The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-23


 Boys said he earnestly, "this is the most wonderful town that has ever been! There has been nothing like it in the past, and there will never be anything like it again. After had sold out my papers went wandering across the Plaza with my hands in my pockets Next the E1 Dorad AAthere is hole in the ground. It isn't much of a hole, and the edges are all caving in because it is sands. While I was look ing at ft two men came along. One was the owner of the hole, and the other said he was a lawyer. The own CT offered to rent the hole to the law yer for $25O month, and the lawyer was inclined to take him up. After they had gone on paced off the hole just for fun. Itwas twelve feet square by about six feet deep. Then walked on, down toward the water front and talked with all the storekeepers. They do a queer business. All these goods we see around came out here on con signment- The local storekeepers have a greater or lesser share and sell main 1y on commission Since they haven't any adequate storehouses and can't get any put up again. they sell the stuff mainly at auction and get rid of it as quickly as possible That's why some things are so cheap they can make pavements of them when ship hap pens to come in loaded with one arti- cIe. I talked with some of them and told them they ought to warehouse a lot of this stuff so as to keep it over until the market steadied. They agreed with that, but pointed out that they were putting up warehouses as fast as they could, which wasn't very fast, and in the meantime the rains and dust were destroying their goodsl It was cheaper to sell at auction
 "And q heap more exciting" put in Johnny. q went to one of them"
 stWell, wandered down to the shore and looked out over the bay It was full of shipping, riding high at anchor. hnd an idea. I hired a boat for $5 and roWed out to some of the ships. 1 Believe me or not, most of them were empty, not even a watchman aboard. l I found some/of the captains, however. and talked with each of them They all told the same story.''
 ssCrew skipped to the mines, I sup l pose, said Tank.
 Exactly. And they couldn't get any more. So I offered to hire a few of l them
 s.The captains?'' I inquired 1 ssNo; the ships.','
 ~The whatY' we yelled in chorus. 'sThe ships
 .'But if the captains can't get l crews'-
 eAh, I don't want to sail them, g went on Talbot impatient1y 'It was hard work getting them to agree. They all cherished notions they could get crews and go sailing some more-good old salts! But I hired four at last. l Had to take them for only month, however, and, had to pay them in ad- l vance five hundred apiece"
 q beg your pardon,' said Johnny ] softly. flor interrupting your pleasing I I do not know whether I quite heard it right
 "Oh, shut up. Johnnyy' said Yank ssLet the man fell his story. Of course he didn't have the money in his pock. ct. How did you get it, Ta1?''
 Ward shot him a grateful glance.
 q told them Ed pay them at o'clock which gave me plenty of time"
 1.-TWO thousand dollars - oh, o1 courser' murmured Johnny.
 "So then, continued Talbot, "I bus tied ashore and went to see some o1 my merchant friends. In two hours had contracts with twelve of then that totaled $6,00Q."
 AWhy didn't some of them go ou and hire ships on their own account?' asked Tank shrewdly.
 Because 1 didn't mention the wort ship until I had their business sait