity. 1t also be- /,
me plain during his early visits that Il
e work would OF necessity go to Il
merica. inasmuch as no European
op was prepared to complete 1t on 81
ne. o,
Owing to government needs this y
ge eleven span structure must be on a.
e ground within ninety days from "
e date of the contract and erected ~
,ht months thereafter. The commits
ms clerk. a big. red faced. jovial
low. informed Hanford that price 81
is not nearly so essential as time of u
livery, and. while the contract gilt GU
ed with alluring bonuses and was tn
avily weighted with forfeits, neither OF
muses. nor forfeltures could compen-
e for delay 10 time. Hence it was ex
II the commissioners looked askance Ut
prospective bidders who might in I'll
= way fail to complete the task as cif
Gifted.
And that's why Wylie gets the CALL
!" Hanford observed
l understand be has the highest be
erences," the Englishman said. to
Um-m! Well inasmuch as | can't wi
ange an interview with any men,
of the commission. suppose you
go to lunch" gel
he clerk accepted. and thereafter bel
two saw much OF each other. This ad'
ow. Lowe by name. interested Han bee
!. He was cosmopolte. widely
relied. daredevil chap with a cold "
and firm chin, combining gen
nge mixture of recklessness, mod :
and liberality of morals. He had tel.
med the far places. had fought In gre
ar or two and had led hopes quite he'll
orlorn as the one Hanford was now Lot
aged upon. II was this. perhaps. Bar
drew the two together. II
spite of loves help, however. maj
ford found IL difficult to obtain doc
real inside information concerning fell
Barrata bridge. He even expert mir
d difficulty In securing the blue e
Is he wanted. was
looks pretty tough" Lowe told two
one day. I'm afraid you're go -
to come a cropper. This chap wy the
las the rail. and he's running WELL heal
has opened an office, believe" 81
o | understand. Well. the race can
over yet, and I'm good slayer Low
is the biggest thing | ever tao &c
and II means a lot to me-more I've
you imagine" II