Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-08-04
CHAPTER TX
The Speedway

1t was in the days after he had
found on his desk a long envelope in
closing a certificate for a thousand
shares of stock in the Niquoia Electric
Power, Lighting and Traction company
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 more affectionate
title of the Little Big Boss"
At the envelope-opening moment.
however. he was threatened with an
attack of heart failure. 1t was scarce
ly believable. But hastily sought IN
terview with the company's president
cleared the air of all the Incredible
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 a good, reliable government
brake. It's going to be your business
to see to 1t 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 1t; as an official kicker on
the outside. you couldn't feaze us a
particle. What? You'd put us out of
business? Not much, you wouldn't;
we'd play politics with you and get a
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.
iliary damn"
ION 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 1t 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-
plishment that was almost magical
had become the Metropolitan order OF
the day. Plans conceived overnight
1eaped to their expositions in things
done as II the determination to do
then 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 can't go to
work Monday. The labor market is
empty, and I'm taking it for granted
that you're not going to stampede my
shovelers and concrete men,"
"Oh. no." concluded the city builder.
I'VE sha'n't do that. You'll admit-in
your capacity OF government watch
dog-that we have played fair in that
game. We have imported every work.
man we've needed, and we shall i'm
port more. That's one thing none of
us can afford to do-bull the labor
market. And ii won't be necessary;
we have a trainload Of Italians and
Bulgarians on the way to Quesado to.
day, and they ought to be here by
Monday"
you are a wonder, Mr.. Cartwright, /"
was Brouillard's tribute to the worker
of modern miracles, and he went his
way to ride to the upper end of the
valley for the exploring purpose.
On the Monday, as President Cort
wright had so confidently predicted
the train load of laborers had marched
in over the War Arrow trail and the
work on the auxiliary power dam was
begun. On the Tuesday q small army
of linemen arrived 10 set the poles
and to string the wires for the light
ing of the town. On the Wednesday
there were fresh accessions to the
army of builders, and the freighters on
the Quesado trail reported a steady
stream of artisans pouring in to rush
the city-making.
On the Thursday the grading and
paving of Chigringo avenue was be-
gun, and, true to his promise, Mr.. Cort.
wright was leaving a right Of way in
the street for the future trolley
tracks. And 1t was during this event
ful week that the distant thunder OF
the dynamite brought the welcome
tidings Of the pushing of the railroad