The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-04-21
CHAPTER nI-continved.


me- and when jumped up he gave
me sheet Of paper q Pioneer Short
Line presidents letter-head with
few lines written on II with pen and
sort u crazy-loOking signature under
them.
Take that 70 the MOuntaineer joh
Office and have FIVE hundred Of them
printed" was the boss order. Then
make n copy and take II 20 Mr. Can't
rell. the editor. and ask him to run II
In tomorrOw's paper as an item OF
news. II he feels like H. When you
are through. come down 10 Mr.. Chad
wick's cnr"
Since the thing was going 10 be
published. and | was going TO make
copy Of II. didn't scruple 10 read
II as hurried out TO begin a hunt for
the Mouniaineer office. II was the
printers copy for an official circular.
dated at Ponal City and addressed TO
all officers and employees OF the
Pioneer Short Line. II read:
Effective nj once. Mr. Graham Nor
cross Is appointed general manager %
the Pioneer Short Line system. with
headquarters at Portal City. and his
orders will be respected accordingly.
breckenridge Dunton.
president"
We had got our jolt. all right: and
leaving the ladder and the Friday start
out OF the question, grlnned and told
myself that the one other thing that
counted for most was the fact that
Mrs. Sheila Mncrae was widow.
| chased like the dickens on the
printing job. because. apart from
wanting to absorb all the dope could
as ! went along on the new Job, |
Knew ] would be needed every minute
right at Mr.. Norcross' elbow, now that
the actual work was beginning.
Luncheon was served In the Alexa,
and they kept the business talk go
ing like n house afire while they were
eating. the hurry being that Mr.. Chad
wick wanted 10 start back for Chi
cago the minute he could find out II
our connecting line east would run
him special.
Now for q few unofficial things,
Graham. and We'll call II a 60" he
said. "You are 10 have an absolutely |
free hand In the management and the |
operating. What you say goes as II |
lies. and Dunton has promised me that |
there shall be no appeal, not even to
him"
II imagine he didn't say that will |
fngly," the boss put In. which was the |
first intlmatlon ! had had that he
wasn't present at the directors meet |
Ing In ne hotel.
mo, indeed: nothing was done WILL |
ingly. j had TO swing the big stick |
and swing II hard. But | had them
where they couldn't wiggle You are
10 set your own pace. and you are to
have some money for betterments.
] offered to float a new loan on short
time notes with the Chicago banks,
and the board authorized H."
The boss pushed that part OF n
aside abruptly, as he always does
when he has got hold OF the gist OF
thing.
Now, about my stan" he said. "Its
open gossip all over the West that the
J.. y. l.. is ofiicered by lot OF dunn
niles and place-hunters and relatives.
III have TO clean house"
Go 10 Il; that is n part OF your
free hand Have you the material
to draw fromT"
u know few good men, II I can
get them." said the boss thoughtfully.
The one man / can't place at sight is
good corporation counsel. I'm oh.
sged TO have a good lawyer, Uncle
John"
Il have the man for you, II you'll
take him on my say so; young fel.
low named Ripley who has done some
corking good work for me IN Chicago
III wire him. II you like. Now word
or two about this local graft we
touched upon last night. ! don't know
the ins and outs of II, but people here
VIII tell you that sort OF holding
corporation, called Red Tower Con-
soiidated, has strangle grip on this
entire region. Its subsidiary com.
panies control the grain elevators. the
fruit packeries, the coal mines and
distributing yards, the timber supply
and the lumber yards, and even have
finger on the so-called independent !
smelters."
The boss nodded. 'Ive heard OF
Red Tower. Also, have heard that
the railroad stands In with II to pinch
the producers and consumers"
A road engine was backing down
the spur TO take the Alexa In tow for
the eastward run, and what was said
had 10 be said I'm n hurry
dig II out" barked the wheat king.
IF you find that we are in on II. it's
your privilege TO cut loose. The two
pen who will give you the most trou.