The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-03-01
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde
Continued Frc~ Yesterday,
tcspyssEhs. isss. ~ Charles sssSh-
n~sss eeesl

II NR"N - RtF AstNANNh hAtf ts&AA HtlAA'
tcnce MIR. Ripley and BiIioughhy
came in. and Mr., Noroross took them
both into the third room Of the suite
and shut the door. An hour later
when the door opened and they came
out the boss was summing up the
new orders to Billoughhy; There's
a lot 60 do. and you have my author,
lily Go hire all tho help you need.
See the bankers yourself. personally.
and get them TO interest other local
buyers along the line. tho more OF
them. and the smaller they are. the
better. III take care OF Portal City.
myself. I've had Van Britt ON the
wire and he IL taking care Of the
enployos-yes1 that goes as IL lies.
and In part OF the original plan.
every man who works for l.. s. l..
Il roinE to own hit OF stock. n We
have 20 carry him for n and le, him
pay a dollar a week. More than that.
they shall have representation on
the hoard n they want u. And while
/ you're knocking about. take time 90
show these c. s. q w. folks how
they can climb hack into the saddle.
Red Tower Is down and out. now.
and they can keep IL out II they
want to-"
suppose I might rattle this old
type.machine OF mine indefinitely
and tell the story OF the financial
nEht that filled the next few days.
OF how the boss and Mr.. Ripley and
Bilioughhy got the bankers and prae-
ucnily everybody together all along
the Short Line and sprung the hig
plan upon them. which was nothing
less than the swapping M. on a tum.
bling stock market. OF the opportun-
/ ity now presented to them of owning
- actually owning In fee simple 49,
their own railroad. the buying to h,
done quietly thru Mr.. Chadwick's
brokers in Chicago and New York.
There was some opposition and
ianEilng and ec-sawing hack and
forth. OF course. but tho newspapers
led by the Moun,alnecr. took hold
and then. pretty soon. everybody
took hold: after which the only trou-
HE was 20 keep people-our own
rank and file among them - from
buying 4. 3. L. Common 40 fas; that
the New Workers would catch on and
run the price up.
They didn't catch on not until
after II was too late. and the minute
MIR. Chadwick wired us from Chicago
off. az you might say. between two
minutes. and Mr.. Norcross called a
meeting OF stockholders. tho same to
Be heii-ble-s your hearti-ln Portal
City. the thriving metropolis Of the
region in which. counting Mr.. Chad
wick In as one Of us. a good. solid
voting majority OF the stock wns
now held. The Mountain~er printed
the call. and II spoke % the railroad
AZ -our railroad company
The meeting was held in due time
and Mr.. Chadwick was Their. 20 pre-
side. He mad. q cracking good
chairman. and the way he dliated on
the fact that now the oountry-and
the cmployes--had a railroad OF their
own. and that the whole nation
would b. looking 70 s~e how We
would demonstrate the problem We
Rad taken over. actually brought,
che.rs-think Of it: cheers In a rail.
road stockhoiderS meeting.
Following Mr.. Chadwick.s tan
Their. was the usual routine busi
ness: reports were read and u was
shown that IN. Short Line. notwith.
standing all the strniinrs and mis-
manarrrf0hts. was stili a good going
proposition af the price Mt which Il
had heen bought IN. A new hoard of
directors was chosen. and "a soon as
the new board rot together. Mr.. Nor
cross went hack 10 his office In the
headquarters, not as general man.
aver, this tirne--not on your flfei-
hut ~ the newly elected president Of
the Pioneer Short Line. And by tho
same token. the FIRST official circular
that came out--a cory OF which I
sent. tied up with blue ribbon. TO
Maisse Ann-rcad like this:
TO An Employee
effective this day. Mr.. James r
Dodds II appointed Assistant to the
President with headquarters In Por.
tai City.
20. NoRcRoss. President
That's an: all hut a little talk -.
tween the boss and Mr.. Upton Van
Britt that took piac. In our office
on the day after Ar. Van Britt. still
kicking about the hard work that
the boss was always piiing upon
him. had been appointed general
manager.
You've made yne rtrn.. Graham-
rust as said you would said our
own and only millionaire. after he
had no. thru abusing The fates that
wouldn't let him 70 back Fast and
play with his coupon shears and his
yachts and polo ponies You're TO
ing 70 be the blgrc-t man this side
of the mountains. some day: and the
day isn't so very far of. either"
II was Just here that the boss got
out Of his chair and walked 10 the
other end Of the room. When he
came back II was to say:
You think I have won out. Upton,
and 50 does everybody else. I SUP
pose It looks that way 10 he man
IN the street. But haven't. you
know. I have lost the one thing for
which I would GLADLY give all the
business success have ever made
or hope 10 make"
Mr.. Van Brtt's smile was mor-
than half n grin.
TT isn't lost. Graham: rs only
gone before. Can't you wait n de
cent little whi1e7"
"If ] should wait all my life n
wouldn't be long enough, Upton"
was the reply. What you said to
me-that time when we first spoke
OF Coiiinuwood--w true. You said
she loved the other man-and so she
did"
This time Mr.. Van Britt's smile
was whole grin.
II said H. and IN sny u again.
She didn't realize II or admit IT, even
TO herself. you know: she's too good