The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-08-23

ltNroSSlHllly W ttinpltle tht Shie III
plannedT
Hardin had run too fast. 81 didn't
mean that" he stammered. II mean
1t will he difficult If we are delayed
much longer"
"IIave you the force to re-begiu
work Mt onCe2" demanded Richard.
81 had It." evaded Hardin. Il Ind
everything ready to 20 on-meu, ma
terial -- when we stopped the last
| time"
Answer my question, please
II should have to assemble them
| again" admitted Hardin sulkily.
Richard consulted his notebook. II
think we've covered everything. Now
I want 70 propose the laying of a spur
| track from IInmlin's Junction to tho
! Heading" His manner cleared the
stnge Of superrumernries this wns
| the climax Hardin looked ready to
| spring.
And In connection with that the de
velopment Of n quarry in the granite
hills back Of Hnmln's." continued Rick
ara, NOT LOOKING NJ liathln.
Instantly Hardin was on his feet
His fist th4sdered on the table. II
shall oppose Tint" he nared. at is alb
solutnly unnecessary. We can't afford
It. DO You know what that will cost,
gentlemen?"
cone hundred thousand dollars !"
Richard interrupted him. II want an
appropriation this morning for that
amount. It Is, In my opinion. abso-
| lutely necessary If we are TO save the
valley. We cannot afford not to do ii,
Mr.. Hardin !"
Hardin GIN .'ed 81 the other men for
support he found MnCLean's face q
blank wall; Estrada looked uncom
Portable. BabCocll had priCked w his
ears Mt the sound of the desired appro
priution: his bend on one side, he
looked like an inquisitive terrier.
Hardin spread out his hands In help
less desperation. You'll ruin us" he
said. ITS your money. the q. P.'s,
but you're lending It, not giving IL to
us. You are going TO swamp the Des-
ert Reclamation company. We can't
throw funds away like TINT" One hun
dred thousand dollarsl Why. he could
have stopped the river at any time If
he had had that sum, once n paltry
thousand would have saved them 81
didn't ask the q. L. to come in and
ruin us, but to stop the river; not TO
throw money away I'm hog-wild fash
ion" He was stammering lnarticunte-
iy. There's no need of n spurtrack
II you rush my gate through
IF" Richard nodded. Granted. If
we can rush It through. But suppose
it fails? Marshall said the railroad
would stand for no contingencies The
interests Mt stnke are too vital"
Interests p cried Tom Hardin.
"Whnt do you know of the interest Mt
stake7 You or your railroad2 Coming
in Mt the eleventh hour. what can you
know Did you promise safety to thou
sands Of families If they mnde their
homes In this valley7 Are you RESPONSE
hle7 Did you get up this company, in
duce your friends to put their money
I'm II. promise to see them through
What do YOU know Of the interests mt
stake? You want to put one hundred
thousand dollars into frill, God, do
you know what that means to my
company IT means ruin Estrada
pulled him down In his seat.
Richard explained to the directors
the necessity in his opinion of the spur
track and the quarry. Rock In greaf
quantities would be needed; cars must
be rushed in to the break. tie urged
the Importance of clenching the issue
IF It's not won this time, it's a lost
cause" he maintained eff 1t cuts n
deeper gorge, the Imperial valley is Il
chinera: 50 Is Lagunn dam"
The other men were drawn into the
argument Bahcock leaned toward llar-
din's conservation. MacLean was tu-
dlcal Estrada upheld Richard. The
spur-track. in his opinion. was essen.
tlnl t. success Hardin could see the
meeting managed between the new
comer and the Mexican, and HIS anget
fmnplcnjly ragged His temper nude
him ipcohpfent. He could see Richard
cool ANA itunersoual. adding to his
POINTS and MacLean slowly won te
the stronger side Hardin, on his feet
again, was suffering heplessly NJ
Babcocll. when Nickard called for 9
vote The appropriation was carried
Iiurdins face was swollen with rage.
Richard then called for a report on
the clan-shell dredge being rushed at
Yuma. Where was the machinery
Was it not TO have been finished IN
February?
"Why not get the machinery herei
What's the use Of taking chancesT de
manded Richard.
Hardin felt the personal implication
He WIS on his feet In a second. "Ihere
are no chances" He looked at Mac
Lean. 1.-THE machinery's done. It's ne
use getting II here until were ready
There are always chances" inter.
rupted his opponent coolly. 1--WE are
going to take none. | want Mr.. Har
{ I'M N
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