CHAPTER XXIV
THE WEST
The meeting of the share-holders of the British-American Lumber andCoal Company was, on the whole, a stormy one, for the very best ofreasons--the failure of the company to pay dividends. The annual reportwhich the president presented showed clearly that there was a slightincrease in expenditure and a considerable falling off in sales, and itneeded but a little mathematical ability to reach the conclusion thatin a comparatively short time the company would be bankrupt. Theshare-holders were thoroughly disgusted with the British Columbia endof the business, and were on the lookout for a victim. Naturally theirchoice fell upon the manager. The concern failed to pay. It was themanager's business to make it pay and the failure must be laid to hischarge. Their confidence in their manager was all the more shaken by thereports that had reached them of his peculiar fads--his reading-room,library, etc. These were sufficient evidence of his lack of businessability. He was undoubtedly a worthy young man, but there was everyground to believe that he was something of a visionary, and men withgreat hesitation intrust hard cash to the management of an idealist. Itwas, perhaps, unfortunate for Mr. St. Clair that he should be appealedto upon this point, for his reluctance to express an opinion as to theability of the manager, and his admission that possibly the young manmight properly be termed a visionary, brought Colonel Thorp sharply tohis feet.
"Mr. St. Clair," said the colonel, in a cool, cutting voice, "will nothesitate to bear testimony to the fact that our manager is a man whoseintegrity cannot be tampered with. If I mistake not, Mr. St. Clair hashad evidence of this."
Mr. St. Clair hastened to bear the very strongest testimony to themanager's integrity.
"And Mr. St. Clair, I have no doubt," went on the colonel, "will beequally ready to bear testimony to the conspicuous ability our managerdisplayed while he was in the service of the Raymond and St. ClairLumber Company."
Mr. St. Clair promptly corroborated the colonel's statement.
"We are sure of two things, therefore," continued the colonel, "thatour manager is a man of integrity, and that he has displayed conspicuousbusiness ability in his former positions."
At this point the colonel was interrupted, and his attention was calledto the fact that the reports showed an increase of expenditure forsupplies and for wages, and on the other hand a falling off in therevenue from the stores. But the colonel passed over these points asinsignificant. "It is clear," he proceeded, "that the cause of failuredoes not lie in the management, but in the state of the market. Thepolitical situation in that country is very doubtful, and this has anexceedingly depressing effect upon business."
"Then," interrupted a share-holder, "it is time the company shouldwithdraw from that country and confine itself to a district where themarket is sure and the future more stable."
"What about these fads, Colonel?" asked another share-holder; "thesereading-rooms, libraries, etc? Do you think we pay a man to establishthat sort of thing? To my mind they simply put a lot of nonsenseinto the heads of the working-men and are the chief cause ofdissatisfaction." Upon this point the colonel did not feel competent toreply; consequently the feeling of the meeting became decidedly hostileto the present manager, and a resolution was offered demanding hisresignation. It was also agreed that the board of directors shouldconsider the advisability of withdrawing altogether from BritishColumbia, inasmuch as the future of that country seemed to be veryuncertain. Thereupon Colonel Thorp rose and begged leave to withdraw hisname from the directorate of the company. He thought it was unwise toabandon a country where they had spent large sums of money, without athorough investigation of the situation, and he further desired to enterhis protest against the injustice of making their manager suffer for afailure for which he had in no way been shown to be responsible. But theshare-holders refused to even consider Colonel Thorp's request, and boththe president and secretary exhausted their eloquence in eulogizing hisvalue to the company. As a compromise it was finally decided to continueoperations in British Columbia for another season. Colonel Thorpdeclared that the reforms and reorganization schemes inaugurated byRanald would result in great reductions in the cost of production, andthat Ranald should be given opportunity to demonstrate the success orfailure of his plans; and further, the political situation doubtlesswould be more settled. The wisdom of this decision was manifested later.
The spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction appeared again at the nextannual meeting, for while conditions were improving, dividends werenot yet forthcoming. Once again Colonel Thorp successfully championedRanald's cause, this time insisting that a further test of two seasonsbe made, prophesying that not only would the present deficit disappear,but that their patience and confidence would be amply rewarded.
Yielding to pressure, and desiring to acquaint himself with actualconditions from personal observation, Colonel Thorp concluded to visitBritish Columbia the autumn preceding the annual meeting which was tosucceed Ranald's period of probation.
