WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:03.879 This is section seventeen of the Gilded Age. This LibriVox 2 00:00:03.879 --> 00:00:06.919 recording is in the public domain. The Gilded Age, A 3 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.519 Tale of to Day by Mark Twain and C. D. Warner, 4 00:00:10.039 --> 00:00:15.359 Chapter seventeen. We have viewed it and measured it within 5 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:19.079 all by the scale the richest tract of land love 6 00:00:19.480 --> 00:00:24.120 in the Kingdom there will be made seventeen or eighteen 7 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:29.480 millions or more asked may be handled. The devil is 8 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:34.039 an ass nobody dressed more like an engineer than mister 9 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:38.520 Henry Brierly. The completeness of his appointments was the envy 10 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.759 of the corps, and the gay fellow himself was the 11 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:46.320 admiration of the camp servants, axe men, teamsters, and Cook's. 12 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:50.200 I reckon, you didn't get them boots Nowher's this side 13 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:53.840 of Saint Louis queried the tall Missouri youth who acted 14 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:58.640 as Commissary's assistant. No New York, Yes, I've hearn of 15 00:00:58.960 --> 00:01:02.719 New York. Can aided the butternut lad, attentively studying each 16 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:06.359 item of Harry's dress and endeavoring to cover his design 17 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:13.000 with interesting conversation. There's Massachusetts. It's not far off, I've 18 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:17.719 hear Massachusetts was a blank of a place. Lissy, what 19 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:23.239 states Massachusetts? In Massachusetts kindly replied, Harry is in the 20 00:01:23.319 --> 00:01:28.959 state of Boston. Boston wanted they must have cost right smart, 21 00:01:29.040 --> 00:01:32.480 referring to the boots. Harry shouldered his rod and went 22 00:01:32.519 --> 00:01:35.560 to the field, tramped over the prairie by day, and 23 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:39.719 figured up results at night with the utmost cheerfulness and industry, 24 00:01:39.959 --> 00:01:43.159 and plotted the line on the profile paper, without, however, 25 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:48.719 the least idea of engineering, practical or theoretical. Perhaps there 26 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:51.200 was not a great deal of scientific knowledge in the 27 00:01:51.400 --> 00:01:55.560 entire corps, nor was very much needed. They were making 28 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:59.519 what is called a preliminary survey, and the chief object 29 00:01:59.560 --> 00:02:02.439 of a preliminary survey was to get up an excitement 30 00:02:02.480 --> 00:02:05.359 about the road, to interest every town in that part 31 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:07.519 of the state in it under the belief that the 32 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:10.159 road would run through it, and to get the aid 33 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:13.560 of every planter upon the prospect that a station would 34 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:17.280 be on his land. Mister Jeff Thompson was the most 35 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:20.360 popular engineer who could be found for this work. He 36 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:24.919 did not bother himself much about details or practicabilities of location, 37 00:02:25.479 --> 00:02:29.159 but ran merrily along, sighting from the top of one 38 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:33.000 divide to the top of another, and striking plum every 39 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:37.000 town site and big plantation within twenty or thirty miles 40 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:41.759 of his route. In his own language, he just went booming. 41 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:45.919 This course gave Harry an opportunity, as he said, to 42 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:49.479 learn the practical details of engineering, and it gave Philip 43 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:51.680 a chance to see the country and to judge for 44 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:55.680 himself what prospect of a fortune it offered. Both he 45 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.199 and Harry got the refusal of more than one plantation 46 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:02.080 as they went along on and wrote urgent letters to 47 00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:05.759 their eastern correspondence upon the beauty of the land and 48 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.520 the certainty that it would quadruple in value as soon 49 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:11.879 as the road was finally located. It seemed strange to 50 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:15.319 them that capitalists did not flock out there and secure 51 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:18.240 this land. They had not been in the field over 52 00:03:18.280 --> 00:03:21.439 two weeks when Harry wrote to his friend Colonel Sellers, 53 00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:24.039 that he'd better be on the move, for the line 54 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:27.680 was certain to go to Stone's Landing. Any One who 55 00:03:27.719 --> 00:03:29.719 looked at the line on the map as it was 56 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:32.719 laid down from day to day would have been uncertain 57 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:35.800 which way it was going. But Jeff had declared that, 58 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:39.400 in his judgment, the only practicable route from the point 59 00:03:39.479 --> 00:03:42.280 they then stood on was to follow the divide to 60 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:45.840 Stone's Landing, and it was generally understood that that town 61 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.319 would be the next one hit. We'll make it, boys, 62 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:51.520 said the chief. If we have to go in a 63 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:55.159 balloon and make it. They did. In less than a week, 64 00:03:55.240 --> 00:03:59.439 this indomitable engineer had carried his moving caravan over sleughs 65 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:03.840 and branches, across bottoms and along divides, and pitched his 66 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:07.039 tents in the very heart of the city of stones Landing. 