the titan-第43章

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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；　supposing　we　wanted　to　go　into　the　street…railway　business。〃

〃Yes；　supposing；〃　replied　McKenty；　jovially。　　〃But　how　are　you　to　get　in　it？　There's　no　stock　for　sale　that　I　know　of。〃

〃Just　the　same；〃　said　Cowperwood；　〃we　can　if　we　want　to；　and　I'll　show　you　how。　　But　at　present　there's　just　one　thing　in　particular　I'd　like　you　to　do　for　me。　　I　want　to　know　if　there　is　any　way　that　we　can　get　control　of　either　of　those　two　old　tunnels　that　I　was　talking　to　you　about　a　little　while　ago。　　I'd　like　both　if　I　might。　　Do　you　suppose　that　is　possible？〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　replied　McKenty；　wondering；　〃but　what　have　they　got　to　do　with　it？　They're　not　worth　anything。　　Some　of　the　boys　were　talking　about　filling　them　in　some　time　agoblowing　them　up。　　The　police　think　crooks　hide　in　them。〃

〃Just　the　same；　don't　let　any　one　touch　themdon't　lease　them　or　anything；〃　replied　Cowperwood；　forcefully。　　〃I'll　tell　you　frankly　what　I　want　to　do。　　I　want　to　get　control；　just　as　soon　as　possible；　of　all　the　street…railway　lines　I　can　on　the　North　and　West　Sidesnew　or　old　franchises。　　Then　you'll　see　where　the　tunnels　come　in。〃

He　paused　to　see　whether　McKenty　caught　the　point　of　all　he　meant；　but　the　latter　failed。

〃You　don't　want　much；　do　you？〃　he　said；　cheerfully。　　〃But　I　don't　see　how　you　can　use　the　tunnels。　　However；　that's　no　reason　why　I　shouldn't　take　care　of　them　for　you；　if　you　think　that's　important。〃

〃It's　this　way；〃　said　Cowperwood；　thoughtfully。　　〃I'll　make　you　a　preferred　partner　in　all　the　ventures　that　I　control　if　you　do　as　I　suggest。　　The　street…railways；　as　they　stand　now；　will　have　to　be　taken　up　lock；　stock；　and　barrel；　and　thrown　into　the　scrap　heap　within　eight　or　nine　years　at　the　latest。　　You　see　what　the　South　Side　company　is　beginning　to　do　now。　　When　it　comes　to　the　West　and　North　Side　companies　they　won't　find　it　so　easy。　　They　aren't　earning　as　much　as　the　South　Side；　and　besides　they　have　those　bridges　to　cross。　　That　means　a　sev