Arizona state miner., 1926-09-04
CHAPTER IV-Continued

The dinner was served in one of the
private dining rooms of the club,
known as the Red room. The guests
were those of the luncheon, with the
addition of young Cox and Caleb. 1t
appeared that they had been in some
conference that afternoon and that
the dinner marked the end Of satisfac-
tory arrangements. The talk was all
Of mutual interests, Big Business.
It appeared that the afternoons con-
ference had been called in connection
with the threat of other Californian
stiles to wrest from Golden it's su-
yremacy as the metropolis of the Pa
eiflc coast. The great fire, following
the earthquake, had given them op-
portunity to creep up in population
and general progress. Los Angeles
was the most formidable competitor,
with Oakville, across the bay from
Golden, once only thought of as a
suburb of the peninsular city but now,
ns the actual terminal of transcon-
hnental railroads that ended at deep
water. an active rival.
With so small a party Caleb was In
easy earshot Of the conversation. His
interests naturally centered On Wilbur
Cox and they quickened at the mention
Of water supply.
"The board of public works will ap-
prove the plans for filling the mains
with salt water from the bay in case
OF any big confagration," said Cox.
'"That will not only obviate any repeti-
ton Of disaster through the conduits
breaking between here and the reser-
voirs, as they did in the quake, but will
prove saving"
Jack Cox turned back to Caleb.
1.-THE governor insists that the vital
thing the matter with Golden's growth
is the question of adequate supply" he
said in an Undertone. Naturally he
concentrates on that point"
"Ig there a shortage?" asked Caleb.
"Likely to be, they tell me. Better
quiz the governor if you're Interested
He'll pour out information on that sub
3ect like a water-gate oDse he gets
started"
Here was food for thought Water
shortage meant water development. 1t
might mean an opportunity.
"The government project will take
years to put through" the host was
saying. Meantime we've got to get
busy"
"We're leaving that end of it to you,
Cox" said Winton. Conserving wa
ter, buying and selling water-at a
profit is your business"
"a reasonable profit"
sand a reasonable dividend" capped
Winton with dry smile.
The dinner was not protracted. And
It broke up completely. These men
seemed all to have definite things to do
even at the close of the day The
guests shook hands affabIy with Caleb.
"An engineer? Intending to locate
here? You'll find plenty to do" Such
was the consensus of their greetings.
The result was heartening. Out here
In the West they, seemed to accept
man as efficient until he proved him
self otherwise, he decided In the
East it was different. A stranger
would stay years on approval, almost
under suspicion, until he made good
Jack Cox invited him to visit I'm
periai valley, as his guest, to see what
had been done there and Caleb re-
sponded in kind TO the cordiality and
evident earnestneSs of the solicitation.
But he had an idea-Baxter would
have called it a hunch-that he would
DO well to stay In Golden for a while.
And cultivate Cox. His Yankee mind
suggested that here was a direct open
bag
Cox widened 1t.
II am in town for few days" he
said. 'You must come up to my office
for a chat over things And perhaps
HOa vOald like to look over the Crystal