The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-11-23
XVI.
How Gordon Changed Attack.

but he felt no fatigue, and he
laughed from the pure joy Of liv.
ing, for his dream seemed coming true.
Meanwhile there were strenuous hap
penings in Omar. The story spread
that O'Neil vas broke. The workers
demanded their money. With all avail
able funds exhausted and n crisis at
hand Dan and Eliza contributed $4,000,
their life savings, and checked Il walk
out The following morning there was
great JOY at the receipt Of a Cablegram
announcing that O'Neil and Ills had
formed IA working agreement. Natalie,
who had been sent by Gordon to Omar
to watch developments, returned with
the news Of O'Neil's latest secret alli-
ance, whereat Gordon declared that
O'Neil had the luck of the devil"
O'Nei's return to Omar was tri-
umphal. All his lieutenants gathered
to meet him ut the pier, and the SINGER
ity OF their welcome stirred him deeply.
His arrangements with His had taken
time; he had been delayed at Seattle by
bridge details and the placing Of steel
l. Ilu W " htN S"llJIy anu
with such absorption that he had paid
little heed to the rumOrs of Gordon's
latest activities. or the new venture,
which his own success had inspired he
knew only the bare outline. He had
learned enough, however, to arouse his
curiosity, and as soon as the first con
fusion Of his arrival at the front was
over he ask for news.
Haven't you read the papersT" in
quired Happy Tom. He had attached
himself to O'Neil at the m Of his
stepping ashore, and now followed him
to headquarters with an air Of melan-
choly satisfaction In mere physical
earne to his chief.
Barely O'Neil confessed. "Tve
been working twenty hours a day get
ting that steel under motion"
DR.. Gray said with conviction: Cor
he's crooked"
II think it's right lucky" declared
Tom. Hes smarter than us, and If
he wasn't handicapped by a total lack
Of decency he'd beat U.S."
after the storm" explained Gray,
he moved back to Hope, and we
thought he'd made his last bow, but
In some way he got the idea that the
trust was back Of u.s."
$50 l judged from the little l read"
"Well, we didn't undeceive him, Of
course. His first move was an attack
through the press in the shape Of a
broadside against the Heidlemanns. 1t
fairly took u breaths. 1t appeared
In the Cortez Courier and all over the
states, we hear-a letter of defiance to
Herman Heidlemann. 1t declared that
he 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
defles-the old story. But the mar
can write. That article caused a STIR
II saw It"
Naturally the Cortez people ate 1t
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 logica
point of entry to the interior Of Alasks
and ought to have all the traffic. HI
fred their luminosity toward the trus'
and accused US Of basely selling out Il
It. Then he preached a project t.
build, by local subscription. a narrow
gauge electric line from Cortez, utiliz
ing the waterfalls for power. Thu
idea caught on and went like wildfre
The people cheered themselves hoarst
and pledged him over 100000 tina
night. Since then they have subscrib
ed as much more, and the town Il
crazy. Work has actually begun. and
they hope to reach the lrst summit by
ChristmaA."
Slater broke IN: Hes a spellbinder
Ill right He made me hate the Hell
dlemanns and detest myself for fiv,
minutes. / wasn't even ~ I liked
you. Murray" u