White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1917-06-17
CHApTERxvi
How Gordon Changed Attack.

ing, Tor his dream seemed coming true.
Meanwhile there we're strenuous hap
penings In Omar. The story spread
that O'Neil was broke. The workers
demanded their money. With all avail
able funds exhausted and a crisis at
hand Dan and Eliza contributed $1,000.
their life savings, and checked "a walk
out. The following morning there was
great JOY at the receipt of a cablegram
announcing that 0'Neil and Ills had
formed a working agreement Natalie.
who had been sent by Gordon to Omar
to watch developments. returned with
ance. whereat Gordon declared that
O'Neil had the luck of the devil"
oNeil's return to Omar was tri-
umphal. All MS ~lieutenanfs gathered
to meet him ut the pier. and the SINGER
ity of their welcome stirred him deeply.
His arrangements with Ills had taken
time; he had been delayed at Seattle by
bridge details and the placing of steel
contracts. lie had worked swiftly and
with such absorption that be had paid
little heed to the rumors of Gordon's
latest activities. OF 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 papersy' In.
quired Happy Tom. lie had attached
himself TO O'Eeil ut the moment of his
stepping ashore. and now followed him
to headquarters with an air of melan.
eholy satisfaction In mere physical
aearness TO his chief.
Barely. O'Neil confessed. I've
been working twenty hours a day get.
ting that steel under motion.
DR. Cray sid with conviction: Cor
don Is IA remarkable man. Its a pity
he's crooked
Il thiuk lis right lucky" declared
Tom. Hes smarter han US. and if
he wasn't handicapped by a total lack
IF deeeney he'd beat Us"
"After the storm explained Gray.
he moved back 20 Hope. and we
thought he'd made his last bow, but
IL some way he got the idea that the
trust was back of us"
so | judged from the little | 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. Ii
fairly took our breaths. It appeared
! In Tho Garfaz Caf.tSaf and oil aua~ tho
states. We hear-a letter of defiance to
Herman Heidlemann. II 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 anC
de~fles-the old story. But the mai
can write. That article caused "A stir.
II saw it"
Naturally the Cortez people ate II
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 Missed 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
il. Then he preached II 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 thai
night. Since then they have subscrib
ell as much more. and the town Is
crazy. Work has actually begun. and
they hope to reach the first summit b.,
Christmas"
Slater broke in: Hes a spellbinder
all right. He made me hate the Hei
dlemanns and detest myself for five
minutes. | wasn't ever sure | liked
you. Murray"
its u VIII SNuthtr. u NoufrC. NVb
tinued the doctor. but he's putting II
over. The W council has granted
him a ninetS nine year lease covering
every street. The roadbed Is started
and things are booming. Lots have
been staked all w the flats. property
values are somersaulting. everybody Is
out OF his head. and Gordon is n god
All he doe is organize new companies
He has bought n Sawmi1. n wharf. n
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
vuIsive mirth within.
They've picked out a site for a uni
versity!" he said bitterly. "Cortez Ia
1nfnu 80 H.. an ..af - l. s,.. 49, .nt