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Mr.ElmermadecarefulinquiriesconcerningthemillaboutwhichMarkhadtoldhim,andfoundthatitwastheonlyonewithintwentymilesofWakulla.
Hewastoldthatitusedtodoaveryflourishingbusinessbeforethebridgewascarriedaway,andthingsinthatpartofthecountywenttoruingenerally.
BothMr.BevilandMr.Carterthoughtthatiftherewasanywayofgettingovertoit,themillcouldbemadetopay,andweremuchpleasedattheprospectofhavingitputinrunningorderagain.
Mr.Marchhavingbeenamill-owner,andthoroughlyunderstandingmachinery,visitedtheoneinquestionwithMr.Elmer,andtogethertheyinspecteditcarefully.
Theyfoundthatitcontainedold-fashionedbutgoodmachineryforgrindingcornandginningcotton,butnoneforsawinglumber.
Onlyaboutthirtyfeetofthedamhadbeencarriedaway,anditcouldberepairedatamoderateexpense.
Mr.Marchsaidthatbyraisingthewholedamafewfeetthewater-powerwouldbegreatlyincreased,andwouldbesufficienttorunasawinadditiontothemachineryalreadyonhand.
Healsosaidthatheknewofanabandonedsaw-millafewmilesuptheriver,themachineryofwhichwasstillinafairconditionandcouldbeboughtforatrifle.
TheresultofwhathesawandheardwasthatMr.Elmerdecidedtheinvestmenttobeagoodone,andatoncetookthenecessarystepstowardspurchasingtheproperty.
ThisdecisionpleasedMarkandJangreatly,andtheybegantothinkthattheyweremenoffinebusinessability,or,asMarksaid,were“possessedoflongheads.”
Thatsameeveningameetingofthe“dustymillers,”asRuthcalledthem,washeldinthe“GoBang”sitting-room.
Mr.Elmeraddressedthemeetingandproposedthattheyformamillcompanywithacapitalofonethousanddollars,andthatthestockbevaluedatonehundreddollarsashare.
Thispropositionmetwithgeneralapproval,thoughMarkwhisperedtoRuththathedidn’tseehowfatherwasgoingtomakeathousanddollars’worthofcapitaloutoffivehundredunlesshewateredthestock.
“Now,”saidMr.Elmer,afteritwasagreedthattheyshouldformacompany,“whatshalltheassociationbecalled?”
Manynamesweresuggested,amongthemthatof“TheGreatSouthernMillCompany,”byMark,whoalsoproposed“TheFloridaandWakullaMillingAssociation.”
FinallyMr.Marchproposed“TheElmerMillCompany,”andaftersomediscussionthisnamewasadopted.
MeantimeMr.Elmerhadpreparedasheetofpaperwhichhehandedroundforsignatures,andwhenitwasreturnedtohimitreadasfollows:
THEELMERMILLCOMPANY.
WAKULLA,FLORIDA,January10,188-.
TheundersigneddoherebypromisetopayintothecapitalstockofTheElmerMillCompany,upondemandofitsTreasurer,thesumsplacedoppositetheirrespectivenames:
MarkElmer           $200
EllenR.Elmer        $200
MarkElmer,Jun       $100
RuthElmer            $100
HaroldMarch          $100
JanJansen            $100
Afterthesesignatureshadbeenobtained,Mr.Marchsaidthathehadapropositiontolaybeforethecompany.
Itwasthatheshouldsuperintendthesettingupofthemillmachineryanditsrunningforoneyear,forwhichserviceheshouldreceiveasalaryofonehundreddollars.
Healsosaidthatifthecompanysawfittoacceptthisofferhewouldatoncesubscribetheonehundreddollarssalarytoitscapitalstockinadditiontothesumalreadysetoppositehisname.
Thisproposition,beingputtovotebythechairman,wasunanimouslyaccepted,andtheamountoppositeMr.March’snameonthesubscriptionlistwaschangedfromonehundreddollarstotwohundreddollars.
ThenMr.Elmersaidthathewishedtolaysomepropositionsbeforethecompany.
Oneofthemwasthatiftheywouldaccepttheferryfranchisehehadrecentlyobtained,hewouldpresentitasafreegift.
HealsowishedtoproposetoMr.MarchandMasterFrankMarchthattheyshouldbuildtheferry-boat,forwhichhewouldfurnishthematerial.
