The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-06-24

characterized his long career In imam
cial warfare This charge, too, wal
-easily buffeted. But no white flag wa.
shown. Beating a retreat, the grin
old warrior gathered his forces to
gether for a fresh onset. The next
clash he decided. would be the decis
I've one
BY the middle Of June Fitzhugh was
all but czar Of the pit.
When Fitzhugh formulated the pool
TO corner July wheat IL was understood
that, no matter what might arise, ne
was 10 be free TO follow the dictates Of
his own judgment. For this and oth er
reasons the names Of the Packingtown
milllonaires were never disclosed, and
few knew the main fOunt Of his mani
moth resources.
Mis- marvellous vitality gave contia-
ual wonder 10 his associates. He was
made Of iron. He would work eighteen
hours a day. diSpatching with sureness
and speed the thousand pressing duties
that crowded upon him, taking bis
meals on the wing, and requiring Of
the twenty-four but four or five hours
for sleep. Most amazing Of all, he
displayed never an Ill sign of the red
hot tension under which he worked,
but seemed to thrive on IT. He was al
ways fresh and eager for each days
tasks
His last battle with Symington Otis
. In
triIOgy. 1t began on the morning Of
July first and lasted for three terrific
days. AS the gong sounded on that
first morning Fltzhugh appeared in the
pit, glrded for the fray.
With the stroke Of the opening gong
Otis lieutenants began to sell wheat.
There were three Of them, with orders
to sell half a million each. Then came
an unfathomable surprise: Fitzhugh
sold wheat Bushel for bushel. he sold
as fast as his adversaries.
The price reeled and dropped diz-
Zily. The preceding day 1t had closed
strong at one dollar; by eleven that
morning it was unsteady at ninety-six
and a half.
At the height Of the furious conflict,
Fitzhugh, who was the core Of 1t, be-
came aware Of some one tearing at his
arm and yelling in his ear:
Dan Dan! Have you gone crazy"
Beholding Hunt screaming at the
top OF his voice, he wrenChed loose
from the mob surrounding him and,
seizing his subordinate under the arm
pits, lifted him clear outside the pit.
At the close of the days session
wheat had dropped to ninety-four and
an eighth, where it Swayed uncertain
ly. Otis had sold two million bushels.
Fitzhugh had sold like amount,
When he reached his office Fitzhugh
found his three coadjutOrs waiting
him in OminOus silence.
"GOOd-day, gentlemen !"
There was no answer beyond an un-
easy cough from Hunt. Fitzhugh
looked at the three stony faces silent
.ly condemning him.
"In good truth" he laughed, "a DAN
iel come to Judgment!
But when he sat at his desk the ver-
tical lines were between his brows.
He took a deliberately long time to
light a cigar, then, extinguishing the
match and depositing it carefully in
an ash tray, he settled himself COM
fOrtably in his chair and said:
"YOu all remember 1t was agreed In
the beginning | was to run this thing,
and shall run it in my own Way or
not Mt all"
"But confound 1t, man.. exploded
Marsh, who had been holding his
tongue with difficulty, what in the
name of common sense do you mean
by selling?"
Glad that one Of the tribunal had
shown some life. Fitzhugh swung his
chair round briskly so that he faced
the speaker
"Who owns the most wheat-Sym-
ington Otis or us? How long will his
crowd last If they try to outsell us?
Don't you see?"
Not for minute !" broke In ALL
port reddening under his collar.
"rll make it clearer. Suppose OTIS
crowd knocks July wheat off fifteen or
twenty points. Very well. Immedi-
ately they stop selling-perhaps be-
fore-Tll begin buying. Then, as an
elastic band that has been stretched
to its utmost, July wheat will spring
back. It'll go to dollar. It'll go be-
yond q dollar. I'll see to that"
at does sound plausible" hesitated
Hunt, DESTROYS of supporting his lead
er, yet still somewhat doubtful.
81 don't like It," said Marsh sourly.
"Mr. Otis" continued Daniel. and
there was a hard ring in his voice that
caused Hunt and Airport to exchange
meaning glances, thinks he has me on
the run. He's boasting how he licked
me in today's skirnish. of how
turned tail at the first fire. But wait
till he springs my pitfall. Wait! I've
got him."
The discussion lasted until nearly
nightfall. BY grace Of his power OF
persuasion no less than by his domi-
nant personality and strength of pur-
pose. Fitzhugh finally induced the 9TH
ers to admit that his course was the
best one. When they went out through
the quiet, brightly lighted offices, the
four were on very amicable terms; and
the hot words Of discussion that had