Bounty Hunters, Map Makers Gold Miners | Page 8

it started cutting into his bottom line, Irving visited the mayor.
"It just isn't fair, Mayor. These trust-fund kids are going to put us out of business. You've got to put a stop to them."
"The whole idea of a bounty system is to encourage competition."
"Well, a bunch of rank amateurs are going to put a professional corporation out of business if this keeps up. Do you want nothing but a bunch of amateurs between Eureka and the scum of the earth?"
"If they're successful, then why would Eureka care?"
"Need I remind you of the wagon-loads of money I pay you in campaign contributions every year? Or the amount of taxes that IP Inc pays every year?"
"Well, there isn't much I can do. I can't just outlaw this bunch because they're competing with you."
"I have an idea. I want you to pass a law that lets us put bounty claims on any hideouts that we find."
"Bounty Claims?"
"Yep. If we catch a bad guy hiding out someplace, we want a claim so that we can purchase the land, and then we get rights to any outlaw caught hiding out on our land."
"How will that help?"
"The trust fund kids won't be able to purchase any land, so we'll eventually be able to lock them out of all the hideout locations. Once they can't collect bounties from these areas, we'll just squeeze them out over time."
"I don't think I can get city council to approve that."
"I'll make them all honorary bounty hunters and start contributing to all their campaigns."
"Passing a law is too visible. What I'll do is appoint one of your men to be Commissioner of the Land Deeds office. The commissioner can set office policy as he sees fit."
"I've got just the man."
At the next town meeting, the Mayor motioned to appoint Darrell Dawson as new Commissioner of Land Deeds. No one knew the importance of the fact that Darrell had been getting checks from IP Inc. in one form or another for the last twenty years, and Darrell received the appointment. Within three months, Darrell quietly distributed his new policies for the Deeds office. Included in these policies was a new policy that allowed bounty hunters to purchase any undeeded land upon which they had captured an outlaw.
No one thought much of it at the time.
Then Galen caught a bank robber hiding out in the badlands and brought him to the sheriff to collect his reward.
"Good job, Galen. Here's your receipt. You should be getting your first check in a week or two."
"Thanks, Sheriff."
"Oh, and you can take your receipt down to the deeds office if you want to purchase the bounty rights on that piece of land where you caught this guy."
"Bounty Rights?"
"Sure. That land hasn't been deeded to anyone yet, so if you want, you can take that receipt to the Deeds office and buy it and the bounty rights that go with it."
"I'm putting a portion of my reward into the trust. I can't afford to buy land."
"Well, if you don't and someone else does, they'll be able to claim the rights to any outlaw captured on their land, regardless of who captured them."
Less than fifteen minutes later, Galen stormed into Mayor Mitchell's office to find the Mayor and Irving having a friendly drink together.
"Well, I'll be damned." Galen strode into the room shaking his head. "That explains a lot."
"What burr you got under your saddle today, Galen?" Irving chuckled.
"You know old man Grady just a couple miles east of town?"
"Sure. Did Grady sell you a chicken that won't lay eggs? Is that what's got your rope in knots?"
"Grady's got some of the finest hens around Eureka. And he's got his dog Blue to guard them from any foxes or coyotes."
"And what's that got to do with the price of gold in Eureka?"
"I figure I feel about what Grady would feel like if he walked in on Blue and some coyote sharing the same water dish."
"You've been in the sun too long, Galen. You need to get some rest."
"Mitchell, who's interest are you supposed to protect and guard?"
"Eureka's interests, of course."
"Like main street ever voted for you or 123 Pine St can sign a ballot."
"Well, the people of Eureka, of course."
"And how do you get off betraying the trust of the people of Eureka, taxing them more than they need so that Irving here can become one of the richest men in town?"
"Irving provides a valuable service that benefits this whole town."
"So do I, you old snake. And my team and I would do the same job for a lot less if you'd just let me."
"What are you rambling about, Galen? I'm not stopping you from doing anything."
"I can't afford to buy no bounty rights to some piece of land when I'm giving part of my bounties to the trust."
"That