TothecompanyhefurtherproposedthatifMr.FrankMarchwouldagreeforthesumofonehundreddollarstoruntheferry-boatforoneyearfromthetimeitwaslaunched,hisnameshouldatoncebeplaceduponthesubscriptionlist,andhebecreditedwithoneshareofstock.
Allofthesepropositionshavingbeenaccepted,thenameofFrankMarchwasaddedtothelist,andthebooksweredeclaredclosed.
Mr.Elmersaidthatthenextbusinessinorderwastheelectionofofficers,andhecalledfornominations.
Mrs.ElmercausedMarktoblushfuriouslybyspeakingofhiminthemostflatteringtermsastheoriginatorofthescheme,andnominatinghimaspresidentofthecompany.
Thelistofofficers,asfinallypreparedandsubmittedtothemeeting,wasasfollows:
President                          MarkElmer,Jun.
Vice-PresidentandGeneralManager  MarkElmer,Sen.
Treasurer                       EllenR.Elmer.
Secretary                             RuthElmer.
SuperintendentofMills             HaroldMarch.
SuperintendentofFerries           FrankMarch.
AndaBoardofDirectors,toconsistofJanJansen,Esq.,andtheofficersofthecompanyex-officio.
Thisticketbeingvoteduponasawholeandunanimouslyelected,Mr.ElmerresignedhischairtothenewlymadePresident,whogravelyaskediftherewasanyfurtherbusinessbeforethemeeting.
“Mr.President,”saidMr.March,“Iwishtomovethatthename‘ElmerMillCompany,’whichwerecentlyadopted,bechangedsoastoread‘ElmerMillandFerryCompany.’”
“Allright,”saidthePresident;“youmaymoveit.”
“Isecondthemotion,”saidMr.Elmer,laughing,“andcallforthequestion.”“Nobody’saskedany,”saidMark,lookingratherbewildered.
“Imean,Mr.President,thatIcalluponyoutolaythemotionjustmadebyourdistinguishedsuperintendentofmills,andsecondedbymyself,beforethemeeting,thattheymaytakeactionuponit.”
“Oh,”saidMark;andrememberinghowhisfatherhaddoneit,heputthemotionveryproperly,announcedthattheyeashadit,andthatthenameofthecompanywasaccordinglychanged.
ThenthePresidentmadeanaddress,inwhichhesaidthat,afteramostcarefulexaminationintotheaffairsoftheElmerMillandFerryCompany,hewasabletoreportmostfavorablyastoitspresentcondition.
Hefoundthattheyownedvaluablemillbuildingsandmachinery,andhadcontractedforafirst-classferry-boat,whichwastobebuiltimmediately,andwhichhadbeenpaidforinadvance.
Healsofoundthatthetwosalariedofficersofthecompany,thesuperintendentofmillsandthesuperintendentofferries,hadbeenpaidoneyear’ssalaryinadvance.
Inspiteofthesegreatoutlays,hewasinformedbythetreasurerthatacashbalanceofthreehundreddollarsremainedinthetreasury,andhecongratulatedthestockholdersofthecompanyuponitshealthyandflourishingcondition.
Thisaddresswasreceivedwithloudandprolongedapplause.
Beforethemeetingadjourneditwasdecidedthattheelectionofofficersshouldbeheldannually,andthattheBoardofDirectorsshouldmeetonceamonth.
AmeetingofthisBoardwasheldimmediatelyupontheadjournmentofthemeetingofstockholders,andthegeneralmanagerwasinstructedtopurchasesaw-millmachinery,andtobegintherebuildingofthedamatonce.
“Well,Ruth,”saidMark,afterallthisbusinesshadbeentransacted,“nowweAREpropertyownerssureenough.Thatnewspaperwasaboutrightafterall.”
Aftertheothershadgonetobed,Mr.ElmerandMr.Marchtalkedforsometimetogether,andthisconversationresultedinthelatteragreeingtomovetoWakulla,andbuildasmallhouseforhimselfandFrankonMr.Elmer’sland.
HetoldMr.Elmerthatmeetinghimandhisfamilyhadgivenhimnewideasoflife,andarousedadesireforbetterthingsbothforhimselfandhisson.