Therefore it was that Colonel Thorp found himself on the coast steamshipOregon approaching the city of Victoria. He had not enjoyed his voyage,and was, consequently, in no mood to receive the note which was handedhim by a brisk young man at the landing.
"Who's this from, Pat," said the colonel, taking the note.
"Mike, if you please, Michael Cole, if you don't mind; and the note isfrom the boss, Mr. Macdonald, who has gone up the country, and can't behere to welcome you."
"Gone up the country!" roared the colonel; "what the blank, blank, doeshe mean by going up the country at this particular time?"
But Mr. Michael Cole was quite undisturbed by the colonel's wrath. "Youmight find the reason in the note," he said, coolly, and the colonel,glaring at him, opened the note and read:
"MY DEAR COLONEL THORP: I am greatly disappointed in not being able tomeet you. The truth is I only received your letter this week. Our mailsare none too prompt, and so I have been unable to re-arrange my plans.I find it necessary to run up the river for a couple of weeks. In themeantime, thinking that possibly you might like to see something ofour country, I have arranged that you should join the party of theLieutenant Governor on their trip to the interior, and which will takeonly about four weeks' time. The party are going to visit the mostinteresting districts of our country, including both the famous miningdistrict of Cariboo and the beautiful valley of the Okanagan. Mr. Cole,my clerk, will introduce you to Mr. Blair, our member of Parliament forWestminster, who will present you to the rest of the party. Mr. Blair, Ineed not say, is one of the brightest business men in the West. I shallmeet you at Yale on your return. If it is absolutely impossible for youto take this trip, and necessary that I should return at once, Mr. Colewill see that a special messenger is sent to me, but I would stronglyurge that you go, if possible.
"With kind regards."
"Look here, young man," yelled the colonel, "do you think I've come allthis way to go gallivanting around the country with any blank, blankroyal party?"
"I don't know, Colonel," said young Cole, brightly; "but I tell you I'dlike mighty well to go in your place."
"And where in the nation IS your boss, and what's he after, anyway?"
"He's away up the river looking after business, and pretty big business,too," said Coley, not at all overawed by the colonel's wrath.
"Well, I hope he knows himself," said the colonel.
"Oh, don't make any mistake about that, Colonel," said young Cole; "healways knows where he's going and what he wants, and he gets it." Butthe colonel made no reply, nor did he deign to notice Mr. Michael Coleagain until they had arrived at the New Westminster landing.
"The boss didn't know," said Coley, approaching the colonel with somedegree of care, "whether you would like to go to the hotel or to hisrooms; you can take your choice. The hotel is not of the best, and hethought perhaps you could put up with his rooms."
"All right," said the colonel; "I guess they'll suit me."
The colonel made no mistake in deciding for Ranald's quarters. T
heyconsisted of two rooms that formed one corner of a long, wooden,single-story building in the shape of an L. One of these rooms Ranaldmade his dining-room and bedroom, the other was his office. The restof the building was divided into three sections, and constituted adining-room, reading-room, and bunk-room for the men. The walls of theserooms were decorated not inartistically with a few colored printsand with cuts from illustrated papers, many and divers. The furniturethroughout was home-made, with the single exception of a cabinet organwhich stood in one corner of the reading-room. On the windows of thedining-room and bunk-room were green roller blinds, but those of thereading-room were draped with curtains of flowered muslin. Indeed thereading-room was distinguished from the others by a more artistic andelaborate decoration, and by a greater variety of furniture. The roomwas evidently the pride of the company's heart. In Ranald's private roomthe same simplicity in furniture and decoration was apparent, but whenthe colonel was ushered into the bedroom his eye fell at once upon twophotographs, beautifully framed, hung on each side of the mirror.
"Hello, guess I ought to know this," he said, looking at one of them.
Coley beamed. "You do, eh? Well, then, she's worth knowin' and there'sonly one of her kind."
"Don't know about that, young man," said the colonel, looking at theother photograph; "here's one that ought to go in her class."
"Perhaps," said Coley, doubtfully, "the boss thinks so, I guess, fromthe way he looks at it."
"Young man, what sort of a fellow's your boss?" said the colonel,suddenly facing Coley.
"What sort?" Coley thought a moment. "Well, 'twould need a goodeddication to tell, but there's only one in his class, I tell you."
"Then he owes it to this little woman," pointing to one of thephotographs, "and she," pointing to the other, "said so."
"Then you may bet it's true."
