The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1916-03-09
CHAPTER TX
The Speedway

IL was IN the days after he hal
found on his desk long envelope in
closing certificate for a THOUSAND
shares Of stock in the Niquoa Electric
Power, Lighting and Traction compan,
that Brouillard began to lose his nick
name of "Hell's-Fire" among his work
men. with the promise of attaining, In
due time. to the mere affectionate
title OF the Little Big Boss"
At the envelope-opening moment
however. he was threatened with an
attack OF heart failure II was scarce
~ believable. But hastily sought In.
terview with the companys president
cleared the air of all the incredibili.
ties.
Why, my dear Brouillard! what in
Sam Hill do you take us for?" was the
genial retort when the young engineer
had made his deprecatory protest.
did you think we were going to cut
the melon and hand you out piece of
the rind? Not SO. my dear boy; we
are not built on any such narrow-gauge
lines. That's what we are willing to
pay for good. reliable government
to see to II that the reclamation serv-
ice gets exactly what its contract calls
for. kilowatt for kilowatt"
I'D do that, anyhow. as chief of con-
struction on the dam"
You mean you would try to do It.
AS an officer of the power company
you can do it; as an official kicker on
dpff
particle. What? You'd put US out OF
business? Not much, you wouldn't; |
we'd play politics with you and get
man for your job who wouldn't kick"
Well" said the inheritor of sudden
wealth still matching the promoters
mood. you won't get me fired now.
that's one comfort When will you
want my expert opinion on your aux
Hilary damn"
"On our dam, you mean. Oh, any
time soon; say tomorrow or Friday
or Saturday. IL that hurries you too
much. We sha'n't want to go to work
on IL before Monday"
Being himself an exponent OF the
modern theory that the way to do
things is to do them now, Brouillard
accepted the hurry order without com
ment. Celebrity, swiftness of accom-
piishment that was almost magical.
had become the Metropolitan order OF
the day. Plans conceived overnight
leaped to their expositions in things
done as II the determination to do
them had been all that was necessary
to their realization.
"You shall have the report tomor-
row." said the newly created consult
ing engineer, but you cant go to
work Monday. The labor market is =
empty. and I'm taking II for granted
hat you're not going to stampede my \,
'hovelers and concrete men," :,
'Oh, no" concluded the city builder.
we sha'n't do that. You'll admit--in .
our capacity OF government watch
log-that we have played fair In that
anne We have imported every work =
nan we've needed, and we shall i'm !.
'ort more. That's one thing none OF ~
10 can AFFORD to do-bull the labor y
market. And II won't be necessary:
We have trainload OF Italians and ~
'ulgarians on the way to Quesado to- "
ay, and they ought to be here by a'
ionday" na
You are wonder, Mr.. Cartwright" u
'as Brouillard's tribute to the worker ga
I modern miracles, and he went his ov
ray to ride to the upper end OF the WI
alley for the exploring purpose. MI
On the Monday. as President Cort- 81
right had so confidently predicted. '"
he train load of laborers had marched ~
! over the War Arrow trail and the 90
ork on the auxiliary power dam was ="
egun On the Tuesday a small army -.
linemen arrived 10 set the poles 10
nd to string the wires for the light ~
IL of the town. On the Wednesday
,ere were fresh accessions to the -
my OF builders, and the freighters on 0io
10 Quesado trail reported a steady e'
ream of artisans pouring in to rush
lie city-making. "
On the Thursday the grading and :,
aving Of Chigringo avenue was be- 81,
In. and, true to his promise, Mr.. Cort- o.,
right was leaving a right of way in Oh,
lie street for the future trolley .
acks And it was during this event
Il week that the distant thunder of e'i'
Ie dynamite brought the welcome 70
dings of the pushing of the railroad .ai
'ade over the mountain barrier. Also ~"
but this was an item of minor inn ~ ~,
ortance-it was on the Saturday of ou
rs week that the second tier of forms -
as erected on the great dam and the
ripped first section of the massive ~
'ay foot-wall OF concrete raised itself -
mute but eloquent protest against 80
Ie feverish activities OF the miracle e
orkers. II the protest were threat, 81 81
was far removed. Many things 81, a.,
light happen before the gray wall ~.
lould rise high enough to cast it's ~
IaGow, and the shadow of the coming ~.
i'd, over the miraculous city of the 81
ain. yo'
!, - p,.,,s frit
is thought into words on the Sunday "a.
hen he and Grislow were looking ~