Bisbee daily review., 1916-01-07


 Prove is the right word" agreed the stockily built man who had evi- dently been addressing the vestry. He was acutely conscious of the presence of Gail, as they all were. Your rec tor suggests that this is a matter of fifty million dollars to begin the erec- tion of cathedral; but I came here to talk business. and that only. Grant ing you the full normal appreciation of your Vedder Court property. and the. normal increase of your aggregate rentals, you cannot. have. at the end of ten years, penny over forty-two millions. 1 am prepared to offer you, in cash, sum which will, at three and a half per cent, and in ten years. produce that exact amount. To this I add two million
 How much did you allow for in- crease in the value of the property ?" asked Nicholas Van Ploon, whose only knowledge for several generations had been centered on this one question. The original Van Ploon had bought vast tract of Manhattan for a dollar an acre, and, by that stroke of tower ing genius, had placed the family of Van Ploon, for all eternity, beyond the necessity of thought.
 For answer, Allison passed him the envelope upon which he had been fig uring, checking of an item as he did so. He noticed that Calls lips twitched with suppressed mirth. She turned abruptly to look back at the striking transept window, and the three vestrymen in the rear pew i'm mediately sat straighter. Willis Gun ningham, who was a bachelor, hastily smoothed his Vandyke. He was so rich, by inheritance. that money meant nothing to him.
 Not enough" grunted Van Ploor, handing back the envelope and twist ing again in the general direction of Gail
 Ample" retorted Allison. You can't count anything for the buildings. While don't deny that they yield the richest income of any property in the city, they are the most decrepit tenements in New York They'll fall down in less than ten years. You have them propped up now" Jim Sargent glanced solicitously at Gail, but she did not seem to be bored; not particle,
 They are passed by the building inspector annually" pompously stated W. T. Chisholm, his mutton chops turning pink from the reckoning of the skin beneath. He had spent a lifetime in resenting indignities be. fore they reached him.
 Building inspectors change" insin- uated Allison Politics is very uncer- tain"
 Four indignant vestrymen jerked forward to answer that insult.
 "Gentlemen, this is a vestry meet ing" sternly reproved the Rev. Smith Boyd, advancing a step. and seeming to feel the need of gavel. His rich, deep barytone explained why he was rector of the richest church in the world
 Calls eyes were dancing, but other wise she was demureness itself as she studied. in turns, the members of the richest vestry in the world, She esti- mated that eight of the gentlemen then present were almost close ena,gh to the anger line to swear. They nIm- bered just eight. and they were most interesting! And this was a vestry meetingi
 ''The topic of debate was money, I, believe" suggested Rufus Manning, rescuing his sense of humor from somewhere in lis beard. He was the infidel member. Suppose we return to it. Is Allison's offer worth consid- ering?"
 "Why7" inquired the nasal voice of clean-shaven old Joseph G. Cook, who was sarcastic in money matters. The Standard Cereal company had attained its colossal dimensions through re- bates; and he had invented the de- 'ASO. AhC Ohiy ACacOA NOu oCA tO Allison would be that we could get more money than by the normal re- turn from our investment"
 I've allowed two million for the profit of Market Square church in dealing with me-" stated Allison, again proffering the envelope which no one made move to take. ''I will not pay a dollar more"
 w. T. Chisholm was suddenly re- minded that the vestry had a moral obligation in the matter under discus sion. He was president of the Majes- tic Trust company. and never forgot that fact
 ITO what use would you devote the property of Market Square church?" be gravely asked.
 "The erection of a terminal station for all the municipal transportation in New York" answered Allison; sub ways, elevateds. surface cars, traction lines! The proposition should have the hearty cooperation of every citi- zen"
 Simple little idea, wasn't it? Gail had fo think succaSsively to cOmDre-