The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-02-13

it. Do you know what that will cost,
gentlemen?"
zone hundred thousand dollars !"
Rickard interrupted him. II want an
appropriation this morning for that
amount. 1t is, in my opinion, abso-
lutely necessary if we are to save the
valley. We cannot afford not to do it,
Mr.. Hardinw
Hardin glared at the other men for
support; he found MacLean's face a
blank wall; Estrada looked uncom.
Portable. Babcock had pricked up his
ears at the sound of the desired appro-
priation; his head on one side, he
looked like an inquisitive terrier
Hardin spread out his hands in help.
less desperation. you'll ruin u.s." he
said. 'It's your money, the o. P.'s,
but you're lending it, not giving it to
us. You are going to swamp the Des.
ert Reclamation company. We cant
throw funds away like that" One hun
dred thousand dollars! Why, he could
have stopped the river at any time ii
he had had that sum; once a paltry
thousand would have saved them 81
didn't ask the o. P. to come in and
ruin us, but to stop the river; not to
throw money away in hog-wild fash.
ion." He was stammering inarticulate.
". There's no need of spur-tracB
If you rush my gate through"
'If," Rickard nodded. Granted. Il
we can rush it through. But suppose
1t fails? Marshall said the railroad
would stand for no contingencies. The
Interests at stake are too vital"
'Interests % cried Tom Hardin
"What do you know of the interest al
stake? You or your railroad? Coming
In at the eleventh hour. what can you
know? Did you promise safety to thou.
l sands of families If they made their
homes IT. this valley? Are you RESPONSE,
Die? Did you get up this company in
duce your friends to put their none!
in II, promise to see them through?
What do you know of the interests at
stake? You want to put one hundred
thousand dollars into frill. God, do
you know what that means to my
company? 1t means ruin" Estrada
pulled him down in his seat.
Rickard explained to the directors
TIE necessity in his opinion of the spur
track and the quarry. Rock in great
quantities would be needed; cars must
be rushed in to the break. He urged
the Importance of clenching the issue.
"If it's not won this time, it's lost
cause" he maintained. '1f it cuts a
deeper gorge, the Imperial valley is a
chimera; so is Laguna DAM"
The other men were drawn into the
argument. Babcock leaned toward Har-
din's conservation. MacLean was 1u-
dicial. Estrada upheld Rickard. The
spur-track, in his opinion, was essen
tial to success. Hardin could see the
meeting managed between the new
conner and the Mexican, and his anger
impotently ragged. His temper made
him incoherent. He could see Rickard,
cool and impersonal, adding to his
points, and MacLean slowly won to
the stronger side. Hardin, on his feet
again, was sputtering helplessly at
Babcock, when Rickard called for
vote. The appropriation was carried.
Hardin's face was swollen with rage.
Rickard then called for report on
kI,o nIa ha1I OF
Yuma. Where was the machinery?
Was 1t not to have been finished in
February?
"Why not get the machinery here?
What's the use of taking chances? de-
manded Rickard.
Hardin felt the personal implication.
He was on his feet in a second. There
are no chances" He looked at Mac |
Lean. 'The machinery's done. It's no
use getting it here until we're ready"
'There are always chances" inter-
rupted his opponent coolly. "We are
going to take none. want Mr.. Har-
din, gentlemen, appointed committee
Of one to see that the machinery is de- |.
Nvered at once, and the dredge rushed
The working force was informally
discussed. Hardin said they could de-
pend on hobo labor. Rickard agreed
that they would find such help, but 1t
would not do to rely on 1t. The big
sewer system of New Orleans was
about completed; he had planned to
write there, stating the need. And
there was a man in Zacatecas, named
Porter
frank Porter?" sneered Hardin,
"that-murdererT
"His brother" Rickard answered
pleasantly. "Jim furnishes the men
for the big mines in Sonora and Sina-
loa. He'll send US all the labor we
want, the best for our purpose. When
1t gets red-hot, there's no one like
peep or an Indian.
tTp Be sonunued)