A FIGHT FOR LIFE 99 



hilarious joke! The only chance we've got to get 

 through the fence with this thing is for them to keep 

 right on laughing at us till we get our toes in the sand !" 



He wrote to Sintaluta, explaining the situation, and 

 five of E. A. Partridge's friends* at once responded by 

 going to the bank with their personal notes for the 

 amount needed. 



" With support like that we're going to win, boys," 

 cried the President proudly when the bank notified 

 them that the money was available. 



Financial arrangements were established with the 

 Bank of British North America and when a room had 

 been rented on the top floor of the old Tribune build- 

 ing and circulars sent broadcast among the farmers, 

 soliciting grain, the wheels began to turn. 



The little office was opened for business on Septem- 

 ber 5th (1906) . It was so small that even two or three 

 people got in each other's way, though all they were 

 doing was to watch the mails anxiously for the first 

 indications as to whether the farmers would stand 

 behind the big idea that was now put to the test. Then 

 came the bill of lading for the first carload of grain 

 consigned to the new company, followed quickly by the 

 second, the third, fourth, fifth, sixth two at a time, 

 three, ten, fifteen per day ! Every foot of space in the 

 little office was a busy spot and the lone typewriter 

 clickety-clacked on the second-hand table with cheerful 

 disregard of lunch hours. By the end of the month the 

 weekly receipts had risen to one hundred cars of grain. 



It became necessary to move to a larger office and 

 accommodation was obtained in the Henderson Block. 

 At the present rate, a whole floor would be needed soon. 



Over at the Grain Exchange some men were talking 



* See Appendix Par. 8. 



