Staunton Series Chapter # 13- Plans and whispers of gold

                                       Staunton series Ch. # 13

 

                                          Plans at Gassy Jack’s

 

       Gassy Jack’s Saloon was becoming a comfortable venue for the Mac Adams brothers, to settle in for a few beers after a full day laying bricks at the Vancouver Hotel worksite.

 

       “I’ve talked to the lumber yard boss,” said Jim. “ I put in an order for some good white-pine planks. I figure we can lay down the cross timbers for the roof trusses to sit on. When we have them nailed in place. I want to cover the bottom of the trusses with white pine planking. That way we will have a rafters of sorts to store materials in.”

 

       “Aye,” said Ian. “And will we use that same white pine to cover the exterior of the roof trusses?”

 

      “We will,” said Jim. “Then we can nail the cedar shingles atop the pine boards. That should make for a snug factory.”

 

       “The place is coming alone pretty nicely,” said Ian. “Though we have a pile of work yet to do.”

 

 

       Jim signaled the bar keep for another beer for them. “Sure all of this talk makes a man thirsty,” said Jim

 

      “It does, Jim.” said Ian.   “I’ve made plans to see Laura again. This time it will be for a weekday night, so I won’t miss any of the work at the yard on weekends. We plan to eat at a café and then walk the neighborhood.””

 

       “She is a comely lass, Ian,” said Jim. “It is good you have taken up with her. Sure, John Lowry and her brother Peter are glad to see you both together.”

 

      “They have all been good to us, Jim.” Said Ian. “I am glad we were able to take young Selkirk on as an apprentice. I know Peter appreciates it.”

 

       “The lad works well, there.” Said Jim. “What he lacks in experience, he makes up for in youthful energy, and dogged effort. He will be a fine workman one day.”

 

       “What about the kiln, Jim,?” asked Ian. “Have you thought about what is needed to solve the problems there?”

 

         “I have, Ian, said Jim. “ Using pine or spruce, for the roofing on the kiln, just won’t work. The heat from the firebox below  will first dry out the wood and roof shingles and  then maybe set them afire someday. We don’t need that grief.”

 

         “No, we don’t” said Ian. “It would set us back months. How do you plan to handle it?”

 

         “Well, this will be complicated, but I aim to try it,” said Jim. “We can build the flooring and exterior walls with fire- hardened bricks. The drying racks can sit on the metal bars of the second level. Then, I want to erect a wooden roof beam atop the structure and line it with a row of fire bricks mortared together. Each of those bricks will serve as a “keystone arch” for the row of bricks coming up from the walls, creating a small dome across the kiln.”

 

       “That sounds pretty tricky,” said Ian. ”How do we hold all of those pieces together while building it?”

 

         “I think some light pine frames will hold the row of center piece bricks in place, until we can build the rows of brick arches that join, at the roof’s apex. Mortaring each segment should support the whole. I know it sounds odd, but think of a much smaller version of a brick Dutch oven.” said Jim. He took a large swallow of beer and then said with a sigh, ”If that doesn’t work, we will just have to come up with something else.”

 

       All around them, the whisper of “Gold Fever” was becoming a drum beat. They could hear snatches of conversations, especially from the older lads, who had been around for the 1858 “Fraser River Gold Rush.” Placer gold that had run down the river for thousands of years had indeed accumulated in the gravel banks in an around the river. Some few lads had actually panned for goodly amounts of the golden dust.

 

      “I tell you,” said Puddles McGinnis, an old gas bag, “Malachi Wilson and I dug for months, much further up the Fraser. We panned for placer gold and found piles of it in the sand banks in the middle of the river. We had so many bags, we had to hire extra horses to carry it back to the Coast.” 

 

      At this tale of ancient daring do, many around him rolled their eyes at the improbability of the tale. The man was a noted sot, who didn’t have two coins to rub together.

 

      “And what did you do with all that gold?, asked Snooker Monihan, with a grin. “Sure, you have none of it left by what I can see.”

