The Crittenden press., 1920-08-20
old orders. couldn't expect them to
suffer with me nv failure TO perfOrm

the difference between the price they
paid my competitors and the price at
which they originally placed their or
ders with me. And the delay caused
them further loss"
lie smoked mpdtatiyely for min
ute. i've always been land-poor," he
explained apologetiCally. whenever
had Idle money. put it into timber
In the San Iiedrin watershed. because
I realized that some day the railroad
would build in from the south, tap
that timber and double its value. I've
not as yet found reason to doubt the
wisdom of my course; but"-he sighed
the railroad is Il long time COM
ing"
John Cardigan here spoke of most
important factor in the situation. The
crying need Of the country was feeder
| TO some tranScOntnental railroad. BY
reason OF natural barriers, Humboldt
county was not easily accessible TO the
outside world except from the sea,
and even this avenue of ingress and
egress would be closed for days at a
stretch when the harbor bar was on
u rampage. With the exception of a
strip of level. fertile land. perhaps five
miles wide and thirty miles long and
contiguous To the seacoast. the heavily
timbered mountains to the north. east,
and south rendC red the building of n
railroad that would connect Humboldt
county with the outside world pro-
foundly difficult and expensive task.
"Don't worry Dad. 1t will come" "
Bryce assured his father. ITS bound
to-"
ayes. but not In my day. And when
1t comes, a stranger may own your
san Hedrin timber and reap the re-
ward of my lifetime Of labor"
Again n silence fell between them.
broken presently by the old mar
THAT was n miStake-logging in tn.
San Hedrin." he observed II had my
lesson that first year, but didn't
heed it, n | hal abandoned my
camps there, pocknted my pride, paid
Colonel Pennington two dollars for
his Squaw creek timber, and rebuilt
my old logging road, would have
been safe to-day But | was stubborn
I'd played the game so long. you
know didu't want to let that man
Pennington outgame me. It's hard to
teach an old dog new tricks. and he
sides. was obSessed with the need
Of protecting your heritage from at.
tack in any direction"
John Cardigan Strengthened up in
his chair and laid the tip of his right
index finger in the center of the palm
OF his left hand. "IIere was the sit.
uation, Bryce: The center of my
palm represents SeQuola; the ends Of
my fingers represent the San Hedrir
timber twenty miles south. Now, II
the railroad built in from the south
you would win. But If II built In from
Grants Pass, Oregon. on the norti
from the base OF my hand, the terminu.
of the line would be Sequoia, twent,
miles from your timber In the Sar
Hedrin watershed"
Bryce nodded. "In which event,
h. replied. 1--WE would be In much tn,
same position with our San Hedril
; timber as Colonel Pennington Is will
his Squaw creek timber. We woul,
have the comforting knowledge tha
we owned 1t and paid taxes on 1t hu
couldn't do II dad-burned thing witt
] itw
4 Right you are! The thing to dc
| then, as viewed the situation. Bryce
was to acquire body of timber mort
of Sequoia and he prepared for eithe
| eventuality. And this did"
Silence again descended upon them
and Bryce, gazing into the open fire
| place. recalled an event In that perio
of his fathers activities: Old Bl
Henderson had come up to their hous
To dinner one night, and quite SUD
denly. in the midst of his soup, III
old fox had glared across at his hos
and beloved:
"John, | hear you've bought 81
thousand acres up IN Township min,
Going 10 log II or hold II for invest
mcnt?"
at was good huy," Cardigan ha
replied enigmatlcally; $50 I though
I'd better take II at the price. sur
pose Bryce will log II some day"
"rhen | wish Bryce wasn't such
hoy, John. See here. now, neighbol
I'll fess up. took that money Pen
nlngton gave me for my Squaw cree
timber and put 1t back into redwoo
In Township nine, slam.bang n
against your holdings there. join
I'd build Il mill on tidewater II you
I sell me site. and I'd log my timbe
|, Il"
, "rll sell you a mill.site. Bill, and
I won't stab you TO the heart. either
3 Consider that settled"
That's bully, John; but still. yo
n only dispose OF part OF my troubles
r There's twelve miles OF logging.roa
TO build to get my logs to the mill. an
I | haven't enough ready money to max
n the grade. Better throw In with m,
4 John. and we'll build the road an
n operate II for our Joint interest"
Z "lll not throw In with you. Bill. a
I my time of life. | don't want TO hay
2 the worry ~ building. malntalnin.
and operating twelve miles OF prlvut
g railroad, But I'll loan youth
!, money you need TO build and equi
" the road, In return you are {
Z shoulder all the grief and worry d
/. the road and give me tcnyear COZ
= tract ut n dollar and half per thou,
| and feet, to haul my logs down I
: tidewaier with your own. My min