按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
properly built with long； low…per…cent。 grades； wide roadways； and a sufficiency of light and air； but； as a matter of fact； they had not been judiciously adapted to public convenience。 Norman Schryhart's father had been an investor in these tunnels； and Anson Merrill。 When they had proved unprofitable； after a long period of pointless manipulation cost； one million dollarsthey had been sold to the city for exactly that sum each； it being poetically deemed that a growing city could better afford to lose so disturbing an amount than any of its humble； ambitious； and respectable citizens。 That was a little affair by which members of council had profited years before； but that also is another story。
After discovering these tunnels Cowperwood walked through them several timesfor though they were now boarded up； there was still an uninterrupted footpathand wondered why they could not be utilized。 It seemed to him that if the street…car traffic were heavy enough； profitable enough； and these tunnels； for a reasonable sum； could be made into a lower grade； one of the problems which now hampered the growth of the North and West Sides would be obviated。 But how？ He did not own the tunnels。 He did not own the street…railways。 The cost of leasing and rebuilding the tunnels would be enormous。 Helpers and horses and extra drivers on any grade； however slight； would have to be used； and that meant an extra expense。 With street…car horses as the only means of traction； and with the long； expensive grades； he was not so sure that this venture would be a profitable one。
However； in the fall of 1880； or a little earlier （when he was still very much entangled with the preliminary sex affairs that led eventually to Rita Sohlberg）； he became aware of a new system of traction relating to street…cars which； together with the arrival of the arc…light； the telephone； and other inventions； seemed destined to change the character of city life entirely。
Recently in San Francisco； where the presence of hills made the movement of crowded street…railway cars exceedingly difficult； a new type of traction had been introducedthat of the cable； which was nothing more than a traveling rope of wire running over guttered wheels in a conduit； and driven by immense engines； conveniently located in adjacent stations or 〃power…houses。〃 The cars carried a readily manipulated 〃grip…lever；〃 or steel hand； which reached down through a slot into a conduit and 〃gripped〃 the moving cable。 This invention solved the problem of hauling heavily laden street…cars up and down steep grades。 About the same time he also heard； in a roundabout way； that the Chicago City Railway； of which Schryhart and Merrill were the principal owners； was about to introduce this mode of traction on its linesto cable State Street； and attach the cars of other lines running farther out into unprofitable districts as 〃trailers。〃 At once the solution of the North and West Side problems flashed upon himcables。
Outside of the bridge crush and the tunnels above mentioned； there was one other special condition which had been for some time past attracting Cowperwood's attention。 This was the waning energy of the North Chicago City Railway Companythe lack of foresight on the part of its directors which prevented them from perceiving the proper solution of their difficulties。 The road was in a rather unsatisfactory state financiallyreally open to a coup of some sort。 In the beginning it had been considered unprofitable； so thinly populated was the territory they served； and so short the distance from the business heart。 Later； however； as the territory filled up； they did better； only then the long waits at the bridges occurred。 The management； feeling that the lines were likely to be poorly patronized； had put down poor； little； light…weight rails； and run slimpsy cars which were as cold as ice in winter and as hot as stove…ovens in summer。 No attempt had been made to extend the down…town terminus of the several lines into the business centerthey stopped just over the river which bordered it at the north。 （On the South Side Mr。 Schryhart had done much better for his patrons。 He had already installed a loop for his cable about Merrill's store。） As on the West Side； straw was strewn in the bottom of all the cars in winter to keep the feet of the passengers warm； and but few open cars were used in summer。 The directors were averse to introducing them because of the expense。 So they had gone on and on； adding lines only where they were sure they would make a good profit from the start； putting down the same style of cheap rail that had been used in the beginning； and employing the same antique type of car which rattled and trembled as it ran； until the patrons were enraged to the point of anarchy。 Only recently； because of various suits and complaints inaugurated； the company had been greatly annoyed； but they scarcely knew what to do； how to meet the onslaught。 Though there was here and there a man of sensesuch as Terrence Mulgannon； the general superintendent； Edwin Kaffrath； a director； William Johnson； the constructing engineer of the companyyet such other men as Onias C。 Skinner； the president； and Walter Parker； the vice…president； were reactionaries of an elderly character； conservative； meditative； stingy； and； worst of all； fearful or without courage for great adventure。 It is a sad commentary that age almost invariably takes away the incentive to new achievement and makes 〃Let well enough alone〃 the most appealing motto。
Mindful of this； Cowperwood； with a now splendid scheme in his mind； one day invited John J。 McKenty over to his house to dinner on a social pretext。 When the latter； accompanied by his wife； had arrived； and Aileen had smiled on them both sweetly； and was doing her best to be nice to Mrs。 McKenty； Cowperwood remarked：
〃McKenty； do you know anything about these two tunnels that the city owns under the river at Washington and La Salle streets？〃
〃I know that the city took them over when it didn't need them； and that they're no good for anything。 That was before my time； though；〃 explained McKenty； cautiously。 〃I think the city paid a million for them。 Why？〃
〃Oh； nothing much；〃 replied Cowperwood； evading the matter for the present。 〃I was wondering whether they were in such condition that they couldn't be used for anything。 I see occasional references in the papers to their uselessness。〃
〃They're in pretty bad shape； I'm afraid；〃 replied McKenty。 〃I haven't been through either of them in years and years。 The idea was originally to let the wagons go through them and break up the crowding at the bridges。 But it didn't work。 They made the grade too steep and the tolls too high； and so the drivers preferred to wait for the bridges。 They were pretty hard on horses。 I can testify to that myself。 I've driven a wagon…load through them more than once。 The city should never have taken them over at all by rights。 It was a deal。 I don't know who all was in it。 Carmody was mayor then； and Aldrich was in charge of public works。〃
He relapsed into silence； and Cowperwood allowed the matter of the tunnels to rest until after dinner when they had adjourned to the library。 There he placed a friendly hand on McKenty's arm； an act of familiarity which the politician rather liked。
〃You felt pretty well satisfied with the way that gas business came out last year； didn't you？〃 he inquired。
〃I did；〃 replied McKenty； warmly。 〃Never more so。 I told you that at the time。〃 The Irishman liked Cowperwood； and was grateful for the swift manner in which he had been made richer by the sum of several hundred thousand dollars。
〃Well； now； McKenty；〃 continued Cowperwood； abruptly； and with a seeming lack of connection； 〃has it ever occurred to you that things are shaping up for a big change in the street…railway situation here？ I can see it coming。 There's going to be a new motor power introduced on the South Side within a year or two。 You've heard of it？〃
〃I read something of it；〃 replied McKenty； surprised and a little questioning。 He took a cigar and prepared to listen。 Cowperwood； never smoking； drew up a chair。
〃Well； I'll tell you what that means；〃 he explained。 〃It means that eventually every mile of street…railway track in this cityto say nothing of all the additional miles that will be built before this change takes placewill have to be done over on an entirely new basis。 I mean this cable…conduit system。 These old companies that are hobbling along now with an old equipment will have to make the change。 They'll have to spend millions and millions before they can bring their equipment up to date。 If you've paid any attention to the matter you must have seen what a condition these North and West Side lines are in。〃
〃It's pretty bad； I know that；〃 commented McKenty。
〃Just so；〃 replied Cowperwood； emphatically。 〃Well； now； if I know anything about these old managements from studying them； they're going to have a hard time bringing themselves to do this。 Two to three million are two to three million； and it isn't going to be an easy matter for them to raise the moneynot as easy； perhaps； as it would be for some of the rest of us； su