The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-07-06
CHAPTER VIII

Nate Tichenor's action in admitting
to Silas Babson that he was the sole
owner of the Mountain Valley Power
company had not been predicated on
a desire to shock the banker.
Tichenor was merely in a position
where he could not afford TO promise
Babson to enter into negotiations TO
sell Forlorn Valley water for irriga-
ton. Before deciding to acquire
Lorry Kershaw's lake site and pro-
coed to the vast expense of building
his dam and power station he had
found it necessary to make certain of
a market for the power he purposed
generating, for the Mountain Valley
Power company was not in position 10
enter the field in competition with the
P. G. & E., the company that already
controlled the market in northern Cali
fornia. with dozen large plants scat
tered through the mountains. In or
der to consolidate his position. there
fore, he had already had the Mountain
Valley Power company enter into nego-
tiations for a contract with the P. G.
& E., whereby that company was to
purchase all the power Tichenor's COM
pany could deliver. While this con-
tract did not restrain his company
from selling water for irrigation, and
Tichenor had hoped to sell water for
that purpose. he dared not consider
the proposition until quite certain he
10 rr-fT =
duction of power. Instinctively eau
tious, he declined to commit himself
even to halfway promise to Babson
He had discerned that his refusal
to enter into negotiations had shocked
Babson. but he had no idea as to tire
extent of the shock.
Other than the knowledge that Bah
son had organized raid to ruin Lorry
Kershaw, Tichenor had no cause to dis
like the man, indeed. the knowledge
that he, Tichenor. had always been in
position to Illustrate that raid, had
operated to duh the edge of his resent
ment. He knew the world was quite
filed with Silas Babsons; indeed. dur
ing his busy years in New York he had
met more than one of them, had crossed
financial swords with them, had de-
feated them and been defeated by
them. Such men were all in the DAYS
work for him, and such irritation as
he had felt against Babson was solely
out of sympathy for Lorry Kershaw.
II the impending disaster appeared
TO affect Babson only. be would have
dismissed all thought of him. Certain
ly he would not have wasted any SYM
patty on him. But. without water.
eventually hundreds Of people In For
lorn Valley would be reduced TO poy-
erty. And with the collapse of the
Bank of Valley Center, the absolute
ruin of the valley would be FASTENED
and completed
Nate Tichenor, ostracized as he had
been by the people of Forlorn Valley
in his boyhood-ostracized as all of hts
people had been-had. not unnaturally,
acquired fierce resentment against
these people who looked to him for
snccor. But his resentment faded now
before the realization of the tragedy
they faced
His heart welled with pity for them
"Tll have TO do something about this
he decided. "Tll defer signing the con-
tract the P. G. L Els counsel is pre-
pairing; I'll defer building the hydro
electric plant until after I've expert
mented with the water. Perhaps I'll
not build the power plant I'll show
those Forlorn Valley cattle that the
despised Hensley clan managed to
breed human being and q public
spirited citizen after all"
TO BE CONTINUED.