1855 United States Tycoon

Chapter 18 Grant’s comrades-in-arms

“Mr. Warren Delano, are you planning to go back to New York?” Scrooge and Rockefeller, who have made a small fortune, are saying goodbye to Warren Delano.

“Well, yes, there is nothing left to do here,” Warren Delano said. “And, with the collapse of the food market, I’m sure the law and order in Chicago will be messed up. The rich, especially It is the wealthy people who have taken advantage of this crisis that they will easily become the object of hatred by everyone at this time. Therefore, although staying here can still wait for the price of food to drop to the lowest level to make a profit, but There are also many risks. I have earned enough here, so I plan to go back… Do you still plan to play a bargain hunter here after waiting for the price of food to reach the end?”

Scrooge shook his head: “I have discussed with John, and I plan to go back.”

The collapse of food prices can be predicted, but the extent to which it will collapse is difficult to predict. Although many people think that Scrooge made his first pot of gold by taking risks and speculation, in fact, he is not a person who likes to take risks. For things like finance, money comes as quickly as money is lost. And some very accidental events can also bring unexpected consequences. Scrooge is conceited that he does not have the looks of Morgan. He feels that the real industry is more reliable.

In addition, Scrooge still has a lot to deal with. Scrooge knew that the current food price collapse was only the beginning. In the past ten years, the structural problems of the United States economy have become more and more serious. For more than ten years, the railways in United States have developed wildly. Almost all the funds and raw materials needed for the construction of the railway have come from Europe. On the one hand, the infrastructure construction represented by railways continues to expand, on the other hand, the industry in United States has not been developed in the same way. This almost means that the entire United States has become a market for dumping industrial products in Europe. Accumulate over a long period of time, and it won’t cause any problems.

Relying on the strength of the food market over the years and relying on exporting food, United States was able to barely maintain the economic situation. The collapse of food prices has almost killed the entire economic system. Scrooge knew that the food price crisis would quickly spread to other sectors, such as railways, mining, and then finance. None of them could be lost, and none of them could escape. At the most severe time, more than half of the banks could not even cash out the deposits of depositors.

However, the crisis also has an advantage, that is, it gives those stronger companies the opportunity to merge with other companies at a lower cost, and it also allows European capital to temporarily withdraw from the United States, allowing the local capital of the United States to grow. space.

In this crisis, opportunities are everywhere. Scrooge knew that he had to seize this opportunity to grow up before the outbreak of the Civil War. Only in this way could he grab a large enough cake in that war. Otherwise, even if you see the opportunity, you will have limited gains because your own power is too weak. Just like this time, the big money was made by the well-capitalized Volendrano, and he could only fall into a small part.

After bidding farewell to Warren Delano, Scrooge and Rockefeller went directly to the station and boarded the train back to Cleveland.

Rockefeller, who is accustomed to thrifty Life, still only bought two tickets for third-class carriages, although they now have a lot of money-at that time, ten thousand dollars is already a huge sum of money-but they are accustomed to thrifty Rockefeller still felt that spending too much money on enjoyment was a crime. Therefore, although Scrooge wanted to try the first-class car on the train of that era, he failed to persuade Rockefeller to try such a ‘luxury’ with him. Even Rockefeller put on the posture of the old Dage, using the principle of “from simple to extravagant and easy, from extravagant to frugal” to educate Shi Gaozhi.

Two people got in the car early, and when they found their own seats, there were not many people in the car. However, after a while, there were more people in the carriage. So the carriage was immediately full of various sounds. The two bought the serial number, and Rockefeller graciously gave the seat by the window to Scrooge and sat in the middle position.

“Ah, this little brother, can I change seats with my daughter?” A voice rang. Scrooge and Rockefeller looked up and saw an uncle who was about fifty years old who was talking, and beside him was a little girl who was about twelve or thirteen years old. The little girl was wearing a pale yellow dress and a feathered hat, her long flax hair was draped over her shoulders, and her big green eyes twinkled.

The man watched Rockefeller raised his head and explained: “My daughter likes the position against the car window very much. She likes to see the scenery outside.”

“So, where is the position you want to exchange with us?” Scrooge asked.

“Oh, that’s the one in your row next to the aisle.” said the uncle.

