"The Army can certainly be a plus," Jonah observed, "and it will make the territory safer, that will attract more families, and," he smiled at her, "families mean ladies who insist on some sort of order."
Not that untamed didn't have its advantages...a man could be anonymous and easily disappear if he had a mind, and folks tended to not be as particular in what they got, so long as it worked.
"I'd think the Army and railroad would follow each other, so it would certainly be in our favor to try to attract one." He laughed. "Well, I'm just glad that I'm not the mayor, who has to sell Kalispell to either. And I'm not familiar enough with Whitefish to know which has the better terrain and such."
Of course, a pretty face with a brain to back it, such as Miss Steelgrave had, could make a difference, if she had a mind to advocate one way or the other.
"The Army can certainly be a plus," Jonah observed, "and it will make the territory safer, that will attract more families, and," he smiled at her, "families mean ladies who insist on some sort of order."
“The Army can mean a lot of things, both good and bad, but yes, primarily They would make the country a lot safer, and , as you say, draw in more families, though we’ve not had much in the way of Indian trouble of late.” More people to take up the land, but perhaps, she thought, it might be time to slip from under the family wing, and invest.
"I'd think the Army and railroad would follow each other, so it would certainly be in our favor to try to attract one." He laughed. "Well, I'm just glad that I'm not the mayor, who has to sell Kalispell to either. And I'm not familiar enough with Whitefish to know which has the better terrain and such."
“Then you have heard more than the current rumors of the railroad coming through here?” She asked, as her family had heard nothing solidified as yet, and father had his feelers out to his contacts in the territorial capitol of Bannack. As a territory, Montana had a legislature where Elias Steelgrave had considerable influence. “How exciting for the territory and the petition for statehood. The railroad would send a clear message to Washington.”
"There was certainly talk about a rail line that would run north of the Central-Pacific, and I've heard talk of Minneapolis to Butte, but of course the steamboat operators are against it." Inter-territory transportation of goods was a huge industry with the growing expansion of the West, and there was good money to be made. "Of course, trains are faster and can carry far more cargo, but terrain is definitely a consideration in laying track. Still, it would be a good gamble if you knew who would win the battle and could invest well."
There were so many contingents vying for contracts, it was difficult to know who might be awarded a government contract, and even then, the route was unpredictable as well. But if he was more of a gambling man, he might consider casting his lot with the best bet...if he had a lot to cast!
"There was certainly talk about a rail line that would run north of the Central-Pacific, and I've heard talk of Minneapolis to Butte, but of course the steamboat operators are against it. Of course, trains are faster and can carry far more cargo, but terrain is definitely a consideration in laying track. Still, it would be a good gamble if you knew who would win the battle and could invest well."
“As my father would say Jonah, talk is cheap. Though, you are right, yet it may not be which will prevail, but which route they will take.” She responded. “The land Jonah, that’s where the value lies initially, the land. Then stock in the victor which will be cheap at the outset.” She raised her glass with a smile. “To risk.”
Smiling, Jonah touched glasses with her, then took a drink. "Risk, yes, a gamble, but the land only holds value if it is the chosen land...so there is intuition involved as well, and a little influence doesn't hurt anything."
He chuckled. "Of course, at the moment I don't have anything to gamble...can't buy land with chickens and marmalade!" Then he shrugged and took another sip of the wine. "Can't say as I'd be into speculating in land anyway."
He paused as the waitress came for their order, and chose chicken in a cream sauce, along with potatoes and some soup. "Have to leave room for dessert, right?" He laughed.
Smiling, Jonah touched glasses with her, then took a drink. "Risk, yes, a gamble, but the land only holds value if it is the chosen land...so there is intuition involved as well, and a little influence doesn't hurt anything."
“It depends if you scout the possible and buy up what there is but, that would be doing it well ahead of the railroads surveys.” She said smiling. She was her fathers daughter after all, and she had the wherewithal to get it done. “Besides Jonah, surveyors are actually relatively inexpensive.”
He chuckled. "Of course, at the moment I don't have anything to gamble...can't buy land with chickens and marmalade!" Then he shrugged and took another sip of the wine. "Can't say as I'd be into speculating in land anyway."
