The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1920-03-26


timber. you'll never log 1t yourself
and neither will anybody else. YouIl
he stuck with II for the next forty
years--and taxes aren't getting any
lower"
"rll hang on a little longer. I
think"
II think so, too" John Cardigan re-
piled. And that night. as was his
wont. even though he realized that II
was not possible for Bryce to gain .
profound understanding Of the business
problems to which he was heir. John
Cardigan discussed the SQuaw creek
timber with his son. relating to him
the details Of bis conversation with
the owner.
Bryce pondered. But isn't II
cheaper to give him his price On Squaw
creek timber than 60 logging in the
San Hedrin and have to build twenty
miles Of logging railroad to get your
legs to the mill?"
1T would be. son. II l had to build
the railroad. Fortunately, l do not.
I'll just shoot the logs down the hill.
side to the San Hedrin river and
drive them down the stream to . log
boom on tidewater."
Bryce looked at his father admir-
ingly. Il guess Dan Keyes Is right.
Dad" he said. Dan says you're
craxy-like q fox. Now know why
you've been picking up claims In the
San Hedrin watershed"
No you don't. Bryce. I've never
told you. hut I'll tell you now the
real reason. Humboldt county has no
rail connection with the outside world.
so We are forced to ship our lumber
by water. But some day railroad
will be built In from the sOuth-from
San Francisco: and when It comes. the
only route for II to travel Is through
our timber in the San Hedrin valley.
I've accumulated that ten thousand
acres for you, my son, for the railroad
will never be built In my day. It
doesn't matter. son. You will still be
logging there fifty years from now.
And when the railroad people come to
you for right Of way, my boy. give
It to them. Don't charge them q cent.
It has always been my policy to On.
courage the development Of this
county, and want you to be a for
wardlooking, publlc-spirited citizen.
That's why I'm sending you East to
college You've been born and raised
In this town, and you must see more
Of the world. Listen to me. son.
You're only boy. and you can't un-
derstand everything tell you, but
some day understanding will come to
you. You mustn't fail the people who
work for you--whO are dependent upon
your strength and brains and enter
prise to furnish them with an Oppor.
tunity for life, liberty, and the pursuit
Of happiness. When you are the boss
Of Cardlgan's mill, you must keep the
wheels turning; you must never shut
down the mill or the logging-camps
In dull times just to avoid loss you
can stand better than your employees"
His hard trembling old hand closed
over the boys. II want you to be
brave and honorable man." he con-
cluded .
True to his word. when John Cardi-
gan finished his logging In his old,
original holdings adjacent to Sequoia
and Bill Henderson's SQuaw creek
timber, he quietly moved south with
his Squaw creek wOOds-gang and join
ed the crew already getting out logs
In the San Hedrin watershed. Not
until then did Bill Henderson realize
that John Cardigan had called his
bluff-whereat he cursed himself for
fool and a poor Judge Of human ma
ture. He had tried q hold-up game
and had failed; a dollar a thousand
feet stumpage was q fair price otor
years he had needed the money; and
now, when 1t was too late. he realized
his error. Luck was with Henderson.
however. for shortly thereafter there
came again to SeQuoia one Colonel
Pennington. q millionaire white-plne
operator from Michigan. From a
chair-warmer on the porch Of the
Hotel Sequoia. the Colonel had heard
the tale Of how stiff-nscked old John
Cardigan had called the bluff Of equal.
ly stif-necked Bill Henderson; so for