Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-02-24

balance. for the outlook was very
gloomy. He did not wish to make his
remarks in the form of Il personal IT,
rade, but he did feel it necessary to
point out that the downfall and ulti-
mate ruination of their company was
due, not to mismanagemept. but to
political manipulation.
Let me tell you the truth" he
shouted. I've have with us today.
at this very meeting, a MAI Of tremen-
dous power and influence; q politician
OF national rcnoWn; one who is at this
moment under the searching eye of
the law; an omnipotcnt friend and y
relentless foe, and this man has cho-
sen, for reasons of his own, to wreck,
and devastatc and turn to useless rust
the Ring City Street railway COM
pany."
Every eye was turned to Sledge, but
that omnipotcnt friend and relentless
foe, without moving a corpusclc, gaZed
straight ahead at nothing.
"He is no friend of the working
man." swore little Henry Peters.
AS if Infatuated by his impassive-
ness, Attorney Tucker, who was paid
by Sledge for the purpose, fguratively
ripped the big boss up the back, skin
ned him alive, hung UP his hide to dry,
and scattered his ashes to the winds.
painting him as IN Unsuitable monster,
and chiefly calling attention to his nab
its OF ruthless devastation. Wherever
the present street car company had Il
line the new one would have one on
an adjoining street, With newer and
better and swifter ears, and a closer
schedule, and unless something radical
were done he would not give q con-
tlnental cuss per bale for the stock Of
the now rapidly dying Ring City Street
Railway company.
a long low sigh. like the midnight
soughing in a churchyard. arose from
that meeting, as Attorney Tucker sat
down. Little Henry Peters, with a
livid face, clutchcd the arm of his
waffle necked neighbor.
IF that man had only come back
could have got thirty-fve for my
stock" he walled. Pm ruined. [
shall lose my home! Frank Marley is
Il rotten business man."
"4eh!" intoned the crooked nosed
one. They're all thieves"
Jim Delaney, who, With a clear eve
and a straight countenance, could make
louder speeches than any man in the
Eighth ward, painted even a blacker
picture than Attorney Tucker, and
when he sat down he had bankrupted
every stakeholder within the sound Of
his voice. 1t even seemed incredible
that a street car should still be whiz-
zing outside. Little Henry Peters sat
numbly, with his hair clutched in his
hands. II he could have snapped his
$4,000 worth Of street railway stock for
a jackknife with two broken blades his
conscience would have hurt him, and
every stakeholder was in his class,
Misery sat enthroned or every counte-
nance.
DAME B. Atkins, a rising young law
yer, with no capital but an empty con
science and q silver tongue, was the
first individual since Marley to offer a
CLEAN Of hope.
He admitted all that the preceding
gentlemen had said and believed, him.
self, that the company was reduced to
pauperlsm unless something radical
could be done. He had believed this
so thoroughly that he had lain awake
nights trying to evolve a plan for their
salvation.
He had evolved it-a scheme where
by the company could not only raise its
stock to par, but place it at a premium:
I whereby the company could become a
monopoly and extend it's business to
meet the growing demands Of the city
ana become again a I per cent divi-
dend concern, capable Of piling up
again a tremendous construction sur
plus. On his W responsibility he had
gone to the organizer Of the rival new
company and had labored with him for
hours to persuade him to come to this
; meeting and lay before it q rather nov
; Ell but life saving proposition. Would
the stockholders permit him to intro
duce the eminent promoter and organ
lZer, MI. Bozzam, who would present
his proposition in person?
The stockholders would. They said
, so, with SO yociferous and almost tear
full a clamor that President Marley
could scarcely make himself heard to
obtain a formal vote on the PROPOSE
ton.
Mr.. BoZzam entered, with his hair
not too smoothly brushed nor his
; clothes not so immaculate, but he look
ed ~businesslike and sat down quietly
in the seat ~courteously offered him by
President Marley. He was a wide
shouldered man, with a pleasant coun-
t%enance and a good forehead, who look
ed as if he had muscles under his coat,
and he was we'll liked by the con-
course. Little Henry Peters judged
that he was a keen business man. but
square and said sc.
"Wagh". nasaled the tow haired
neighbor. Il wouldn't trust anybody"
"How many shares of stock have