at me in armies with old and new copper properties,
which I might have on my own or any old terms.

In the midst of this excitement I had my first real demonstration of the
"System's" method of making dollars from nothing. Well as I thought I
knew the stock game, I'll admit that I looked on open-mouthed, like the
veriest novice, at the magic wrought by the simple use of the name
"Standard Oil." Even now I can hear myself as I gasped: "Heaven help the
people if this sort of thing can be done in America, for Heaven alone
has power to help them."

The Boston and New York brokerage house of Clark, Ward & Co. had
promoted the Utah Consolidated Mining Company of Utah. It was less than
two years old, and its 300,000 shares had been kicked from gutter to
curb and curb to gutter at from $2 to $4 per share. Samuel Untermyer,
the astute corporation lawyer who, on his own account and as the
representative of a large European clientele, had long been interested
in "Coppers," had taken hold of Utah, and believing it a good thing had
bought large quantities of its stock for himself and his European
connections. Under the stimulus of my campaign the price of this stock
had leaped to 17 or 18, and rumor had it that Utah was a prospective
factor in my consolidation. One day Mr. Rogers asked me if I were in any
way responsible for these rumors, and I replied that I knew nothing more
about them than that they were in circulation.

"Good," replied Rogers. "Do this, then--send word that we propose to
issue a denial that we are to have anything to do with Utah
Consolidated, and bring me their answer."

I carried the message in person. The Utah people were absolutely
panic-stricken. Such an announcement meant destruction to the pretty
price-fabric they were rearing, and they begged to be allowed to make a
proposition to Rogers before he should declare himself. This was their
proposal: That Mr. Rogers should admit their property to the
consolidation provided he found it good enough; that every facility
should be accorded his experts to examine the mine; and that if the
report was favorable, and they were convinced that it would be, and he
decided to take hold, he should be given an option on a block of stock
way below the market.

This offer I took back to Mr. Rogers, who smiled one of his thin, easy
smiles, and questioned me closely about the genuineness of the market
for this stock. Could 50,000 shares be sold readily? I assured him tha