67 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:11.159 Well I'll be dashed, was heard the cheery voice of 68 00:04:11.360 --> 00:04:14.280 mister Thompson as he stepped outside the tent door at 69 00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:18.319 sunrise next morning. If this don't get me, I say, 70 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:22.199 Yon Grayson, get out your sighting iron and see if 71 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:25.240 you can find Old Cellar's town. Blame me if we 72 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:28.560 wouldn't have run plumb by it, if twilight had held 73 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:32.600 on a little longer, Oh sterling, briefly, get up and 74 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:35.720 see the city. There's a steamboat just coming round the bend. 75 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:40.040 And Jeff roared with laughter. The Mayor'll be round here 76 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:43.839 to breakfast. The fellows turned out of the tents, rubbing 77 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:46.600 their eyes and stared about them. They were camped on 78 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:49.399 the second bench of the narrow bottom of a crooked, 79 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:52.879 sluggish stream that was some five rods wide in the 80 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:56.319 present good stage of water. Before them were a dozen 81 00:04:56.399 --> 00:05:00.680 log cabins with stick and mud chimneys, irregularly disposed on 82 00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:03.519 either side of a not very well defined road which 83 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:06.600 did not seem to know its own mind exactly, and 84 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.480 after straggling through the town, wandered off over the rolling 85 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:14.160 prairie in an uncertain way, as if it had started 86 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:17.839 for nowhere and was quite likely to reach its destination. 87 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:21.319 Just as it left the town, however, it was cheered 88 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:23.839 and assisted by a guide board, upon which was the 89 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.199 legend ten Mills to Hawkeye. The road had never been 90 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:31.439 made except by the travel over it, and at this season, 91 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:34.680 the rainy June, it was a way of ruts cut 92 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:38.879 in the black soil, and of fathomless mud holes. In 93 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:41.720 the principal street of the city. It had received more 94 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:45.759 attention for hogs great and small rooted about in it 95 00:05:45.839 --> 00:05:48.680 and wallowed in it, turning the street into a liquid 96 00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:51.959 quagmire which could only be crossed on pieces of plank 97 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:55.800 thrown here and there. About the chief cabin, which was 98 00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.279 the store and grocery of this mart of trade. The 99 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:02.800 mud was more liquid than elsewhere, and the rude platform 100 00:06:02.839 --> 00:06:05.959 in front of it, and the dry goods boxes mounted thereon, 101 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:09.000 were places of refuge for all the loafers of the place. 102 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:12.759 Down by the stream was a dilapidated building which served 103 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:16.240 for a hemp warehouse, and a shaky wharf extended out 104 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:19.720 from it into the water. In fact, a flat boat 105 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:23.160 was there moored by it, its setting poles. Lying across 106 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:26.519 the gunwales. Above the town, the stream was crossed by 107 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:30.040 a crazy wooden bridge, the supports of which leaned all 108 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:33.199 ways in the soggy soil. The absence of a plank 109 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.000 here and there in the flooring made the crossing of 110 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:38.680 the bridge faster than a walk, and a fence not 111 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:43.240 necessary to be prohibited by law. This gentleman, said jeff 112 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:48.319 Is Columbus River alias Goose Run. If it was widened 113 00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:51.959 and deepened, and straightened and made long enough, it would 114 00:06:51.959 --> 00:06:54.399 be one of the finest rivers in the western country. 