But he was not prepared for the enormous
development which had since taken place. The Mississippi Steel
Company had now two huge Bessemer converters, in which a volcano of
molten flame roared all day and night. It had bought up the whole
western side of the town, and cleared away half a hundred ramshackle
dwellings; and here were long rows of coke-ovens, and two huge
rail-mills, and a plate-mill from which arose sounds like the
crashing of the day of doom. Everywhere loomed rows of towering
chimneys, and pillars of rolling black smoke. Little miniature
railroad tracks ran crisscross about the yards, and engines came
puffing and clanking, carrying blazing white ingots which the eye
could not bear to face.
Opposite to the entrance of the stockaded yards, the Company had put
up a new office building, and upon the top floor of this were the
president's rooms.
"Mr. Andrews will be in on the two o'clock train," said his
secretary, who was evidently expecting the visitor. "Will you wait
in his office?"
"I think I should like to see the works, if you can arrange it for
me," said Montague.
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