Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-07-20

IN some way he got the idea that the
trust was back of u.s."
80 1 judged from the little L read"
well, we didn't undeceive him, Of
course. His first nov was an attack
through the press in the shape Of a
broadSide against the HeidlemannS. 1t
fairly took u breaths. 1t appeared
in the Cortcz Courier and all over the
states, we hear-a letter Of defiance to
Herman Heidlemann. It declared that
the trust was up to its old tricks here
in Alaska-had gobbled the copper;
had the coal tied up under secret agree
ments and was trying to get posses
sion of all the coast range passes and
detiles-the old story. But the man
can write. That article caused a STIR
II saw it."
Naturally the Cortez people ate it
up. They're sore at the trust for leav-
ing their town and at us for building
Omar. Then Gordon called a mass
meeting, and some of us went up to
watch the fireworks. I've never seen
anything quite like that meeting.
Every man, woman and child in the.
city was there, and they Kissed us
when we came in. Gordon knew what
; he was about, and he was in fine voice.
He told them Cortez was the logical
point of entry to the interior Of Alaska
and ought to have all the traffic. He
fired their animosity toward the trust
and accused us of basely selling out to
it. Then he preached a project to
build, by local subscription, a narrow
gauge electric line from Cortez. utiliz-
ing the waterfalls for power. The
idea caught on and went like wildfire.
The people cheered themselves hoarse
and pledged him over 100000 that
night. Since then they have subscrib-
ed as much more, and the town is
crazy. Work has actually begun. and
they hope to reach the first summit by
Christmas"
Slater broke in: Hes a s%pellbinder.
all right. He made me hate the Hell
dlemanns and detest myself for five
minutes. 1 wasn't ever sure I liked
you, Murray"
y a WIN SSllCl1lS. VI COulSC, COl-
tinued the doctor, "but he's putting it
owe The town council has granted
him a n%inety-nine year lease covering
every street. The roadbed is started.
and things are booming. Lots have
been staked all yer the flats. property
values are somersaulting, everybody is
out of his head. and Gordon is a god.
All he does is organize new companies.
He has bought a sawmill. a wharf, a
machine shop. acres Of real estate. He
has started a bank and a new hotel.
He has consolidated the barber shops,
and he talks about roofing in the
streets with glass and making the
town a series Of arcades."
Slater half smiled-evidence Of a con-
vulsive mirth within.
They've picked out a site for a uni
versity!!' he said bitterly. "Cortez is
going to be a seat Of learning and Gull
ture. They're planning a park and a
place for an Alaskan worlds fair and
a museum and a library. I've always
wondered who starts public libraries
it's nuts But I didn't s'pose more
than one or two people got foolish that
way"
O'Neil o found that the accounts
he had received Of Gordon's last at
tempt to recoIp his fortunes were in
no way exaggerated. Cortez, long the
%plaything of the railroad builders, had
been ripe for his touch. 1t rose in it's
wounded civic pride and greeted his
appeal with frantic delight.
Gordon perfectly understood that
something more than vague accusa-
tons were necessary to bring the pub
lie to his support in sufficient numbers
to sweep him on to victory, and with
this in mind he laid crafty plans to
seize the Heidlemann grade. The trust
had ceased active work on it's old
right Of way and moved to Kyak, to be
sure, but it had not abandoned it's
original route and, in fact, had main
tanned a small crew at the first defile
outside Of Cortez, known as Beaver
Canyon. Gordon reasoned shrewdly
that a struggle between the agents of
the trust and the patriotic citizens Of
the town would afford him precisely
the advertising he needed and give
point to his charge of unfair play
against the Heidlemanns.
1t was not difficult to incite his vic
Tins to this act Of robbery. On the
contrary, one he had made the sug-
gestion, he had hard work to restrain
them until he had completed his prep
arations. These preparations were
simple. They consisted in writing and
mailing to every newspaper of conse-
quence a highly colored account of the
railroad struggle. These m~imeograph-
ed stories were posted from Seattle in
time for them to reach their destina-
lions on the date set for the seizure
of the. grade.
1t OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES move,
rthyrof'a'theatrlcalpres agent, and
it succeeded beyond the promoters
fondest expectations-too well. in fact,