115 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:58.079 As the sun rose and sent his level beams along 116 00:06:58.160 --> 00:07:02.560 the stream, the thin strata of mist or malaria rose 117 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:06.000 also and dispersed. But the light was not able to 118 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:08.839 enliven the dull water, nor give any hint of its 119 00:07:08.839 --> 00:07:13.720 apparently fathomless depth. Venerable mud turtles crawled up and roosted 120 00:07:13.800 --> 00:07:17.079 upon the old logs in the stream, their backs glistening 121 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:20.160 in the sun, the first inhabitants of the metropolis to 122 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:24.519 begin the active business of the day. It was not long, however, 123 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:27.879 before smoke began to issue from the city chimneys, and 124 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:31.279 before the engineers had finished their breakfast. They were the 125 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:34.439 object of the curious inspection of six or eight boys 126 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:37.839 and men, who lounged into the camp and gazed about 127 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:41.399 them with languid interest, their hands in their pockets. Everyone, 128 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:45.839 Good morning, gentlemen, called out the chief engineer from the table. 129 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:50.439 Good morning, drawled out the spokesman of the party. Aye, 130 00:07:50.839 --> 00:07:55.279 allow the shares the railroad. I hearn it was a comin'. Yes, 131 00:07:55.399 --> 00:07:58.120 this is the railroad, all but the rails and the 132 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.040 iron horse. I reckon. You can get all the rails 133 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.680 you want out in my wide oak timber over there, 134 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:06.519 replied the first speaker, who appeared to be a man 135 00:08:06.560 --> 00:08:10.240 of property and willing to strike up a trade. You'll 136 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:12.959 have to negotiate with the contractors about the rails, sir, 137 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:16.839 said Jeff. Here's mister Brierly, I've no doubt would like 138 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:20.040 to buy your rails when the time comes. No, said 139 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:22.959 the man. I thought maybe you'd fetch the whole billain 140 00:08:23.079 --> 00:08:26.120 along with you. But if you want rails, I've got em. 141 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:29.959 Hain't I f heaps said f without taking his eyes 142 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.159 off the group at the table. Well, said mister Thompson, 143 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:36.399 rising from his seat and moving towards his tent. The 144 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.840 railroad has come to Stone's landing. Sure I move, We 145 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:43.120 take a drink on it. All round the proposal met 146 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:47.679 with universal favor. Jeff gave prosperity to Stone's landing and 147 00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:51.080 navigation to Goose Run, and the toast was washed down 148 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:54.879 with gusto in the simple fluid of corn, and with 149 00:08:55.000 --> 00:08:58.039 the return compliment that a railroad was a good thing, 150 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:02.480 and that Jeff Thompson was no slouch. About ten o'clock, 151 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:06.080 a horse and wagon was decried making a slow approach 152 00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:08.799 to the camp over the prairie. As it drew near, 153 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:12.080 the wagon was seen to contain a portly gentleman who 154 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:15.799 hitched impatiently forward on his seat, shook the reins, and 155 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:18.840 gently touched up his horse in the vain attempt to 156 00:09:18.879 --> 00:09:22.399 communicate his own energy to that dull beast, and looked 157 00:09:22.440 --> 00:09:25.879 eagerly at the tents. When the conveyance at length drew 158 00:09:25.960 --> 00:09:30.200 up to mister Thompson's door, the gentleman descended with great deliberation, 159 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:35.600 straightened himself up, rubbed his hands, and, beaming satisfaction from 160 00:09:35.639 --> 00:09:38.919 every part of his radiant frame, advanced to the group 161 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:42.200 that was gathered to welcome him, and which had saluted 162 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:44.759 him by name as soon as he came within hearing. 163 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:50.320 Welcome to Napoleon, gentlemen, Welcome. I am proud to see 164 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:54.000 you here, mister Thompson. You are looking well, mister Sterling. 165 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:57.639 This is the country, sir, right glad to see you. 166 00:09:57.840 --> 00:10:02.759 Mister Brierly, you got that basket a champagne. No, those 167 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:06.639 blasted river thieves. I'll never send anything more by him. 168 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:10.240 The best brand Roderer, the last I had in my 169 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.519 cellar from a lot sent me by Sir George Gore 170 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:16.399 took him out on a buffalo hunt when he visited. 171 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:20.159 Our country is always sending me some trifle. You haven't 172 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:23.399 looked about any yet, gentlemen. It's in the rough yet. 173 00:10:23.440 --> 00:10:26.320 In the rough, those buildings will all have to come 174 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:32.639 down that's the place for the public square, court house, hotels, churches, jail, 175 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.120 all that sort of thing about where we stand the depot. 176 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:39.840 How does that strike your engineering eye, mister Thompson. Down 177 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:43.799 yonder the business streets running to the wharves, the university 178 00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:47.759 up there on rising ground, sightly place. See the river 179 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:51.919 for miles. That's Columbus River, only forty nine miles to 180 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:56.399 the Missouri. You see what it is, placid, steady, no 181 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:01.200 current to interfere with navigation. Wants widening in places and dredging. 