Evening star., 1914-01-11

any delay might prove fatal to Port Hatch; he must
do the best he could. He Strengthened himself wished
that he younger and had the fighting vgor that had
been his thirty before and waited mpatiently for
the door to open.
He did know that behind it at that very moment
the board of directors chucklng and laughing
quietly the possibility of getting about everything
that Port Hatch had to give because it palpably
dealing with business weaking
Seattle is too big to offer very much," declared
one man. Wed get its share of the business, anyway,
by branch down here
"Yes, assented Carleton again referring to file of
letters before him. "al they offer is right of way into
the union passenger station and suggest that they can
assist purchasing ground for yards away up on the
made land
But Seattle is already highly important city," OBJ
jected another, "and can't afford ignore it
"We don't objected Thornton. "Only we build up
city OF at much less cost II make this Port
Hatch our ocean terminal.
FOR full ten minutes they conferred over what they
would ask, and then Carleton again stepped to the
door and invited the Colonel who was in nervous
state bordering the hdgets into the ROOM Again the
Colonel took the chair that rendered. and again
Thornton adjusted his glasses and coolly read from
slip Of paper
would you consider this proposition, Colonel" he
asked suavely: First that get free OF such
lands deem necessary for swchyards of the mag
nltude that great transcontnenta railway would re-
quire?7
The Colonel was about to say yes but the chairman
continued before he had chance
Secondly that get all the waterfront necessary
for docks OF reasonable for such enterprise also
free of cost to us?
Thirdly that we be given the exclusive right of
franchise for all street railways?
"Fourthly that be given in perpetuity free of
from the citys supply and that the city furnish
free electric lights for yards?
And filthy, that the city OF Port Hatch build for
model railway station that shall cost not less than
hundred thousand dollars? think that is ALL he
cuded looking at the Colonel whose hands had tight
ened themselves the OF his chair until the skin
covering his knuckles drawn white, like parchment
The Colonels spirits had scale each demand
extortonate though it was, had been read Certainly
he would let them have the ground for the yards vau
able though it was because there was lots OF land left
back up the mountansde Then the ground for the
docks, the most valuable in Port Hatch, easy
deed away, and would be gladly given That far the
scale rapidly upward. Street railway franchises
WELL he wasn't certain about that 1t seemed to him
that Burmah had once said they might some day be
worth great deal, and moreover he didn't think Hub
bard would approve Of streetcar line down Main St.
but he supposed that too would have to go, although
reluctantly. Then the terrifying demand that
station be built to less than hundred thousand
dollars. Where earth could he get such a
that? He sorry that he had freely spent all
the thousands that had easy-from where only
Burnah knew.
AS he sat staring figure in the carpet, with the
members of the board watching him in eXpectant ST.
ence he knew that he could promise all things; but
that Burmah would have show him the way. And if
Burrnah could not, then he, Colonel Alonzo Fairfax
Hatch, would have promised something that he could
give, impossible occurrence in his code of con-
duct. Without Burmahs advice and assistance he
dared not risk giving such word. And, worst of ALL
he thought in his ignorance, these sitting there in
the room might in the meantime render decision in
favor of Seattle. 1t all very distressing; but he
unfalterngly faced the issue.
Gentlemen he said Il dare not say yes to all your