"I don't bet on a sure thing," said the colonel, his annoyance vanishingin a slow smile, his first since reaching the province.
"Dinner'll be ready in half an hour, sir," said Coley, swearingallegiance in his heart to the man that agreed with him in regard to thephotograph that stood with Coley for all that was highest in humanity.
"John," he said, sharply, to the Chinese cook, "got good dinner, eh?"
"Pitty good," said John, indifferently.
"Now, look here, John, him big man." John was not much impressed. "Awfulbig man, I tell you, big soldier." John preserved a stolid countenance.
"John," said the exasperated Coley, "I'll kick you across this room andback if you don't listen to me. Want big dinner, heap good, eh?"
"Huh-huh, belly good," replied John, with a slight show of interest.
"I say, John, what you got for dinner, eh?" asked Coley, changing histactics.
"Ham, eggs, lice," answered the Mongolian, imperturbably.
"Gee whiz!" said Coley, "goin' to feed the boss' uncle on ham and eggs?"
"What?" said John, with sudden interest, "Uncle boss, eh?"
"Yes," said the unblushing Coley.
"Huh! Coley heap fool! Get chicken, quick! meat shop, small, eh?" TheChinaman was at last aroused. Pots, pans, and other utensils were inimmediate requisition, a roaring fire set a-going, and in three-quartersof an hour the colonel sat down to a dinner of soup, fish, and fowl,with various entrees and side dishes that would have done credit to aNew York chef. Thus potent was the name of the boss with his cook.
John's excellent dinner did much to soothe and mollify his guest;but the colonel was sensitive to impressions other than the purelygastronomic, for throughout the course of the dinner, his eyes wanderedto the photographs on the wall, and in fancy he was once more in thepresence of the two women, to whom he felt pledged in Ranald's behalf."It's a one-horse looking country, though," he said to himself, "and noplace for a man with any snap. Best thing would be to pull out, Iguess, and take him along." And it was in this mind that he received theHonorable Archibald Blair, M. P. P., for New Westminster, president ofthe British Columbia Canning Company, recently organized, and a directorin half a dozen other business concerns.
"Colonel Thorp, this is Mr. Blair, of the British Columbia CanningCompany," said Coley, with a curious suggestion of Ranald in his manner.
"Glad to welcome a friend of Mr. Macdonald's," said Mr. Blair, a littleman of about thirty, with a shrewd eye and a kindly frank manner.
"Well, I guess I can say the same," said Colonel Thorp, shaking hands."I judge his friends are of the right sort."
"You'll find plenty in this country glad to class themselves in thatlist," laughed Mr. Blair; "I wouldn't undertake to guarantee them all,but those he lists that way, you can pretty well bank on. He's a youngman for reading men."
"Yes?" said the colonel, interrogatively; "he's very young."
"Young, for that matter so are we all, especially on this side the waterhere. It's a young man's country."
"Pretty young, I judge," said the colonel, dryly. "Lots of room togrow."
"Yes, thank Providence!" said Mr. Blair, enthusiastically; "but there'slots of life and lots to feed it. But I'm not going to talk, Colonel. Itis always wasted breath on an Easterner. I'll let the country talk. Youare coming with us, of course."
"Hardly think so; my time is rather limited, and, well, to tell thetruth; I'm from across the line and don't cater much to your royalties."
"Royalties!" exclaimed Mr. Blair. "Oh, you mean our governor. Well,that's good rather, must tell the governor that." Mr. Blair laughed longand loud. "You'll forget all that when you are out with us an hour. No,we think it well to hedge our government with dignity, but on this tripwe shall leave the gold lace and red tape behind."
"How long do you propose to be gone?"
"About four weeks. But I make you a promise. If after the first week youwant to return from any point, I shall send you back with all speed. Butyou won't want to, I guarantee you that. Why, my dear sir, think ofthe route," and Mr. Blair went off into a rapturous description of themarvels of the young province, its scenery, its resources, its climate,its sport, playing upon each string as he marked the effect upon hislistener. By the time Mr. Blair's visit was over, the colonel had madeup his mind that he would see something of this wonderful country.
