The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-05
CHAPTER III-Continued.

NO and when I jumped up he gave
No 4 sheet of paper; a Pioneer Short
fine presidents letter-head with a
low lines written on it with pen and
h . eort of crazy-lookins signature under
them. >,
uTake that to the Mountaineer Job
oa,ce and have five hundred of them
nr,nted," was the boss order. "Then
J make a copy and take it to Mr.. Can't
rell, the editor, and ask him to run it
IN tomorrow's paper as an item of
news, if he feels like it. When you
o,u through, come down to Mr.. Chad
vick's car"
Since the thing was going to be
rnblished and | was going to make
. copy of it, didn't scruple to read
II as | hurried out to begin hunt for
thp Mountaineer office. 1t was the
nrinters copy for an official circular,
dated at Portal City and addressed to
al officers and employees of the
pioneer Short Line. 1t read:
reflective at once, Mr.. Graham Nor
cross IS appointed general manager OF
4he Pioneer Short Line system, with
HEADQUARTERS at Portal City, and his
nrlers will be respected accordingly.
breckenridge Dunton,
President"
We had got our jolt, all right; and
having the ladder and the Friday start
out Of the question, l grinned and tod
myself that the one other thing that
rounted for most was the fact that
Mrs Sheila Macrae was a widow.
chased like the dickens on the
prtnting job, because, apart from
wanting to absorb all the dope | could
4 I went along on the new job, |
/ knew / would be needed every minute
4 rlrht at Mr.. Norcross' elbow, now that
The actual work was beginning.
Luncheon was served in the Alexa,
and they kept the business talk 60
ing like a house afire while they were
eating, the hurry being that Mr.. Chad
] wick wanted to start back for Chi
tapo the minute he could find out If
our connecting line east would run
him special.
"Now for a few unofficial things
Graham, and we'll call it CO." he
said. "You are to have an absolutely
free hand in the management and the
II operating. What you say goes as II
lies and Dunton has promised me thai
there shall be no appeal, not even tt
I him."
u imagine he didn't say that will
ingly," the boss put in, which was TIT
6rst intimation | had had that HI
wasn't present at the directors meet
Ing In the hotel.
"No, indeed; nothing was done will
ingly. l had to swing the big sticl
and swing it hard. But | had then
where they couldn't wiggle. You ar
to set your own pace, and you are II
Ahave some money for betterments
N offered to float a new loan on short
Aime notes with the Chicago banks
and the board authorized It,"
The boss pushed that part of l
aside abruptly, as he always doe
When he has got hold of the gist of
thing
Now, about my staff" he said. ut
open gossip all over the West that tn
Z. D. L. Is differed by a lot OF dun
mics and place-hunters and relative:
III have to clean house."
10 to It; that is a part Of you
Tree hand Have you the materia
20 draw from?"
i Know few good men, If / ca
set them," said the boss thoughtful!
Tine one man can't place at sight
good corporation counsel. I'm Of
Nged to have a good lawyer, Uncl
John"
II have the man for you, if you
axe MIN on my say so; young fe
TOW named Ripley who has done som
sofking good work for me in Chicag
all wire him, if you like. Now a wor
Of two about this local graft "
souched upon last night. l don't kno
kne ms and outs Of it, but people hel
VIM tell you that a sort of holdir
SofpOration, called Red Tower Co
solldated, has a strangle grip on tn
snllre region. Its subsidiary cor
panles control the grain elevators, Il
NUT packeries, the coal mines ar
distributing yards, the timber supp
Snd the lumber yards, and even hal
niger on the sO-called independel
snelters"
Inc boss nodded. 1--WE heard
go TOwer,s Also, | have heard tn
railroad stands In with it to pin'
producers and consumers"
4 road engine was backing dov
~ spur to take the Alexa in tow f
- eastward run, and what was So
u y. be said In a hurry.
w It OUT barked the wheat kin
= you find that we are in on 1t, i
IVY privilege to cut loose. The t,
!. who will give you the most tro
~ are right here in Portal Cit
nsteh, the president of Red Tow
Snd Henckel, its vice-president. TIL
y either of them would commit m,
- Tor ten-dollar bill, and they sta
" with Pete Clanahan, the city DO
$ad his gang Of political thugs. Tha
W Graham: all but one thing. Wr
g after you've climbed into the 81
Nse and have found out just wi