Bismarck Weekly Tribune

AN EXPERT BRICKMAKER.

The Story Told by a Chicago Man.

Gathering Methods and Points.

No man in Chicago is possessed of more information on the subject of brickmaking than George M. Pullman. Though probably without personal experience in the mixing and burning of clay, Mr. Pullman might be set down as an expert brickmaker. As illustrating the thoroughness with which Pullman uses preparations before embarking in an enterprise, a well known brickmaker tells a very good story. Some years ago, when Pullman was preparing to engage in the brick business on the shores of Lake Calumet, this brickmaker received an invitation to call on the sleeping car magnate and talk brickmaking. Having in view the inferential possibility of a co-partnership, or contract, or other profitable connection with the Pullman-town building enterprise, the brickmaker gladly availed himself of the opportunity thus offered. Pullman received him graciously and in private showed him samples of Lake Calumet clay, asked questions concerning brickmaking methods and materials, and listened quite patiently while the brickmaker, warming up with his subject and naturally anxious to make a good impression, somewhat enthusiastically related his experience during the last twenty years, and described many of the processes which he had hitherto held almost as secrets. The interview over, Pullman said he would take the matter under consideration, and that his caller might expect to hear from him again almost any day. As yet the brickmaker has not heard from Pullman. He was not long in learning, however, that half a dozen other skilled brick makers had been similarly favored by the ambitious town builder, and that from all of them the host had drawn descriptions of their favorite methods and many valuable points concerning materials and machinery. Moreover, it was soon learned that while these brickmaking gentlemen were thus talking to Mr. Pullman in that gentleman's private office a shorthand man was industriously at work behind a screen making verbatim record of all he heard. No one of the expert brickmakers was called for a second time by the sleeping car landlord, but in a few months they all heard, with what chagrin may be easily imagined, that Pullman had engaged in the brickmaking business on his own account.—Chicago Herald.