ary for solicitors to investigate, for the families owning the
stock to be consulted and agree before a proper basis could be arrived
at on which to dispose of their holdings.

Addicks' genius was equal to the occasion. "I regret, gentlemen, any
seeming haste, but this is the situation: I am going to invest fifteen
or twenty millions, or perhaps thirty or forty, in city gas properties,
and as the project will require quite a bit of financiering, I have got
to round it up at once, in time to slip over to London to lay it before
my associates, ----, ----, and ----" (naming some of the great English
lords of finance), "with whom you, gentlemen, are probably well
acquainted. I think you will, after you have given the matter a little
thought, agree with me that it would be a mistake to postpone the
conversion of these magnificent Boston plants to the water-gas system
until after other cities I have in mind are reconstructed. You see we
can turn over but one city at a time, the system being new and competent
engineers and builders few."

The painful thought took shape in the minds of the distinguished little
gathering that if they were not careful, Monte Cristo might actually
slip out of their town without working any of the promised golden
marvels.

"Just what is your idea, Mr. Addicks, of how this gigantic piece of
business could be done?" one asked.

"Simple, simple"--the great Colonel Sellers of eye-water fame never
looked more cool and unconcerned when calling attention to the facts,
"100,000,000 of people, two eyes each, a bottle of my patent eye-wash
for each at a dollar a bottle, and eye-wash made at a net cost of a dime
a barrel"--"simple, simple; you name your price, I pay it, and the thing
is done."

Some one pointed out that the gas properties were valued very high. That
in the Boston, for instance, the par value of each share was $500--and
that it was improbable Mr. Addicks could buy it for less than--than
eight hundred.

"Of course, of course; I am not buying gas companies that are not well
thought of by their present owners," returned Addicks. "I think you
underestimate the value of the Boston Company's stock when you say $800.
Naturally, as a conservative business man I wish to buy as reasonably as
possible, but as I know what the future of your company will be under
the water-gas change, I consider $1,000 a share cheap; and if you say
so, will take it now--majority, minority and all--at that price."