182 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:04.120 Dredge out the harbor, and raise a levee in front 183 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:07.039 of the town, made by nature on purpose for a 184 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:11.080 mart Look at all this country, not another building within 185 00:11:11.240 --> 00:11:15.159 ten miles, No other navigable stream. Lay of the land 186 00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:20.080 points right here. Hemp, tobacco, corn must come here. The 187 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:23.720 railroad will do it. Napoleon won't know itself in a year, 188 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:28.759 don't now, evidently, said Philip, aside to Harry, Have you breakfast, 189 00:11:28.799 --> 00:11:32.799 colonel hastily, cup of coffee? Can't trust any coffee. I 190 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:36.360 don't import myself, but I put up a basket of provisions. 191 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:40.480 A wife would put in a few delicacies. Women always will, 192 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:43.600 and half dozen of that burgundy. I was telling you 193 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:46.679 of mister Brierly, By the way, you never got to 194 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:49.519 dine with me. And the Colonel strode away to the 195 00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:52.759 wagon and looked under the seat for the basket. Apparently 196 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:56.279 it was not there, for the Colonel raised up the flap, 197 00:11:56.440 --> 00:12:00.919 looked in front and behind, and then exclaimed, unfound it. 198 00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:04.200 That comes of not doing a thing yourself. I trusted 199 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.639 to the women folks to set that basket in the wagon, 200 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:10.519 and it ain't there. The camp cook speedily prepared a 201 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:15.600 savory breakfast for the colonel, broiled chicken, eggs, corn bread, 202 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.879 and coffee, to which he did ample justice, and topped 203 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:21.759 off with a drop of old bourbon from mister Thompson's 204 00:12:21.799 --> 00:12:24.600 private store, a brand which he said he knew well 205 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:28.480 he should think it came from his own sideboard. While 206 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.159 the engineer corps went to the field to run back 207 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:34.240 a couple of miles and ascertain approximately if a road 208 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:37.240 could ever get down to the landing, and to sight 209 00:12:37.320 --> 00:12:40.000 ahead across the run and see if it could ever 210 00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:43.720 get out again, Colonel Sellers and Harry sat down and 211 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:47.080 began to roughly map out the city of Napoleon on 212 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:50.279 a large piece of drawing paper. I've got the refusal 213 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:52.840 of a mile square here, said the Colonel, in our 214 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:56.080 names for a year, with a quarter interest reserved for 215 00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:59.720 the four owners. They laid out the town liberally, not 216 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:02.919 locking room, leaving space for the railroad to come in 217 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.960 and for the river as it was to be when improved. 218 00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:10.000 The engineers reported that the railroad could come in by 219 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:12.679 taking a little sweep and crossing the stream on a 220 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:16.399 high bridge, but the grades would be steep. Colonel Sellers 221 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:18.840 said he didn't care so much about the grades if 222 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:21.240 the road could only be made to reach the elevators 223 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:24.279 on the river. The next day, mister Thompson made a 224 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:26.960 hasty survey of the stream for a mile or two, 225 00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:29.840 so that the Colonel and Harry were enabled to show 226 00:13:29.919 --> 00:13:33.080 on their map how nobly that would accommodate the city. 227 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:36.519 Jeff took a little writing from the Colonel and Harry 228 00:13:36.600 --> 00:13:40.519 for a prospective share, but Philip declined to join in, 229 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.080 saying that he had no money and didn't want to 230 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:47.039 make engagements he couldn't fulfill. The next morning, the camp 231 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:50.039 moved on, followed till it was out of sight by 232 00:13:50.080 --> 00:13:52.799 the listless eyes of the group in front of the store, 233 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:56.919 one of whom remarked that he'd be dog gone if 234 00:13:56.919 --> 00:14:00.759 he ever expected to see that railroad any more. Harry 235 00:14:00.799 --> 00:14:04.120 went with the colonel to Hawkeye to complete their arrangements, 236 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:06.799 a part of which was the preparation of a petition 237 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:11.039 to Congress for the improvement of the navigation of Columbus 238 00:14:11.120 --> 00:14:19.200 River end of Chapter seventeen.