Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-22

ripped the big boss up the back, skin
ned him alive, hung up his hide to dry,
and scattered his ashes to the winds.
painting him as an Unsuitable monster.
and chiefly calling attention to his hab-
its of ruthless devastation. Wherever
the present street car company had
line the new one would have one ON
an adjoining street, with newer and
better and swifter cars, and a closer
schedule, and unless something radical
were done he would not give q con-
tinental cuss per bale for the stock Of
the now rapidly dying Ring City Street
Railway company.
A long low sigh, like the midnight
soughing in churchyard, arose from
that meeting. as Attorney Tucker sat
down. Little Henry Peters, with
livid face. clutched the arm of his
waffle necked neighbor.
IF that man had only come back
l could have got thirty-fve for my
stock!' he walled. I'm ruined. l
shall lose my home! Frank Marley Is
a rotten business man"
"Yeh" intoned the crooked nosed
one. They're all thieves"
Jim Delaney. who, with a clear eye
and a straight countenance, could make
louder speeches than any man in the
Eighth ward, painted even a blacker
picture than Attorney Tucker, and
when he SAT down he had bankrupted
every stakeholder within the sound of
his voice. 1t even seemed incredible
| that street car should still be whiz-
Zing outside. Little Henry Peters sat
! numbly. with his hair clutched in his
hands. If he could have snapped his
! $4,000 worth of street railway stock for
a jackknife with two broken blades his
/ conscience would have hurt him, and
! every stakeholder was in his class.
! Misery sat enthroned on every counte-
nance.
Daniel B. Atkins. rising young law
yer, with no capital but an empty con-
science and 4 silver tongue. was the
first individual since Marley to offer a
CLEAN of hope
! He admitted all that the preceding
gentlemen had said and believed. him
self, that the company was reduced tc
pauperism unless something radical
could be done. He had believed this
SO thoroughly that he had lain awake
nights trying to evolve plan for their
salvation.
He had evolved tia scheme where
by the company could not only raise its
stock to par, but place it at premium
| whereby the company could become a
monopoly and extend its business to
meet the growing demands of the city
/ and become again a Z per cent divi
dend concern, capable of piling Ut
again a tremendous construction sur
F.! plus. On his own responsibility he had
gone to the organizer of the rival new
company and had labored with him fol
! hours to persuade him to come to this
| meeting and lay before IT a rather nov
ell but life saving proposition. Would
the stockholders permit him to intro
duce the eminent promoter and organ
izer, Mr.. Bozzam, who would present
his proposition in person?
The stockholders would. They SAID
so, with so vociferous and almost tear
full a clamor that President Marley
could scarcely make himself heard te
obtain a formal vote on the PROPOSE
ton.
Mr.. BoZzam entered. with his hail
not too smoothly brushed nor his
clothes not so immaculate. but he look
ed businesslike and sat down quietly
in the seat courteously offered him BY
President Marley. He was a wide
shouldered man, with pleasant coun
tenance and a good forehead. who look
ed as if he had muscles under his coat
and he was well liked by the con
course. Little Henry Peters judged
that he was keen business man, but
square and said SO.
"Waghw nasaled the tow haired
neighbor. 81 wouldn't trust anybody
How many shares of stock have
you gotT' asked little Henry.
Three" boosted the waffle necked
one. my brother-in-law give 'em t.
me-"
Mr.. Marley introduced the caller In
q few, neat. aseptic words. He hai
met Mr.. Bozzam socially and only
hoped that he would prove as pleasant
commercially.
Laughing gracefully at this clever
turn of speech, Mr.. Bozzam continued
the introduction himself, stating exact
ly who and what he was-an organizer
representing group Of eastern CAPT
talists devoted to the promotion and
extension Of the street railway indus
tries. Back Of his hackers were Ger
tain huge electrical, steel and cal
building industries. It had been his
pleasure to organize and to put In
shape for immediate construction op
erations new company in their OWE
thriving city. They were ready to be
gin laying rails at once, but it had been
earnestly represented to him that the
manufacturing interests Of his group
OF capitalists would be just as well
served by permitting the new lines to
be erected by the old company. and
after conference with his principals
1t had been decided that II the Ring
City Street Railway company wished
to monopolize their legitimately an
ticipated profits this could be done by
the purchase OF their franchises an6
good will at a purely nominal figure.
A buzz Of satisfaction followed thii