TheSunday-schoolwaswellattendedthenextSunday;andasMr.Elmerhadbroughtapackageofsong-bookswithhimfromTallahassee,thescholarslearnedtosingseveralofthesongs,andseemedtoenjoythemverymuch.
Mondaywasarainyday,butasaroughshedhadbeenbuilttoserveasatemporaryworkshop,theferry-boatwasbegun.
OnitMr.MarchlaidoutenoughworktokeepallhandsbusyexceptFrank,whowasstillconfinedtothehouse.
Therainfellsteadilyallthatweek,untiltheElmersnolongerwonderedthatbridgesanddamsweresweptawayinthatcountry,andMarksaidthatifitdidnotstopprettysoontheywouldhavetobuildanarkinsteadofaferry-boat.
Asaresultoftherainyweek,theboatwasfinished,theseamswerecalkedandpitchedbySaturdaynight,anditwasallreadytobelaunchedonMonday.
Bythattimetherainhadceased,andtheweatherwasagainwarmandbeautiful.
OnMondaymorningFrankMarchleftthehouseforthefirsttimesincehehadbeencarriedintoit,andwasinvitedtotakeaseatinthenewboat.
Themuleswerethenhitchedtoit,anditwasdraggedintriumphtotheedgeoftheriver.
Itwasfollowedbythewholefamily,includingAuntChloeandBruce,whohadshowngreatdelightatmeetinghisoldmaster,Mr.March,andappearedtobereadytomakeupandbefriendsagainwithFrank,whohadtreatedhimsocruelly.
Atthewater’sedgethemuleswereunhitched,alongropewasattachedtooneendoftheboat,stoutshoulderswereplacedundertheprypoles,andwitha“Heave’o!andanother!andstillanother!”
itwasfinallyslidintothewateramidloudcheersfromtheassembledspectators.
Thesecheerswereansweredfromtheothersideoftheriver,wherenearlythewholepopulationofWakullahadassembledtoseethelaunch.
MarkandFrankbeggedsohardtobeallowedtotaketheboatacrosstheriveronatrialtripthatMr.Elmersaidtheymight.
Armedwithlongpoles,theypushedoff,butinamomentweresweptdownstreambythestrongcurrentinspiteofalltheirefforts,andmuchtothedismayofMrs.Elmer,whofearedtheywereindanger.
“Don’tbealarmed,mydear,”saidherhusband;“theyarenotinanydangerinthatboat.
Itwillteachthemagoodlessononthestrengthofcurrents,andthey’llsoonfetchupononebankortheother.”
Theydid“fetchup”ontheoppositesideoftheriverafterawhile,butitwashalfamiledownstream.
Whentheygottheboatmadefasttoatree,bothboysweretoothoroughlyexhaustedtoattempttoforceitbacktoWakulla.
Justastheyhaddecidedtoleavetheboatwhereshewasandwalkbackthroughthewoods,theyheardashoutoutontheriver,andsawJanandacoloredmancomingtowardsthemintheskiff.
Thementookthepolesandtheboys,jumpingintotheskiff,madeitfasttothebowoftheboatwithatow-line;and,bykeepingclosetothebank,theyfinallysucceeded,aftertwohours’hardwork,ingettingbacktoWakulla.
Theylefttheboatonthatsideoftheriverforthetimebeing,andallcrossedintheskiff.
Therestofthatdaywasspentinplantingtwostoutposts,oneoneachsideoftheriver,closetotheoldbridgeabutments,andinstretchingacrosstheriver,fromoneposttotheother,awirecablethatMr.Elmerhadboughtforthispurpose.
Acoupleofironpulley-wheels,towhichwereattachedsmallbutstrongropes,wereplacedonthecable,itsendsweredrawntautbyteamsofmules,andanchoredfirmlyinthegroundabouttwentyfeetbehindeachpost.
Theropesofthepulley-wheelsweremadefasttothebowandsternoftheboat,andtheforwardonewasdrawnupshort,whiletheotherwasleftlongenoughtoallowtheboattoswingatanangletothecurrent.
Thentheboatwasshovedoff,and,withoutanypoling,wascarriedbytheforceofthecurrentquicklyandsteadilytotheotherside.
Atinhornwasattachedbyalightchaintoeachpost,theferrywasformallydeliveredtoMasterFrankMarch,anditwasdeclaredopenandreadyforbusiness.
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