Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1921-08-18

and sprung the big plan upon them.
which was nothing less than the snap.
ping up. on a tiimbling stock market
of the opportunity now presented tC
them of enthusiastically owning in
fee stmple-their own railroad, the
buying to be done quietly through Mr..
Chadwick's brokers in Chicago and
New York.
There was some opposition and
jangling and see-sawing back and
forth. Of course. but the newspapers
led by the Mountaineer, took hold. and
then. pretty soon. everybody to0h
hold; after which the only trouble was
to keep people-our own rank and file
among them-from buying P. s. L
Common so fast that the New York
ers would catch on and run the price
up.
They didn't catch on-not until after
1t was too late; and the minute Mr.
Chadwick wired us from Chicago that
we were safe, the strike went off. as
you might say. between two minutes
and Mr.. Norcross called meeting OF
stockholders the same to he held
bless your heart!-in Portal City, the
thriving metropolis of the region In
which, counting Mr. Chadwick in as
one of US. good. solid voting major
ity of the stock was now held. The
Mountaineer printed the call. and II
spoke of the railroad as ''our railroad
company!
The meeting was held In due time,
and Mr.. Chadwick was there to pre-
side. He made a cracking good chair.
man. and the way he dilated on the
fact that now the cOuntry-and the
employees-had a railroad of their
own. and that the whole nation would
be looking to see how we would de-
monstrate the problem we had taken
over. actually brought cheers-think
of It; cheers in railroad stockhold-
ers' meeting!
Following Mr.. Chadwick's talk there
was the usual routine business; re-
ports were read and 1t was shown that
the Short Line, Notwithstanding all the
stealings and mismanagements,, was
still a good going proposition at the
price at which 1t had been bought In.
A new board Of directors was chosen.
and as soon as the new board got to-
gether, Mr.. Norcross went back to his
office in the headquarters. not as gen.
eral manager, this ttme-not on your
lffe!-but as the newly elected presi.
dent Of Pioneer Short Line. And bz
the same token. the first official cir
cular that came Out-a copy Of which
sent. tied up with a blue~rlbbon, to
Mafsie Ann-read like this:
ITO all Employees:
Effective this day. Mr.. James F..
Dodds is appointed assistant to the
president with headquarters in Portal
City.
&c. Norcross, President"
That's all; all but little talk be-
tween the boss and Mr.. Upton Van
Britt that took place In our office on
the day after Mr.. Van Britt. still kick
ing about the hard work that the boss
was always pfling upon him, had been
appointed general manager.
"You've made tie rifle. Graham
! Just as. I said you would" said our
own and only millionaire, after lie had
got through abusing the fates that
wouldhtt let him go back east and play
with his coupon shears and his yachts
and polo ponies. you're going to
be the biggest man this side of the
mountains. some day; and the day isn't
so very far off. either"
It was Just here that the boss got
out Of his chair and walked to the
other end Of the room. When he came
back 1t was to say:
"You think I have won out, Up
ton. and so does everybody else. !
suppose 1t looks that way to the man
| in the street. But haven't. you know.
have lost the one thing for which,
would gladly give all the business
success have ever made or hope to
make"
Mr.. Van Brltt's smile was more than
i half grin. 75
ut isn't lost. Graham: it's only gone
before. Can't you wait decent lit
tie while?"
IF l should wait all my life 1t
!; wouldn't be long enough. Upton" was
the reply. "What you said to me-
that time when we first spoke Of Col
nngwood-was true. You said she
loved the other man-and so she did"
This time Mr.. Van Britt's smile was
a whole grin.
II said it. and I'll say it again. She
didn't realize it or admit 1t, even to
herself. you know; she's too good and
clean-hearted for anything like that.