The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-05-28

over for many years and lived In O
comfortable, but small house at the
edge of the town. 1t overlooked q
deep pit nearly a quarter of a mile
In extent. to which spur Of the rail-
road ran. For ten years a soft lime,
stone quarry had been mined here to
supply Stag mixture for the big blast
furnaces. The entire property be
longed to Purcell, but was of little
apparent value. He greeted Mr.. Ran
dali ciyilly.
Tive come from your best friend"
spoke the lawyer. "Ie wants you to
accept pension, a free and clear
town residence, an automobile and"
Gabriel Purcell burst out into a
hearty laugh. He held in his hand a
letter he had just received fl n his
son. He was strangely changed from
the wandering misanthrope of the
early morning.
stop right there. Mr. Randall" he
said heartily. 'T understand Mr..
Wynne and he understands me. The
new experiment is forced on him, and
no hard feelings. 1t won't go through.
! Remember what say, that before a
year is out I'll be back and the old sys-
tenn resumed. And say" and the old
mans eyes glowed, "I'll be able to help
him out if he finds he's cramped for
| capital"
The lawyer eyed Purcell as though
he was getting rid of his senses.
"Oh. I'm not talking Wild" chuc1led
| the old man. He waved the letter in
his hand towards the old quarry pit. ST
own that you know"
THAT hole in the ground, you
mean"
Exactly, and it's going to be gold
mine"
Il can't make out Purcell" reported
the lawyer to Mr.. Wynne. 'IIe talks
millions. He's got some dream of
, wealth and he seems happy as lark.
He says he'll be back in a year"
81 honestly hope it," groaned Mr.
Wynne. ALREADY come of the mod
ern efficiency tactic of the new SUI
perintendent have sci the older work
ing gangs by the ears. and they are
quitting by the score"
Mr.. Wynne put himself out of the
way to meet Purcell whenever he
could. He was surprised. pleased and
gratified to note the glad, sincere well
come of the discarded faithful old fell
low worker. Purcell was more than
friendly, he was cheerful, loquacious,
and referred constantly to his "vaca-
ton" and blinked jocularly at the
founder and referred to "the good old
times coming back all new"
Then came period Of care and
trouble for the plant A good many of
the old expert workmen sought new
fields of labor. The new superintend-
ent took large contract at loss.
In rushing a special order they for
feited the trade of one of their old
est and most substantial clients.
Meanwhile, something that puzzled
the townspeople was going on at the
old quarry. Near the edge of the big
pit new tracks were laid, a large
weighing scale put in, derricks erect
ed, and scoops, elevating and lower
ing machinery. Purcell hustled about,
the busiest. cheeriest being ever was,
and his son Arnold made frequent in
spection visits to the old home at the
quarry pit.
One day, like a thunderclan, came
the news that the big plant was shut
down pending reorganization, The
new superintendent had resigned.
Some outside stockholders had become
alarmed at the reports of fast shrink
ing profits, and had thrown their hold
ings on the market at a ruinous de-
cline.
Tint very morning a train of 30
gondola dump cars gracefully wound
round from the main railroad tracks
and half encircled the quarry pit Each
car was weighed, the contents dumped
and the train returned to the city
Ashes, building debris, all the daily
accumulated rubbish and wuste of
great city was represented In this first
dumping into that useless, valueless.
almost fathomless quarry pit.
Thomas Wynne looked up from his
desk in the office of the deserted plant
as Gabriel Purcell entered. The found
er's face was worn and drawn
us 1t as bad as they say?" ques-
toned Purcell.
"Worse. Outside of my wife's cap
ital have no resources. I must have
two hundred thousand dollars to get
back where we were before this
CHASTITY experiment was made, or go
into bankruptcy"
"Good" cried Purcell animatedly. |
'Tll provide the deficit amount for a
like amount of stock"
your cried Wynne lncredulously. |
Myself and my son, yes. You see,
old friend, the quarry pit. Arneld is (
the head expert in recovery and dis |
posal work for the city We are only |
IL miles away, and the nearest avail |
able dumping pit. They have been |
carrying the refuse out into the lake.
but the barge rates have become pro-
hibitive. In fact, we have ten years /,
contract for disposng of the rubbish
ut forty cents cubic yard. Fifty
ears a day and all profit, but the
weighing. Figure 1t up, and don't won
der that we are able to anticipate
million In payment any time we want
It."
To go back to my old Job and run
the plant on the old safe. sensible ba-
sis. Old friend suggested Purcell. f
with twinkling eyes, "did it happen to
occur to YOU that in Oslerizing the
plant you forgot that you were ten
years older than myself?"
And then when affairs had been
readjusted and Arnold Purcell quail
fed fully as a meet sutton for pretty.