America 1881: They Call Me Legend

Chapter 221 Funding Gap

Albert Leonard, a shrewd businessman.

He started out as a private lender and bought a farm around Lincolnshire during the last financial crisis.

He thinks he has mastered the essence of doing business, which is to see the situation clearly, then develop cautiously, and don't rush to take sides.

Therefore, when Lincoln County was in chaos in the past few years, he neither sought refuge with Fred, a direct descendant of the "Santa Fe Group", nor did he mix with the local gangsters.

He just raised a lot of cowboys, and while guarding his large ranch, he made loan sharks and settled in a corner.

But that doesn't mean he has no ambition.

After the collapse of Fred and his "life and death brother", Leonard became the most powerful local farmer.

Due to Scott's negligence, he did not respond to the situation in Lincoln County immediately.

Leonard took action.

He took over the territory of those two men, and also brought in Fred's lawyer and staff, Alexander Messne.

With his help, Leonard began to acquire the land of surrounding farmers.

Compared with Fred, his behavior on the surface is much more civilized and much more relaxed than the former.

As a creditor, he has ten thousand ways to bankrupt the farmers who lent him money, and when they go bankrupt, he can step on their "corpses" and have a party.

Leonard loves to do this kind of thing.

At this moment, the two of them were waiting eagerly at the entrance to Lincoln County.

"Are you sure they will arrive today?" Leonard adjusted his gray dress and asked the lawyer beside him.

I don't know whether it was due to his poor tailoring skills or lack of confidence, but Leonard always felt that the dress he was wearing didn't fit him very well.

From just now to now, he has been sorting out the folds of his clothes, especially the armpits.

"Yes, that's what he said in the letter." Lawyer Maxine replied, "We were very good friends when we were in Cleveland."

The "he" in their conversation refers to the refinery manager sent by Standard Oil Company this time, Meyer.

Meyer was considered an old employee within Standard Oil Company, but because of his temper, he was not well received by others.

Therefore, the company's internal label for him is that whenever a new oil well or refinery needs to be built, he will be sent there as soon as possible.

Once the factory is on track, his task will be completed, and he will be allowed to go to the next place.

But Meyer doesn't want to do this this time. He plans to find a way to stay in this remote place longer so as not to see the stinky faces of the bureaucrats at the head office every day.

So, after learning that he was going to be sent to Roswell to build an oil refinery, Meyer checked the map and immediately thought of his old friend in Lincoln County, lawyer Maxine.

He wrote a letter to him.

Maxine immediately told Leonard the news.

Leonard decided to meet the new manager.

He wanted to ask the manager something.

After Leonard and Maxine waited at the entrance of the town for about two hours, a huge convoy finally appeared on the road not far away.

On weekdays, there are not many convoys coming to Lincoln County, and even fewer convoys of this size. Apart from the Standard Oil Company's convoy, there is no other possibility.

"Here it comes!" Leonard rubbed his hands, a little excited.

The convoy was getting closer and closer, and they could already clearly see the faces of the two people riding horses at the front of the convoy who were talking.

One of them has a Lincoln-style beard, the other has a sinister complexion and a pointed nose.

"Meyer!" Maxine waved his hand at the "Lincoln Beard".

Meyer stopped talking to the people next to him, drove his horse to Max En, jumped off the horse, and gave the old friend in front of him a big hug.

The two began to chat.

Leonard looked at the two of them, but was too embarrassed to interrupt their reminiscence, so he had to tidy up his clothes again with some embarrassment.

It was Max who realized that his boss was still standing nearby.

"This is Mr. Leonard, my partner." Maxine pointed to the farmer next to him, "He is an upright and decent man."

Meyer looked at the man in front of him up and down, and he said "hmm".

This person, how should I put it, gives him a feeling of being a little,, wretched.

Leonard had a smile on his face, his hand caressing the corner of his clothes, "Mr. Meyer, I have long, long admired your name!"

"Well, hello." Meyer nodded towards Leonard, not extending his hand to shake his hand.

"I have prepared a banquet at home, and I am here to welcome you." Leonard lowered his body slightly and said humbly to Meyer.

"No, there are many people here, and we have to travel tomorrow." Meyer simply refused.

The expression on Leonard's face became even more embarrassed, but it soon returned to normal, but his hands rubbed the corners of his clothes more frequently.

"Well, Mr. Leonard has something to tell you." The lawyer had no choice but to come forward and said directly.

He knew that with Meyer's character, if Leonard couldn't be beaten with three more sticks, he might turn around and leave on the spot.

Meyer waved to the gloomy-looking man behind him, gesturing for him and the convoy to go into town.

"If you have anything to say, just talk here." He turned around and said to the two people in front of him.

Three people stood under a big tree at the entrance to the Lincolnshire town.

Leonard's originally prepared words changed circumstances, and he didn't know where to start for a moment, and started touching the buttons of his clothes again.

Meyer began to look a little impatient.

When the lawyer saw something was wrong, he quickly said: "Mr. Leonard would like to ask you whether you are sure you want to build an oil refinery in nearby Roswell."

"Yeah? Otherwise, what would I do here?" Meyer looked confused.

"Well, isn't it inconvenient to transport the refined oil? After all, both Roswell and Lincoln County are a bit far from the nearest city." Leonard finally remembered what he wanted to say and continued.

Talked.

"Oh, the subsequent railway construction project leading here has been started. What's wrong?" Meyer didn't quite understand what medicine the two men were selling. "It will probably take half a year to get here."

"Thank you, thank you." Leonard had already gotten the answer he wanted. His expression could no longer hide his inner ecstasy, and the hem of his clothes was almost rubbed flat by that restless hand.

The more Meyer looked at it, the more disgusted he became. He complained in his heart that his old friend had found such a powerful person with no political power and a seemingly illiterate person as a partner.

He bade farewell to the lawyer, mounted his horse, and went off to find his team.

"Get rich, get rich." Leonard's smile could no longer be concealed and burst out completely.

His mind is now full of rolling dollar bills, with a crazy smile on his face.

"Well, I still don't quite understand." The lawyer looked at his boss, still a little confused.

"Hurry back and let's calculate how much it will cost to collect the remaining farms." Leonard couldn't wait to walk towards his horse.

These fools haven't realized what it means for the railway to reach Lincolnshire.

More people will come here, and their cattle, sheep, and crops can also be transported directly through the railway.

The most important thing is that the surrounding land prices will directly double.

If you don’t start now, when will you wait?

He returned to the manor happily, locked himself in the study and pondered for a long time, and waited until the afternoon before the door was opened.

The lawyer was sitting on the sofa in the living room reading the newspaper. When he heard the sound, he turned his head and watched Leonard walk out of the study.

However, unlike when he first entered, his face didn't look very good at this time.

Leonard walked up to the lawyer and sat down on the sofa chair next to him.

"Maisen, my cash seems to be far from enough. I need to find a way to get some money."

First update, second update later

(End of chapter)