Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1922-07-22
CHAPTER |.
A Bolt From the Blue.

III = OWL tOiH VIC 0tGCs
#Fighteen below; fair weather for
Mcenber in New Manitoba, where the
Mrest though 1t chills the soil till
mdsammer yet shuts out the razor
Kge Of the winds that make the prai-
sks farther south, an Icy inferno.
Here the bush. which had seemed
b stretch out illimitably, thinned into
Niragged patches among the up
rODping rocks. A little farther and
2began once more the break was like
il great curylng arm thrust into the
bar Of it. as if some giant fingers
Do plucked up the trees in handsful
b scaoped the foundation from the
hOzen soil. and then had been with
&swn. leaving the imprints of the
Feat frger-tlps
q These iinger-tips were huge sink
&les, sometimes filled with water, so
D., they formed clear lakes; more
Nten solden sponges Of decayed veg
Eab'a matter, oozy, treacherous and
Nsub.e. The fnger-lines were the
krcu.ar ridges marking the subsistence
n The bud The thumb was Big Mus
T. which the two men who stood on
y top Of the humpbacked ridge
k1id see extended beneath them.
Il Big Mus6es, at this point less than
vi mile across, was everywhere of
thsolaaed depth. 1t curved and wound
river Of ooze, now broadening into
pans Of lakes, now narrowing into
{cAes; here and there crossed by
pa. buJ never stable. nowhere Of
NHng firm four datlOn for the perma-
KReli way Of the Missatibi railroad.
The Mls>atibi was a branch line,
aeec1s the new road that was push
~ nor,hward toward the ports to be
" tucson bay. 1t linked with it at
faF'on' whence 1t was being extended
eastward into a virgin wilderness.
f'sl IN the days when half dozen
companies were pegging out ways for
fueS mat were to divert the wheat
20 Joe BostOck's line had been the
T. OF legislatures and financiers.
nose other lines that were being
IR INTO Clayton passed through the
1es'-lands; Joe's line ran east out of
SA!'on into wilderness. Joe Bostock
a1 secured his capital, but he had no
Competitors.
And slowly Mlssatibl, with its small
asfeao'ders and limited means, had
e ahead The first location par
IVES Aea cleared a road to Big Mus
r. The rails had been laid half
E"a!, But that was all, save for the
~! constructed shacks and build.
4" 'oF the workmen there. and the
T., - '1r the construction material
- ''4l Dot yet been frelghted in.
'oe standing with legs straddling
r. ~ .'p Of the ridge, turned to Wilton
- -,-e'S. the chief engineer of the
s.-f-aH With eyebrows arched and
'-'''ls Inquiry on his weather
's's- Old face There was no need
H. speech at that moment. because
r '-'aa Of each man dwelt on the
-sl-csi problem.
L.. TWO men had come east by dog
- So acco- panied by two half
T.. 'ss Jean Passepartout and PapiI
e.s.. we in charge Of the dogs, tn,
-. carrying the translt.compass
-, --- aamped seven miles back OF
a. ling evening, and had set on
l,nds ... -~A % survey the swamp
l.~ g.. A the ridge. For the prob
con- ..-' mad suddenly risen up t.
b,.,-s mem clamored for solution
o.. obstruction could be carried
ii. t-- ma on its solution depende,
v '-s % the Mlssatibi.
no. O.. --e physical eye neither Jot
Dis, .- '-.l7's could hope to accom-
It's 'ls Wilton was seeking
~ ,l5lgh he did not know II
d. = he was endeavoring t,
r,.. pace where a foundation
en- '1-Eed above the unstable
e-a '-',see with trestllng AM
u lee. crossing that combine,
VIZ y. possible deviation Of rouu
-a han four nftha Of on