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！
use the business heart was thus more directly reached。 Cowperwood was willing and anxious to build this tunnel； though he was puzzled how to secure from the city a right of way under Van Buren Street； where a bridge loaded with heavy traffic now swung。 There were all sorts of complications。 In the first place； the consent of the War Department at Washington had to be secured in order to tunnel under the river at all。 Secondly； the excavation； if directly under the bridge； might prove an intolerable nuisance； necessitating the closing or removal of the bridge。 Owing to the critical； not to say hostile； attitude of the newspapers which； since the La Salle and Washington tunnel grants； were following his every move with a searchlight； Cowperwood decided not to petition the city for privileges in this case； but instead to buy the property rights of sufficient land just north of the bridge； where the digging of the tunnel could proceed without interference。
The piece of land most suitable for this purpose； a lot 150 x 150； lying a little way from the river…bank； and occupied by a seven…story loft…building； was owned by the previously mentioned Redmond Purdy； a long； thin； angular； dirty person； who wore celluloid collars and cuffs and spoke with a nasal intonation。
Cowperwood had the customary overtures made by seemingly disinterested parties endeavoring to secure the land at a fair price。 But Purdy； who was as stingy as a miser and as incisive as a rat…trap； had caught wind of the proposed tunnel scheme。 He was all alive for a fine profit。 〃No； no； no；〃 he declared； over and over； when approached by the representatives of Mr。 Sylvester Toomey； Cowperwood's ubiquitous land…agent。 〃I don't want to sell。 Go away。〃
Mr。 Sylvester Toomey was finally at his wit's end； and complained to Cowperwood； who at once sent for those noble beacons of dark and stormy waters； General Van Sickle and the Hon。 Kent Barrows McKibben。 The General was now becoming a little dolty； and Cowperwood was thinking of pensioning him； but McKibben was in his primesmug； handsome； deadly； smooth。 After talking it over with Mr。 Toomey they returned to Cowperwood's office with a promising scheme。 The Hon。 Nahum Dickensheets； one of the judges of the State Court of Appeals； and a man long since attached； by methods which need not here be described； to Cowperwood's star； had been persuaded to bring his extensive technical knowledge to bear on the emergency。 At his suggestion the work of digging the tunnel was at once begunfirst at the east or Franklin Street end； then； after eight months' digging； at the west or Canal Street end。 A shaft was actually sunk some thirty feet back of Mr。 Purdy's buildingbetween it and the riverwhile that gentleman watched with a quizzical gleam in his eye this defiant procedure。 He was sure that when it came to the necessity of annexing his property the North and West Chicago Street Railways would be obliged to pay through the nose。
〃Well； I'll be cussed；〃 be frequently observed to himself； for he could not see how his exaction of a pound of flesh was to be evaded； and yet he felt strangely restless at times。 Finally； when it became absolutely necessary for Cowperwood to secure without further delay this coveted strip； he sent for its occupant； who called in pleasant anticipation of a profitable conversation； this should be worth a small fortune to him。
〃Mr。 Purdy；〃 observed Cowperwood； glibly； 〃you have a piece of land on the other side of the river that I need。 Why don't you sell it to me？ Can't we fix this up now in some amicable way？〃
He smiled while Purdy cast shrewd； wolfish glances about the place； wondering how much he could really hope to exact。 The building； with all its interior equipment； land； and all； was worth in the neighborhood of two hundred thousand dollars。
〃Why should I sell？ The building is a good building。 It's as useful to me as it would be to you。 I'm making money out of it。〃
〃Quite true；〃 replied Cowperwood； 〃but I am willing to pay you a fair price for it。 A public utility is involved。 This tunnel will be a good thing for the West Side and any other land you may own over there。 With what I will pay you you can buy more land in that neighborhood or elsewhere； and make a good thing out of it。 We need to put this tunnel just where it is； or I wouldn't trouble to argue with you。
〃That's just it；〃 replied Purdy； fixedly。 〃You've gone ahead and dug your tunnel without consulting me； and now you expect me to get out of the way。 Well； I don't see that I'm called on to get out of there just to please you。〃
