Middletown transcript., 1914-09-26
CHAPTER VI-contInued.


to me. have never been able to fig
ure out just exactly what he is"
THAT is obvious, Bob. You wouldn't
be living here if you had Maybe
can show you. l want to put you on
the inside where you will be looking
out, instead Of always on the outside
looking in. Now, the United. Construc
ton company makes the sacrifice OF
paying you something every week.
doesn't it?"
yes, but hope they don't look al
1t in that light"
How much do you get?"
Twenty-Five dollars"
Whats your position?"
I'm a chemist at the head of their
testing department. Not very impor
tant, is it?"
ITO you and me now," Brand an.
swered quickly, "it's very important.
Your company has the contract for the
Pecos River dam job, hasn't it?"
"Yes."
ut also contemplates other conser,
walton work both in Pennsylvania and
the West, with good chance of get
ting it."
II believe that's right"
"This Pecos job is a big contract? ?"
"One of the biggest we ever had" !"
Il suppose one of the most impor.
tant things you do is to test the ce.
ment as to its solidifying quality"
yes, that's my work. l have an as.
sistant who looks after the steel. The
cement is the most important part OF
the job"
How close can you approximate the
endurance of cement?"
It's part of my duty to know the
difference in grades. For instance, the
ordinary Portland that is put up in
most work ought to hold tight hun.
dred years. There is closer process
OF refinement that would extend the
life another fifty years"
Exactly. Now, it's that closer
process of refinement that want to
talk to you about" Brand crossed
the room and stood facing Reynolds.
He took out a paper. Here are the
specifications Of the Pecos job. l am
furnishing the cement"
"Yes?"
"Yes, I'm the Hudson Cement com
pany. We have this contract, Bob
and this closer refinement of the ce.
ment you were speaking of is called
for in the specifications. Now, on this
Job alone, it will mean an extra ex.
pense to us of something like two
hundred thousand dollars. It's very
problematical in my mind whether
that same extra expense will increase
the life Of the cement five years. no
matter how you chemist boys figure
and potter. Anyway, it won't be over
twenty-five years. l don't know who
got up these specifications, but in my
mind he is pretty much of a d-n
fool. Now for the kick-off. Here's nv
chance to give you and your wife that
big boost-make you both financially
independent, wipe out that college OBJ
legation, and, at the same time, helu
myself"
That's kind Of you. It'll make her
very happy"
Brand concealed a smile. CAS- | told
you," he continued, that closer proc.
ess of refinement is called Tor in the
specifications, but-Bob = what we
want is to have the tests go through
on our regular cement-the ordinary
grade-the same we sell everybody. II
you save that two hundred thousand
dollars for me l think fair division
Of that saving is to give you forty
thousand dollars"
"But there's the government inspet;
tori" said Reynolds. I'm only under
him"
Don't you worry about anybody but
yourself want to help you, but I'm
a business man and there'n be nc
loose ends"
'But it's stealing"
mo, it's business"
''If l did that, I'd be thief"
Bob, thief is nasty word, and it's
used altogether too carelessly these
days. Now, I'm not here to teach any
moral lessons or anything like that, but
are you doing any harm in accepting
this? No, you're doing what any sue
cessful business man would do. You're
taking chance Of making forty thou
sand dollars. And why? Because you're
cheating the people? No. Because
the dam will fall down? Certainly not
The dam will last a hundred years
Now, lot Of public improvements are
put up to last one hundred years, and
you know their history. They're gen
orally torn down in twenty. And this
particular dam is not half big enough
for the requirements. The chances
are it will be rebuilt in less thar
twenty-five years. It's case of penny
wise and pound foolish so far as the
appropriation goes, and you know it. .
But tell you it's graft"
No, it's taking advantage Of the
foolish and incompetent specifications
made for this Job. Why, it's not even
sharp practise. It's making money on
another mans mistake. It's picking
up the loose ends Of business deal
and putting them in your pocket, and
believe me, it's the loose ends that
have made the American millionaire. .
lis that the secret2"