Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter IV
“Weneverexpected,youknow,thatwecouldcutratesintheSanJoaquintheveryfirstmove;thatisforlater.ButyouwillseewemadeverymaterialreductionsonshipmentsfromtheupperSacramentoValley;alsotheratefromIonetoMarysvillehasbeenreducedeightycentsaton.”
“Why,rot,”criedAnnixter,“nooneevershipswheatthatway.”
“TheSalinasrate,”continuedLyman,“hasbeenloweredseventy-fivecents;theSt.Helenaratefiftycents,andpleasenoticetheverydrasticcutfromRedBluff,north,alongtheOregonroute,totheOregonStateLine.”
“Wherenotacarloadofwheatisshippedinayear,”commentedGethingsoftheSanPablo.
“Oh,youwillfindyourselfmistakenthere,Mr.Gethings,”returnedLymancourteously.“Andforthematterofthat,alowratewouldstimulatewheat-productioninthatdistrict.”
Theorderofthemeetingwasbrokenup,neglected;Magnusdidnotevenpretendtopreside.Inthegrowingexcitementovertheinexplicableschedule,routinewasnotthoughtof.Everyonespokeatwill.
“Why,Lyman,”demandedMagnus,lookingacrossthetabletohisson,“isthisschedulecorrect?YouhavenotcutratesintheSanJoaquinatall.We—thesegentlemenhereandmyself,wearenobetteroffthanwewerebeforewesecuredyourelectionascommissioner.”
“Wewerepledgedtomakeanaveragetenpercent.cut,sir——”“ItISanaveragetenpercent.cut,”criedOsterman.“Oh,yes,that’splain.It’sanaveragetenpercent.cutallright,butyou’vemadeitbycuttinggrainratesbetweenpointswherepracticallynograinisshipped.
