Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-06-29
CHAPTER v.
O'Neil Sizes Up Gordon.

something OF a reputation fol
extravaganza, but he acknowl
edged himself completely out
shone by the luxury with which Curtis
Gordon had surrounded himself al
Hope. The promoter had spoken OF
his modest living quarters. In reality
they consisted OF handsome twenty
room house. furnished with the Gle
gance Of a Newport cottage.
you wonder. perhaps. why ! have
been so extravagant with my living
quarters said Gordon as they walked
into the library. but IL is not alone
FOR myself You see. | have people as
sOciated with me who are accustomed
10 every comfort and luxury, and
built this house for them Mrs. Ge-
rard has been kind enough TO grace
the establishment with her presence
and I expect others OF my stockholders
TO DO likewise You see. | work in the
lighf. Mr. ONcil / insist upon the
broadcast publicity in all my operations
and 10 that end / strive TO bring my
clients into contact with the under
taking itself For instance. am bring
Ing a party of my stockholders all the
way from New York at my own expense
just TO show them how their interests
are being administered. have char
tered a special train and a ship for
them, and OF course they must be
properly entertained while here"
quite a scheme" said C'Neil
Il wanted 10 show them this marvel.
GUS country. Gods wonderland Of OPP
portunity. They will return impressed
by the solidity and permanence of
their investment"
81 judge from what you say that the
mine gives encouragement O'Neil
ventured, cycling his host curiously
through a cloud Of tobacco smoke.
'Encoura cement is not the word
Before many years Hope Consolidated
will be listed on the exchanges of the
world along with Amalgamated and
the other great producers. We have
here, Mr.. O'Neil, a tremendous noun
tain Of ore. located at tidewater on
one OF the worlds finest harbors. The
climate is superb. We have coal near
at hand for our smelter. The mine
only requires systematic development
under competent haEds."
Il was in Cortez when Lars Ander-
son made his first discovery here. and
had an option on all this property.
believe the price was $1,000 At any
rate. 1t was | who drove those tunnels
you found when you bought him out
Gordons eyes wavered briefly. then
he laughed.
"My dear sir. you have my sincere
sympathy. Your poison. my meat, as
it were. eh? You became discouraged
too soon Another hundred feet OF
work and you would have been JUST
fed I'm paying S1.200OO0 This Eldora
do which the copper trust has bought
has n greater surface showing than
Hope. grant. butt lies 200 miles in
land, and there is the all important
question of transportation TO be solved
The ore will have to be hauled OF
smeltcd on the ground. while we have
the Kyak coal fields at our door. The
Heidlemanns are building a railroad
to it which win parallel mine in places
but the very nature Of their enter
prise foredooms it to failure"
Indeed. How SOP"
MY route is the better By a rigid
economy Of expenditure. by a careful
supervision OF detail. | can effect a ire
mendous saving over their initial cost
hope to convince them of the fac
and thus induce them TO withdraw
from the field or take over my road a
"a reasonable figure. Negotiations arr
under way
At this talk OF economy from Curtis
Gordon O'Neil refrained from smilinl
with difficulty. He felt certain tina
the mans entire operations were a
ansound as his statement that he coul,
bring the trust TO termsS Yet Gordon
seemed thoroughly in earnest. Eithe
he expected to fool his present heare
or else he had become hypnotized b.
the spell of his own magnificent twad
dle-ONeil could not tell which.
''Who laid out your right OF wayT
he asked with some interest.
"a very able young engineer. Da
Appleton. An excellent man, but-uI
reliable in certain things. had to lie
him go. this very afternoon. In fact, 70
INSTRUMENTATION. But discharged hir
more for the sake of discipline tina
! anything else. He'll be anxious to r,
turn in a few days Now tell me-
Gordon fixed his visitor with a blan
stare which failed to mask his gnav
ing curiosity-"what brings you
King Philip soundf Are we TO b
rivals I'm the railroad fieidT'
mo. There are enough projects q
that sort in the neighborhood for IN
present"
! give, all told. but only one destine
10 succeed"
: I'm bound for the Kyak coal field
to perfect and amend my surveys nj
D der the new ruling"