Next day Coley took him over the company's mills, and was not a littledisappointed to see that the colonel was not impressed by their size orequipment. In Coley's eyes they were phenomenal, and he was inclined toresent the colonel's lofty manner. The foreman, Mr. Urquhart, a shrewdScotchman, who had seen the mills of the Ottawa River and those inMichigan as well, understood his visitor's attitude better; and besides,it suited his Scotch nature to refuse any approach to open admirationfor anything out of the old land. His ordinary commendation was,"It's no that bad"; and his superlative was expressed in the daringconcession, "Aye, it'll maybe dae, it micht be waur." So he followed thecolonel about with disparaging comments that drove Coley to the verge ofmadness. When they came to the engine room, which was Urquhart's pride,the climax was reached.
"It's a wee bit o' a place, an' no fit for the wark," said Urquhart,ushering the colonel into a snug little engine-room, where every bit ofbrass shone with dazzling brightness, and every part of the engine movedin smooth, sweet harmony.
"Slick little engine," said the colonel, with discriminating admiration.
"It's no that bad the noo, but ye sud hae seen it afore Jem, there, tooka hand o' it--a wheezin' rattlin' pechin thing that ye micht expect taeflee in bits for the noise in the wame o't. But Jemmie sorted it tillit's nae despicable for its size. But it's no fit for the wark. Jemmie,lad, just gie't its fill an' we'll pit the saw until a log," saidUrquhart, as they went up into the sawing-room where, in a few minutes,the colonel had an exhibition of the saw sticking fast in a log for lackof power.
"Man, yon's a lad that kens his trade. He's frae Gleska. He earns hismoney's warth."
"How did you come to get him?" said the colonel, moved to interest byUrquhart's unwonted praise.
"Indeed, just the way we've got
all our best men. It's the boss pickedhim oot o' the gutter, and there he is earnin' his twa and a half aday."
"The boss did that, eh?" said the colonel, with one of his swift glancesat the speaker.
"Aye, that he did, and he's only one o' many."
"He's good at that sort of business, I guess."
"Aye, he kens men as ye can see frae his gang."
"Doesn't seem to be able to make the company's business pay," venturedthe colonel.
"D'ye think ye cud find one that cud?" pointing to the halting saw. "Anthat's the machine that turned oot thae piles yonder. Gie him a chance,though, an' when the stuff is deesposed of ye'll get y're profit."Urquhart knew what he was about, and the colonel went back with Coleyto his rooms convinced of two facts, that the company had a plant thatmight easily be improved, but a manager that, in the estimation of thosewho wrought with him, was easily first in his class. Ranald could haveadopted no better plan for the enhancing of his reputation than byallowing Colonel Thorp to go in and out among the workmen and hisfriends. More and more the colonel became impressed with his manager'sgenius for the picking of his men and binding them to his interests, andas this impression deepened he became the more resolved that it wasa waste of good material to retain a man in a country offering such alimited scope for his abilities.
But after four weeks spent in exploring the interior, from Quesnelle toOkanagan, and in the following in and out the water-ways of the coastline, the colonel met Ranald at Yale with only a problem to be solved,and he lost no time in putting it to his manager.
"How in thunder can I get those narrow-gauge, hidebound Easterners tolaunch out into business in this country?"
"I can't help you there, Colonel. I've tried and failed."
"By the great Sam, so you have!" said the colonel, with a suddenconviction of his own limitations in the past. "No use tryin' to tell'em of this," swinging his long arm toward the great sweep of the FraserValley, clothed with a mighty forest. "It's only a question of holdin'on for a few years, the thing's dead sure."
"I have been through a good part of it," said Ranald, quietly, "and I amconvinced that here we have the pick of Canada, and I venture to sayof the American Continent. Timber, hundreds of square miles of it,fish--I've seen that river so packed with salmon that I couldn't shovemy canoe through--"
"Hold on, now," said the colonel, "give me time."
"Simple, sober truth of my own proving," replied Ranald. "And you saw afringe of the mines up in the Cariboo. The Kootenai is full of gold andsilver, and in the Okanagan you can grow food and fruits for millions ofpeople. I know what I am saying."
"Tell you what," said the colonel, "you make me think you're speakin'the truth anyhow." Then, with a sudden inspiration, he exclaimed: "Bythe great Sammy, I've got an idea!" and then, as he saw Ranald waiting,added, "But I guess I'll let it soak till we get down to the mill."
"Do you think you could spare me, Colonel?" asked Ranald, in a dubiousvoice; "I really ought to run through a bit of timber here."
"No, by the great Sam, I can't! I want you to come right along," repliedthe colonel, with emphasis.
"What is he saying, Colonel?" asked Mr. Blair.
"Wants to run off and leave me to paddle my way home alone. Not much! Itell you what, we have some important business to do before I go East.You hear me?"