 

      “Oh, wild women and wild living for the two of us to be sure,” said Puddles in reverie.” We treated everyone to our good fortune. We had friends everywhere. And now, I have to scavenge for a beer,” he said sadly.

 

       The others around him were silent for a moment They knew that things like this were common in the Northwest of Canada. A lucky strike, followed by riotous living for a few months, and then back down in the dirt scratching for a few ounces of gold.

 

      Jim nudged Ian and whispered quietly,” Listen well, Ian. There is a tale there that bears listening to, if you get the itch to go scratching for gold.”

 

       “I hear it Jim, “ said Ian. “Sure Laura, and I have already talked about the issue. She said pretty directly that if I was to go running off to the frozen north, looking for gold, she would not be here when I got back.”

 

        “The woman has a head on her shoulders,” said Jim with a smile. “I hope you listen to her.”

 

         “Aye, Jim. I do,” said Ian. “I’ve never met her like, nor will I ever again, if I am foolish enough to risk losing her companion-ship.”

 

          The lads finished up their beer and walked home. Tomorrow was a work day and a 6 A.M. rising came early.

 

 

 

 

         The Vancouver Hotel was rising like a brick and iron phoenix from the dirt piles on West Edwards Street.  Soon, they would reach the roofline and crown the building with a slate roof. She would stand there as a beacon of progress in Vancouver for a hundred and more years.

 

            At lunch, Jim wandered over to Peter Sadler and got his attention.   “Peter lad, I wonder if you could be helping us out at our brick yard?”

 

              “Sure, Jim,” said Peter. “What can I do for you?”

 

               “Well, we’ve a tricky carpentry problem in both our main building and in our Kiln. I wonder if maybe you could stop by next Saturday and give us your considered advice on how best to handle the problems?”

 

                  “Aye Jim,? said Peter. “I will ride up with Selkirk this Saturday. By the way, the lad is thrilled to be working with you.”

 

                   “Thanks, Peter,” said Jim. “And we are glad to have the lad work with us. He is a fine lad that works hard.”

 

 

 

At day’s end, Jim and Ian walked home. Ian walked with a hurried gate.

 

 “You’ve got a purpose to your stride, have you not Ian?” asked Jim.

 

“I have jim,” said Ian. “After I wash up, I am meeting Laura. We are going for something to eat at that café near the Bank of Vancouver. Then, we will walk the neighborhood. We have a lot to talk about,” he said with a smile.

 

“Well, I hope you enjoy the evening, Ian.” said Jim. “I think I will walk over to the lumber mill and iron monger to discuss some of our orders.”

 

 “They are open this late?” Asked Ian.

 

“Aye” said Jim. “Both of these businessmen have many work orders to fill. Ours is just one of them. They work as hard as we do.”

After washing up, the lad split apart. Jim stopped first at the lumber mill and talked to Paul Reynolds about all of their orders.

 

“I’ve no problem filling all of these, Jim” said Paul. ”I do have to charge you for delivery, though. You understand that?”

 

“I do,” said Jim. “And we are appreciative of your help in all of this. Ian and I just don’t have the time to cart all of that wood and the trusses up to the yard.”

 

“Good, Jim,” said Paul. “We can settle up accounts when we deliver the lumber.”

 

Next, Jim walked over to the iron monger. “Evening, Mr. Schultz. I’ve come to check on our orders. Any problems, with them?” asked Jim.

 

“No,” said Wilhelm Schultz.” We can deliver the iron kiln doors, the shutter and door hinges, with your racks by January. Will that be sufficient?”

 

“Well, if I could get the door hinges a little earlier, It would be better,” said Jim.

 

“I think we can do that, Jim” said Wilhelm. You can pay for them as I deliver them.”

 

“Thanks, Wilhelm. I appreciate your help in all of this,” said Jim.

 

Tired with the day, Jim walked home and turned in early. Ian was still out taking the evening air with Laura.

 

                                               -30-

                                      ( 1,545 words)

                                  Joseph Xavier Martin