As Scrooge predicted, when the first-quarter statements of Union Pacific Railroad and Central Pacific Railroad were released more than a month later, the entire capital market went crazy. Because this report is so beautiful, from this report, the profitability of these two companies is nearly a third higher than that of the New York railroad controlled by Vanderbilt. Moreover, everyone knows that this railway still has potential, and when those railways that accompany it are slowly built, its table will be even better.

The rapid rise in Pacific Railroad-related stocks led to an increase in the share prices of a number of related companies. It seems that an economic spring is coming.

"How much of Scrooge's and Morgan's money has been invested in the construction of the railroad today? Odell, what information do you have? Joshua asked.

"Sir, we are not as well-informed in North America as we were back then. So, I can only learn about some public information from the newspapers. ”

"Ah, damn wasted years!" Joshua said indignantly, "But most of the time, the public information is enough to tell the story." Well, let's take a look at which railways are being built during this period. ”

……

"Boy, that's not how you pick a hammer. It's too laborious and too inefficient. If you smash road nails like this, you won't be able to drive several nails a day, and you'll tire yourself out half to death. James said to the worker standing beside him, "Give me the hammer." ”

The various workers handed the hammer to James.

"Get aside." James said. Then he gently shook the hammer, and then spread his legs one after the other, exerted his waist and abdomen, and drove his arms, and the hammer suddenly hit the road nail with a "bell". Then, with the force of the hammer's rebound, James again effortlessly rounded it and smashed it on the spike again. The sound of the "bell" is crisp and rhythmic, like a piece of music.

"Well, you can try it." After striking a spike, James handed the hammer back into the worker's hand.

"Thank you! Well, James, you've done this before? The worker took the hammer and said.

"yes, I've worked on the Pacific Railroad before." James said.

"I heard that the wages of those who worked there were much higher than ours here, and those who worked there used to buy land and become farmers with their wages, why did you do this again?" The man asked.

"Alas!" James sighed, "I did earn enough money to buy a piece of land and become a farmer. But wasn't gold discovered in Alaska later? I was dizzy and felt like I shouldn't have spent my whole life digging there. Well, there were quite a few people who thought the same way as me at that time, and I went to Alaska with them, sold the land cheaply, bought a whole set of things for panning for gold, and bought a ferry ticket at a large price. ”

"How? James, did you dig for gold? The worker hurriedly asked.

"Knock on your nails!" Another worker laughed, "If James really digs up gold, will he come back as a railroad worker?" Just think about it, I'm right, James? ”

It was the little foreman Neuer who said this, and as he spoke, he clanged with his hammer.

"yes." James shook his head and replied, "I've seen the gold, but unfortunately it's not mine." It's not that I haven't found it at all, but I haven't found too little, and it's not enough to have the capital. I watched my friends find gold one by one, make a fortune, and go back; Or they found gold and died inexplicably the next morning. Later, I realized that my luck was not so good and not so bad. So I came back. ”

"James, I heard that when you used to work on the Pacific Railroad, your salary was much higher than here?" Someone asked again.

"Yes, but it's more tiring than here! It's really exhausting there. Well, I've seen quite a few of them with my own eyes. Well, I've heard that Mr. MacDonald is also building some new railroad lines, but even he doesn't have that good wages there now. It is said that this is because the land along the railway line is now a good thing that all the land along the railway line belongs to the railway company. James replied.

……

"Mr. Elton, I heard that you intend to invest in railroads?" Jack 61 Lawrence asked his old friend.

"yes, who isn't thinking about investing in railways now? This can make a lot of money! Elton replied, "What?" My friend, would you like to join in? ”

"Of course, who wouldn't be interested in making money?" Jack replied, "Just Mr. Elton, where are you going to build a railroad?" ”

"Ah, I'm worried about this? You see, from here, here, if you can build a railroad to get there, whether it's agricultural products or other things, you can easily get to the big places. In this way, we can sell our corn for a lot of money, instead of throwing it in our barn and getting moldy. The government has also shown its support, and public land along the route is available for free. But there are still two challenges. Elton replied.