"And besides, Macdonald, I want you for that big meeting of ours nextweek. You simply must be there."
"You flatter me, Mr. Blair."
"Not a bit; you know there are a lot of hot-heads talking separation andthat sort of thing, and I want some level-headed fellow who is in withthe working men to be there."
And as it turned out it was a good thing for Mr. Blair and for the causehe represented that Ranald was present at the great mass-meeting heldin New Westminster the next week. For the people were exasperated beyondall endurance at the delay of the Dominion in making good the solemnpromises given at the time of Confederation, and were in a mood tolisten to the proposals freely made that the useless bond should besevered. "Railway or separation," was the cry, and resolutions embodyingthis sentiment were actually proposed and discussed. It was Ranald'sspeech, every one said, that turned the tide. His calm logic made clearthe folly of even considering separation; his knowledge of, and hisunbounded faith in, the resources of the province, and more than all,his impassioned picturing of the future of the great Dominion reachingfrom ocean to ocean, knit together by ties of common interest, and acommon loyalty that would become more vividly real when the provinceshad been brought more closely together by the promised railway. Theymight have to wait a little longer, but it was worth while waiting, andthere was no future in any other policy. It was his first speech at agreat meeting, and as Mr. Blair shook him warmly by the hand, the crowdburst into enthusiastic cries, "Macdonald! Macdonald!" and in one ofthe pauses a single voice was heard, "Glengarry forever!" Then againthe crowd broke forth, "Glengarry! Glengarry!" for all who knew Ranaldpersonally had heard of the gang that were once the pride of the Ottawa.At that old cry Ranald's face flushed deep red, and he had no words toanswer his friends' warm congratulations.
"Send him East," cried a voice.
"Yes, yes, that's it. Send him to Ottawa to John A. It's the same clan!"
Swiftly Mr. Blair made up his mind. "Gentlemen, that is a goodsuggestion. I make it a motion." It was seconded in a dozen places,and carried by a standing vote. Then Ranald rose again and modestlyprotested that he was not the man to go. He was quite unknown in theprovince.
"We know you!" the same voice called out, followed by a roar ofapproval.
"And, besides," went on Ranald, "it is impossible for me to get away;I'm a working man and not my own master."
Then the colonel, who was sitting on the platform, rose and begged to beheard. "Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I ain't a Canadian--"
"Never mind! You can't help that," sang out a man from the back, with aroar of laughter following.
"But if I weren't an American, I don't know anything that I'd ratherbe." (Great applause.) "Four weeks ago I wouldn't have taken yourprovince as a gift. Now I only wish Uncle Sam could persuade you tosell." (Cries of "He hasn't got money enough. Don't fool yourself.")"But I want to say that this young man of mine," pointing to Ranald,"has given you good talk, and if you want him to go East, why, I'll lethim off for a spell." (Loud cheers for the colonel and for Macdonald.)
A week later a great meeting in Victoria indorsed the New Westminsterresolutions with the added demand that the railway should be continuedto Esquinalt according to the original agreement. Another delegate wasappointed to represent the wishes of the islanders, and before Ranaldhad fully realized what had happened he found himself a famous man, andon the way to the East with the jubilant colonel.
"What was the great idea, Colonel, that struck you at Yale?" inquiredRanald, as they were fairly steaming out of the Esquinalt harbor.
"This is it, my boy!" exclaimed the colonel, slapping him on the back."This here trip East. Now we've got 'em over the ropes, by the greatand everlasting Sammy!" the form of oath indicating a climax in thecolonel's emotion.
"Got who?" inquired Ranald, mystified.
"Them gol-blamed, cross-road hayseeds down East." And with this thecolonel became discreetly silent. He knew too well the sensitive prideof the man with whom he had to deal, and he was chiefly anxious now thatRanald should know as little as possible of the real object of his goingto British Columbia.
"We've got to make the British-American Coal and Lumber Company know thetime of day. It's gittin'-up time out in this country. They were talkin'a little of drawin' out." Ranald gasped. "Some of them only," thecolonel hastened to add, "but I want you to talk like you did the othernight, and I'll tell my little tale, and if that don't fetch 'em thenI'm a Turk."
"Well, Colonel, here's my word," said Ranald, deliberately, "if thecompany wish to withdraw they may do so, but my future is bound up withthat of the West, and I have no fear that it will fail me. I stake myall upon th
e West."