“Okay, let’s change it.” Scrooge said. He didn’t care about sitting next to the window. Moreover, looking at that little Loli was still cute, although Scrooge did not join. Tongmeng has a tendency to meet, but it would be nice to let her sit next to her.

Scrooge and Rockefeller stood up and gave the little Loli a place by the window. Scrooge was about to sit down next to young Loli, but at this time, Rockefeller asked steadily: “Then, sir, where is your position?”

“Ah, my seat is here.” The uncle said, pointing to the seat on the opposite side of the aisle.

“Or else,” Rockefeller said, “I will sit in your seat, Scrooge will sit in my seat, and you will sit next to your daughter.”

“Ah, thank you so much.” The uncle raised his hat toward Rockefeller and Scrooge, and then sat down where Scrooge should have been, and Scrooge sat next to the uncle.

Well, the little Loli next to him has become an uncle, and Scrooge’s depression can be imagined. He raised his eyes and glared at Rockefeller, who was sitting down opposite him. However, Rockefeller was lowering his head and flipping his own purse at this time, and he did not see Scrooge’s protest.

Rockefeller pulled out a book from his bag and read it seriously. Rockefeller found that after a period of work, he had a new understanding of what he had learned in business school, so he would take out the original textbooks for research from time to time.

Now that Rockefeller had read the book, Scrooge, who had nothing to do, had to take out a copy of Balzac’s “Disillusionment” from his own bag and read it. Marx once commented on Balzac in this way. He said that he learned more from Balzac’s works than in any other literature. Scrooge felt that this evaluation was indeed appropriate. In his previous life far away from Balzac’s time, although Scrooge liked his works, his understanding of his works was far less specific and profound than it is now.

After ten minutes, the train whistle made a long sound, and a large puff of white steam spewed out. The carriage shook, and then the scenery outside the window began to recede slowly.

As the train started, the little Loli let out a cry of surprise, pressed her little face tightly to the window glass, and looked outside.

“This is your daughter’s first time to make a train, right?” The carriage was a bit swayed. After all, the suspension of a train in the 19th century is not comparable to that of the 21st century. Scrooge knew that reading under these conditions was not good for the eyes. So I put down the book, but just to see the little Loli making a fuss in exclamation, he smiled and said to the uncle.

“Ah, this is indeed the first time for Little Hathaway to go far.” The uncle replied with a smile. From that smile, Scrooge could see the old father’s pampering to the little daughter.

But little Loli’s interest always comes and goes quickly. After a while, the monotonous wheat field outside the window made Little Loli lose her interest in seeing the scenery, so she immediately turned her attention to the inside of the carriage. Little Loli reached out and pulled his father’s sleeve.

“What’s the matter? Don’t look at the scenery anymore? My little baby!”

“It’s always a wheat field, it doesn’t mean anything at all.” Little Loli said.

“Well, then you can lean on your seat and sleep.” Father said.

“No! I want you to tell me a story! Just tell the story when you were at war with the Mexicans.” Little Loli hugged his father’s hand and shook it.

“Hathaway, you are a girl, why do you always listen to war stories? Isn’t it good for me to tell you Grimm’s fairy tales?”

“No, fairy tales deceive children, and I’m not a kid!” Little Loli pursed his mouth, looking dissatisfied. Then she put on what she thought was the most ferocious air, and said to her father, “If you don’t tell me, I will pull out your beard!”

“Okay, okay, let me tell you. Well, one day, Lieutenant Grant and I—well, that’s the short Uncle you met last time.”

“I know, Grant Uncle is an alcoholic! Dad said it.” Little Loli interrupted.

“Ah, yes, that’s the short Uncle. But Dad tells you, when you see Grant Uncle again in the future, don’t call him Short Uncle again… Well, I will go out with him with a team of cavalry. Patrol, your Grant Uncle’s equestrian skills are the best in the entire regiment, so he took the lead. We came out of the barracks and walked along the river to the south for about 7-8 kilometers…”

“Grant? Short? Cavalry? He wasn’t talking about General Grant, the commander-in-chief of the Northern Army in the later Civil War, did he? The Civil War is looming. If you can get along with General Grant, it would be a good choice.” Gao Zhi thought this way while listening to the uncle’s story.