"Tell me about it?"

"Jack, you know that, too. It takes a lot of money to build a railway, and now there are a lot of people who build the railway, and the interest rate on the money borrowed in the bank has risen a lot, and if we can get more funds for equity instead of loans, our economic pressure will be much less. Secondly, here it is. You see, this piece of land belongs to Jacques's family. That guy was so greedy that he offered $10,000 for that piece of land! Isn't this a money grab? But if you look at the map, if you want to get around their house, you're either going to have to cross the river, damn it, it just means we're going to build a railroad bridge here! The price is definitely more than 10,000. Or, let's build it this way, this is a hilly area, the cost of building a railway is much higher, plus there is an extra bend, the cost is more than 10,000. This damn guy! I want to shoot this bastard with one shot! Elton scolded through gritted teeth.

"Yes, let's not talk about whether we have so much money, and even if we do, we can't give it to him like this, then a bad precedent will be set, and then a whole bunch of guys will follow suit." Jack said, "I have a bit of an idea for your first question. I know an agent of big capital, Mr. Hyde, well, he's an agent of the Morgan consortium, and I know he's looking for relevant investment projects, and maybe he'll be interested in this railroad of yours. ”

"Someone from the Morgan consortium?" Elton took a breath of cold air, obviously, if the Morgan consortium joined, then whether it was a problem in terms of funds or the problem of nail households, it was just, but those big capitals have always been known for their greed, and if they really want to involve these guys, maybe, no, they will almost definitely take over. So Elton immediately shook his head: "Jack, getting these guys involved is like a pack of rats finding a weasel to work with." It's too dangerous, and if you don't get it right, you'll be eaten to the ground, and besides, I've heard that Mr. Morgan has a particularly good appetite, and his digestion is better than that of Mr. Bell. Whatever it is, if you meet him, well, you're going to be disposed of as protein. It's too dangerous, it's too dangerous. It's better to get a bank loan directly. ”

Jack listened and laughed: "Elton, my friend, you are still so cautious. But don't you understand the current form? The people of the Morgan consortium have already taken a fancy to this railway, are they you resisting? They have more money on their hands, and if they want to, they have every way to get rid of your plans and start over again. It's just that this kind of work is too inefficient, and now railways are being built everywhere, and there are opportunities to make money everywhere, and investing too much in this railway is not efficient enough for them. However, if you must resist them, then the situation is different. You know what I mean, right? ”

"I understand." Elton felt a bitterness in his mouth, and of course he knew what Jack meant. The people in the Morgan consortium certainly want to get more out of it with less investment. But if someone tries to resist them and is unwilling to cooperate with them, then in order to enhance their own deterrent, in order to prevent more people from following this unfriendly behavior, even if they do not make money, or even if they lose money, these big crocodiles will not hesitate to tear those who resist to shreds to warn those who come after them. However, although I recognize this, although I accept it intellectually, it is not easy to accept it emotionally.

"Old friend, I know you put a lot of effort into this railway, and you love it like your own child. However, if you refuse now, I think you know what the consequences will be. And if you accept it, at most, you will lose the control of the railway, and the money will still be earned. You think you're marrying off your daughter, and you might be better off thinking about it. ”

"Alas!" Elton sighed, "Jack, you know, I'm not working on this railroad recently, I've been working on it since the Pacific Railroad was built. During these years, I carefully studied how the railway should go in order to ensure maximum efficiency, and quietly bought most of the key points along the way, which I have been preparing for many years. In the neighborhood, there is no more rational and profitable railway design than this one under construction! But...... Well, Jack, you arrange it. Find a time. Let me have a good talk with that Mr. Hyde. Well, the daughter is getting married, and the father must meet the people of the in-laws' family. ”