Page:Amazing Stories Volume 01 Number 04.djvu/39

Rh A Visit to Syk's Works in the Teton' Mountains ON a July morning, about a month after the visit of Dr. Max Syx to the assembled finan- ciers in New York, a party of twenty hors.e- men; following a mountain-trail, arrived on the eastern margin of Jackson's Hole, and pausing up- on- a commanding eminence,' with exclamations of wonder, glanced across the great depression,' where lay the shining coils of the Snake River, at the tow- ering forms' of the Tetoris, whose ice-striped cliffs flashed lightnings in the sunshine. Even the im- passive broncos that the party rode -lifted their heads inquiringly, and snorted as if in equine as- tonishment at the magnificent spectacle. One familiar with the place would have noticed something, which, to his mind, would have seemed more surprising than the pageantry of the moun- tains in their morning sun-bath. Curling above one <j£ the wild gorges that cut the tower slopes of the Tetons was a thick black smoke, which, when lifted by a passing breeze,' obscured the precipices half- way to the summit of the peak. Had ther Grand Teton become a volcano? Cer- tainly no hunting or exploring party could make a smoke like that. But a- word f ronf the leader of the parity of horsemen explained the mystery.- "There' is' my mfll, : and the mine rs underneath it." The speaker waa Dr.- Syx, and his companions were members of the financial congress. When he quitted- their presence rri New York,' with the promise to' return within an hour for their reply, he haoV no doubt in his own mind what that reply would- be. He knew they would accept his proposi- tion, arid 1 they did. No time was then lost in com- municating with the various governments^ and ar- rangements were quickly perfected whereby; in case the inspection of Dr. Syx's mine and its re- sources proved satisfactory, America and Europe should' unite in 1 adopting the new metal as the basis of their coinage. As soon as this stage in the nego- tiations was- reached, it only remained to send a committee of financiers and metallurgists, in com- pany with Dr. Syx, to the Rocky Mountains. They started under the doctor'3 guidance, completing the last stage of their journey on horseback. "An inspection of the records at Washington," Dr. Syx- continued, addressing the horsemen; "will show that I have filed a' claim 1 covering ten acres of ground ar'bund the mouth of my mine. This was done as soon as I had discovered the metal.. The fil- ing' of the claim and the subsequent proceedings which perfected my ownership attracted no atten- tion-, because everybody was thinking of the south pole and its' goia*-fields:" Sbiplaiiatibri From Dr. Syx THE' party gathered' closer abound Dr. Syx and listened to his words with silent atten- tion^ while their horses rubbed noses and jingled 1 their gold-mounted trappings. "A^ soon as I had lewdly protected myself," he continued; "I employed a force of riien, transported my machinery and' material across the mountains, erected' my furnaces, and opened the mine. I was safe from intrusion, and even from idle curiosity, for the reason I have just mentioned. In fact, so exclusive was the attraction of the new gold-fields that I had difficulty in obtaining workmen, and finally I.sent to Africa and engaged negroes, whom 1 placed in charge of trustworthy foremen.; Ac- cordingly, with half a dozen exceptions, you will see only black men at the mine." "And with their aid. you have mined enough metal to supply the mints of the world?" asked President Booh; "Exactly so," was the reply. "But I no longer employ the large force which I needed air first." "How much metal have you on hand? I am' aware that you have already answered this question during our preliminary negotiations, but I ask it again for the benefit of pome members of our party who Were riot present tnenv" "I_sball show' you to-day," said Dr. Syx, with his curious smile, "2500 tons of refined artemisium, stacked in rock-cut vaults imder the Grand Teton." "And you have dared to collect such inconceiv- able wealth in one place?" , "¥&a forget that it is riot wealth until the people have learned to value it, and the governments have put their stamp upon it." "True, but how did you arrive at the proper mo- ment?". ,, , "Easily. I first ascertained that before the Ant- arctic discoveries the world contained altogether about 16,000 tons of gold, valued at $450,000 per ton, or $7,200,000,000 worth all told. Now my metal weighs, bulk for bull;, one-quarter as much as' gold: It might fee reckoned at the same intrinsic value per tori; but I have considered it preferable to take ad- vantage of the smaller weight of the new metal, which permits us to make coins of the same size as the old ones, but only one-quarter as heavy, by giv- ing to artemisium four times the value per ton that gold had;. Thus only 4000 tons of the new nietal are required to supply the place of the 16,000 tons of gold'. The 2500 tons which I already have on hand are more than enough for coinage. The rest I can supply as fast.as needed, , .The party did not wait for further explanations. They were' eager" to s.ee the wonderful mine and the store of treasure. Spurs were applied, and they galloped down the steep, trail, forded the Snake River, and, skirting the shore of Jenny's Lake, soon found themselves gazing up the headlong slopes and dizzy parapets of the Grand Teton. Dr. Syx led them by a steep ascent to the mouth of the canyon, above one of whose Walls stood his mill, and where the "Champ 1 Chanm !" of a powerful engine saluted their ear's. The Wealth o£ the World AN electric light shot its penetrating rays into a gallery cut through virgin rock and run- ning' straight towards the heart of the Teton. The centre of the gallery was occupied by a narrow railway, on which a few flat ears, propelled by elec- tric power, passed to and fro. Black-skinned and silent workmen rode on the cars, both when they cariie" laden with broken riiasses of rock from the farther end of the tunnel and when they returned empty. Suddenly, to an eye situated a little way within the gallery, appeared at the entrance the dark face of Dr. Syx, wearing its most discomposing smile.