“It is a beginning, Jonah, a very good beginning. People here trust you.”
He paused as the waitress came for their order, and chose chicken in a cream sauce, along with potatoes and some soup. "Have to leave room for dessert, right?" He laughed.
Once the waitress has their food order and was gone, she continued. “But that won’t always be true, Jonah.” She disagreed. “I’m sure you must see a hospital on the horizon, and who better to run it than Kalispel’s own? It won’t always be chickens and marmalade.”
"A hospital?" Jonah raised an eyebrow as he looked at the pretty young woman. "Ah, still speculation. Certainly a hospital will follow the train, so that is the first step, and Whitefish has their share of doctors." And so much of it came down to politics, something he really had little interest in, and that he wished he didn't need have any interest in. Unfortunately, the topic touched almost everyone, moreso professionals such as himself.
"I have heard talk of an orphanage opening in town...a proper one, so a hospital would would be a great asset." Not that he wanted to put the effort into running a hospital himself, it took far too much time and energy than he was willing to commit, but then, real payment would be nice so he could save and maybe get out of this back-water.
"I suppose it wouldn't help to solicit investors, organization takes time and it wouldn't hurt to have the foundation in place." He chuckled. "I suppose it will help that I have a business partnership with the woman who runs the newspaper."
A hospital?" Jonah raised an eyebrow as he looked at the pretty young woman. "Ah, still speculation. Certainly a hospital will follow the train, so that is the first step, and Whitefish has their share of doctors." And so much of it came down to politics, something he really had little interest in, and that he wished he didn't need have any interest in. Unfortunately, the topic touched almost everyone, moreso professionals such as himself.
“Speculation or not, Jonah, a hospital is needed. I can tell you about the doctors in Whitefish. There is just one, Rance Farmington, a drunkard, and a discredit to his profession. But he tends to bullet wounds without question and is on my family’s payroll." She smiled at the revelation, “Thaddeus Burke and Edwin Rawlins pulled their shingles months ago and have left the country.”
"I have heard talk of an orphanage opening in town...a proper one, so a hospital would would be a great asset." Not that he wanted to put the effort into running a hospital himself, it took far too much time and energy than he was willing to commit, but then, real payment would be nice so he could save and maybe get out of this back-water.
“Yes. I’ve kept myself informed about the possibility of the orphanage and I can assure you it is more than a possibility whose time as most certainly come.” Leah responded.
"I suppose it wouldn't help to solicit investors, organization takes time and it wouldn't hurt to have the foundation in place." He chuckled. "I suppose it will help that I have a business partnership with the woman who runs the newspaper."
“Woman? I was under the impression that Mister Phinias McVay ran the paper, I was unaware that there was a woman involved.” A plan was forming as they talked, a two fold plan.
"She's an attorney as well, and she helps with the expenses, so it's helpful for me." He took a sip of wine, then frowned. "So, the orphanage is in the works? Good. I've seen the orphan trains a couple times, and it's horrific."
He really wasn't a sentimental man, but seeing the confused and terrified looks the children had, and worse, hearing their wails when siblings were separated tore at his heart, and if there was something he could do to help prevent that, he'd gladly contribute.
"Are there many orphans, then? I imagine the mines take their toll." Not to mention the elements...Winter here was not for the faint of heart, so he'd heard, and he wasn't looking forward to it.
“Woman? I was under the impression that Mister Phinias McVay ran the paper, I was unaware that there was a woman involved.” A plan was forming as they talked, a two fold plan.
"She's an attorney as well, and she helps with the expenses, so it's helpful for me." He took a sip of wine, then frowned. "So, the orphanage is in the works? Good. I've seen the orphan trains a couple times, and it's horrific."
"Orphans? From what I've heard, far to many." She paused, "Expenses?” Leah asked softly. “I mean, I realize there’s expenses in any business, but the medical profession, well, medicines alone must be, well yes, expenses. Always a concern with any business venture.” She had an odd twinge regarding not just the statement that the trains were horrific, but the look on the doctors face at it’s mention. “Then, I would like to meet your benefactor and perhaps we, together, might push this orphanage forward a bit faster and lay the groundwork for the hospital.”