〃But I'll pay you a fair price。〃
〃How much will you pay me？〃
〃How much do you want？〃
Mr。 Purdy scratched a fox…like ear。 〃One million dollars。〃
〃One million dollars！〃 exclaimed Cowperwood。 〃Don't you think that's a little steep； Mr。 Purdy？〃
〃No；〃 replied Purdy； sagely。 〃It's not any more than it's worth。〃
Cowperwood sighed。
〃I'm sorry；〃 he replied； meditatively； 〃but this is really too much。 Wouldn't you take three hundred thousand dollars in cash now and consider this thing closed？〃
〃One million；〃 replied Purdy； looking sternly at the ceiling。 〃Very well； Mr。 Purdy；〃 replied Cowperwood。 〃I'm very sorry。 It's plain to me that we can't do business as I had hoped。 I'm willing to pay you a reasonable sum； but what you ask is far too muchpreposterous！ Don't you think you'd better reconsider？ We might move the tunnel even yet。〃
〃One million dollars；〃 said Purdy。
〃It can't be done； Mr。 Purdy。 It isn't worth it。 Why won't you be fair？ Call it three hundred and twenty…five thousand dollars cash； and my check to…night。〃
〃I wouldn't take five or six hundred thousand dollars if you were to offer it to me； Mr。 Cowperwood； to…night or any other time。 I know my rights。〃
〃Very well； then；〃 replied Cowperwood； 〃that's all I can say。 If you won't sell； you won't sell。 Perhaps you'll change your mind later。〃
Mr。 Purdy went out； and Cowperwood called in his lawyers and his engineers。 One Saturday afternoon； a week or two later； when the building in question had been vacated for the day； a company of three hundred laborers； with wagons； picks； shovels； and dynamite sticks； arrived。 By sundown of the next day （which； being Sunday； was a legal holiday； with no courts open or sitting to issue injunctions） this comely structure； the private property of Mr。 Redmond Purdy； was completely razed and a large excavation substituted in its stead。 The gentleman of the celluloid cuffs and collars； when informed about nine o'clock of this same Sunday morning that his building had been almost completely removed； was naturally greatly perturbed。 A portion of the wall was still standing when he arrived； hot and excited； and the police were appealed to。
But； strange to say； this was of little avail； for they were shown a writ of injunction issued by the court of highest jurisdiction； presided over by the Hon。 Nahum Dickensheets； which restrained all and sundry from interfering。 （Subsequently on demand of another court this remarkable document was discovered to have disappeared； the contention was that it had never really existed or been produced at all。）
The demolition and digging proceeded。 Then began a scurrying of lawyers to the door of one friendly judge after another。 There were apoplectic cheeks； blazing eyes； and gasps for breath while the enormity of the offense was being noised abroad。 Law is law； however。 Procedure is procedure； and no writ of injunction was either issuable or returnable on a legal holiday； when no courts were sitting。 Nevertheless； by three o'clock in the afternoon an obliging magistrate was found who consented to issue an injunction staying this terrible crime。 By this time； however； the building was gone； the excavation complete。 It remained merely for the West Chicago Street Railway Company to secure an injunction vacating the first injunction； praying that its rights； privileges； liberties； etc。； be not interfered with； and so creating a contest which naturally threw the matter into the State Court of Appeals； where it could safely lie。 For several years there were numberless injunctions； writs of errors； doubts； motions to reconsider； threats to carry the matter from the state to the federal courts on a matter of constitutional privilege； and the like。 The affair was finally settled out of court； for Mr。 Purdy by this time was a more sensible man。 In the mean time； however； the newspapers had been given full details of the transaction； and a storm of words against Cowperwood ensued。
But more disturbing than the Redmond Purdy incident was the rivalry of a new Chicago street…railway company。 It appeared first as an idea in the brain of one James Furnivale Woolsen； a determined young Westerner from California； and developed by degrees into consents and petitions from fully two…thirds of the residents of various streets in the extreme southwest section of the city where it was proposed the new line should be located。 This same James Furnivale Woolsen； being an ambitious person； was not to be so easily put down。 Besides the consent and petitions； which Cowperwood could not easily get away from him； he had a ne