“You have discussed those estimates at length already,” he said. “I should, however, like to point out that I consider them absurdly high. In fact, I’d undertake to do the work at not more than two-thirds of the cost.”
“This company,” said the first speaker, severely, “has no intention of taking up road-making and the building of flumes and dams. It has, as I think you will admit, gentlemen, quite enough already on its hands.”
There was some show of agreement from all but Wannop, and Weston set his lips. There had been a time when they had listened to his suggestions, but now it was becoming evident that they regarded him with suspicion.
“This,” said his colleague, “is a little list of our requirements and expenditures before we can expect to get to work. Tools, drilling-machines and labor on the heading.” He read out the cost of each item. “Then we have to provide a stamp-mill, turbines, flumes and dam; and, though Mr. Weston suggests a wood-burning engine to supply the crushing power, the saving effected would be no great matter. The point is that we now discover that the cost of these things will in one way or another be nearly double what we stated in our prospectus.”
“That,” said Wannop, dryly, “isn’t altogether unusual.”
“What is more to the purpose is that it will approximately absorb our whole available capital,” said the first speaker, who took up another paper. “Then we have as an alternative scheme several leagues of road and trail cutting, including wooden bridges and a strip that must be dug out of an impassable mountainside. You have to add to it the cost and maintenance of pack-horses and the rates you’d have to pay the owners of the nearest crushing-plant to do your reducing. Gentlemen, I can only move that these estimates stand over, and that in the meanwhile we merely proceed with the heading.”
They agreed to this. Then another of them spoke.
“It seems to me that there’s a way in which we could save something as well as our credit,” he said. “I’ve had a hint that another big concern might be willing to take us over.”
They looked at one another in a manner which suggested that this was not altogether a new idea. Weston straightened himself suddenly.
“It will never be done with my consent,” he said.