The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-05-05
CHAPTER TX
The Speedway

1t was in the days after he had
found on his desk long envelope in
closing a certificate for thousand
shares of stock in the Niquoia Electric
PoweS, 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 it that the reclamation sery-
ice gets exactly what it's 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 1t.
AS an officer of the power company,
you can do It; 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"
We'll" said the inheritor OF sudden
wealth, still matching the promoters s
mood, you won't get me fired now,
that's one comfort. When will you
want my expert opinion on your aux
iliary DAMP"
ION our dam, you mean. oh, any
time soon: say tomorrow or Friday
or Saturday, II that hurries you too
much. We sha'nt want to go to work
on it 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 Mirapolitan order of
The day. Plans conceived overnight
leaped TO their expositions in things
done as if the determination to do
them 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 ii for granted
that you're not going to stampede my
shovelers and concrete men,"
"Oh. no" concluded the city builder,
1--WE 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 it 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. Cortwright," +"
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 a small army
Of linemen arrived 10 set the poles