America 1881: They Call Me Legend

Chapter 353 American Gunpowder Association

New York, late December, 1883.

A snowstorm came suddenly, and the whole New York City was covered with heavy snow, a vast expanse of whiteness.

Snowflakes are flying in the sky, and there are few pedestrians on the road.

At this time, everyone is more willing to stay in the house and warm up by the fire, rather than being frozen out of their noses outside.

"Jingle Bell."

A luxuriously decorated carriage stopped at the door of a building, and behind the carriage was followed by a group of men in black riding horses.

"Master, we have arrived."

The groom who was driving lightly tapped on the window of the carriage and said to the inside of the carriage.

There were a few slight coughs from the carriage.

Then, the carriage door was opened.

An old man in a coat got out of the car.

Although it can be seen from his white beard that has become one with the heavy snow around him, he is already very old.

But the old man still tried to straighten his waist.

Henry Dupont was in New York for the first time in the ten years since he formed the National Gunpowder Association.

At that time, the association set up its headquarters in New York to facilitate the handling of some business matters.

But everyone in the industry understands that the real headquarters is in Delaware.

In the past ten years, every resolution of the association came from the office of Henry Dupont.

But this year is different.

DuPont and Henry DuPont have been through a lot in the past year.

The explosion on the Delaware River blew up DuPont's future and did a lot to it.

First of all, a group of outstanding technicians were buried in the accident.

Second, the accident caused extremely serious pollution to the lower reaches of the Delaware River.

Local residents are suing the ashesed "Repano" explosives factory and its parent company on this grounds.

In addition, the defeat of American merchants in the international saltpeter market has led to a sharp increase in costs.

Plus the impact of smokeless gunpowder and dynamite on the market.

Undercurrents surged in the Gunpowder Association, which seemed unbreakable at first.

And this meeting held in New York is an example.

Henry Dupont didn't want to come to New York.

Meetings of the Gunpowder Society are convened by, and only by, the Duponts.

A meeting without his participation is meaningless; a resolution without his approval is a piece of waste paper.

But the old man thought about it later and decided to come.

Because, he wanted to see what kind of farce these clowns were up to, and then dispel their thoughts with a thunderous force and stabilize the situation.

He Henry Dupont is not dead yet!
Surrounded by everyone, the old man walked up the steps.

But when he walked to the gate, he suddenly thought of what he saw when he got out of the car.

He stopped, turned his head, and looked across the street.

"What is this?" He pointed to the two statues at the gate of the opposite building.

Everyone looked in the direction he pointed.

"It's, like, like some kind of oriental animal," said one.

The statue is carved from stone, with curly hair, bared teeth, wide-eyed eyes, full of domineering.

"Hi~ These are two stone lions, the carving style in China." A follower who had been to China said disapprovingly.

Henry Dupont had a feeling of foreboding.

"When did you move here?"

The entourage shook their heads one after another. Most of them are usually in Delaware and rarely come to New York.

"Master, let's go up first." A follower said beside him, "It's too cold outside, and you are still sick."

"I'm fine!" The old man showed displeasure.

He straightened his back even more, turned his head and walked into the building.

The people from DuPont came to the conference hall led by Henry.

It was very warm in the conference hall.

Because this building uses the latest steam heating equipment instead of a fireplace.

The entourage around him took off the thick woolen coat for Henry Dupont, revealing the black suit inside.

The old man's sharp eyes swept towards the hall, not angry but pretentious.

The round table was almost full of people, and representatives from all member companies of the Gunpowder Association came.

Among them were the other two of the "Big Three" of the Gunpowder Association, the Hazard Company, and the California Gunpowder Company on the west coast.

Henry Dupont said nothing, and walked straight to the main seat facing the door.

This position has always been his.

However, when he sat down, he found that there was still an empty seat opposite him.

The old man waved his hand, signaled to his subordinates, closed the door, and then removed the chair from that position.

Old Hazzer, the boss of Hazard Company, twitched his cheeks, but didn't say anything.

"Our topic today, the first one is to consider inviting the Roswell Gunpowder Company to join the association."

The chairman of the association handed a document to the table in front of Henry.

The old man found that the same document was placed in front of everyone on the table.

He snorted, did not look at the document, but looked around the crowd, and said:

"As I said, the door of the association is always open to them, as long as they are willing to accept the association's resolutions and arrangements."

"Each of your companies has voting rights with different weights, I'm being fair, aren't I?"

Old Henry showed his generosity.

For the bidding rights of the Gunpowder Association, each company has 10 votes for DuPont's Big Three, and the remaining 14 votes are distributed to the remaining companies.

But in fact, the shares of the California Gunpowder Company have been secretly acquired by Henry DuPont; and the Hazard Company has always worn the same trousers as the old Henry.

And those small companies, even if they want to rebel, let alone whether they get votes or not, they can physically destroy the traitors when they turn around.

This is also the source of his confidence.

Everyone in the hall, you look at me, and I look at you.

The chairman was a little embarrassed, and he winked vigorously at the entourage behind Old Henry.

The follower understood what the chairman meant.

He walked to the old man's side and opened the documents on the table for him.

Henry Dupont glanced at the entourage beside him.

He was dissatisfied with the man's self-assertion.

But when he briefly glanced at the content on the document, his brows frowned:
Roswell Gunpowder Company gets 10 votes when it joins the association
"Who drafted this?" Old Henry picked up the documents on the table and questioned everyone in the conference hall.

The voice was not loud, but with a hint of anger.

He looked at the chairman: "Did you draw it up?"

The chairman shook his head like a rattle.

Even if you kill him, you dare not do this!
"I made it up."

Old Hudze bowed his body, looked at Henry Dupont, and said.

The meeting hall became very quiet in an instant, so quiet that a needle could be heard falling.

Old Henry stared at his old partner.

If sight could kill, old Hadzee must be dead by now.

He never expected that it was this submissive person who usually stabbed him in the back.

Hadze was not at all afraid of the murderous gaze on the other side, he said slowly:
"Are you also buying shares in my company in private?"

Henry Dupont is irrefutable because he did it.

But can I keep a company on an equal footing with myself?Isn't it normal for the weak to prey on the strong?

Hadzer's gaze continued to meet old Henry's needlepoint.

He continued:
"Henry, black powder is about to be eliminated, the saltpeter market is monopolized by the British, and two-thirds of the goods that come out of them will be scraped off by Rockefeller's Mobil Company. Our profits have already been reduced. down!"

Representatives from other companies in the hall, some talking, some not speaking, seemed to remain neutral.

This is to rebel!

Old Henry didn't have much flesh left, and his inflexible cheeks began to shake.

"Then, let's bid and vote!"

what future?What saltpeter?High-sounding!He obviously wanted to drag someone into the game to rebel!Does that Chinese businessman have the qualifications?

"Then, let's vote!"

He stood up:
"Those who agree with this proposal, please raise your hand!"

Old Hadzee raised his hand.

Several small companies also slowly raised their hands.

Representatives of the California Corporation, motionless;
And other small companies are still hesitating.

"three!"

"two!"

Old Henry hadn't said the last "one" yet.

The door of the conference hall was suddenly pushed open.

A person walked in, and he entered the door with him, and his hearty laughter:
"Sorry, sorry! Xueda, I'm a little late."

(End of this chapter)