Summary
Robert Fisher Clarke, an architect of dreams and an engineering savant, disembarks from his Chicago-bound train at a seemingly unremarkable way station nestled alongside the furious Sault Ste. Marie rapids. This abrupt deviation from his intended path is not impulsive, but rather the manifestation of a profound, almost spiritual, vision: a meticulously planned industrial utopia harnessing the colossal, untamed power of the river. He envisages a self-sufficient town, a beacon of progress and innovation, rising from the very banks of this natural marvel. Initial triumphs see him secure crucial financial backing, setting the wheels of his grand project in motion. However, the burgeoning enterprise soon becomes ensnared in the treacherous web of financial intrigue, as a bitter conflict erupts among his benefactors, systematically undermining and ultimately crippling the audacious undertaking. Disillusioned and defeated by the machinations of greed, Clarke resolves to abandon his dream and bid a final farewell to the rapids that once held such promise. Before his departure, a romantic subplot unfolds as he proposes marriage to Elsie Worden, a figure of quiet grace. Yet, fate intervenes with a cruel twist: a dramatic accident befalls Jim Belding, a young engineer working under Clarke, plunging him into the river's treacherous currents. This harrowing incident serves as a catalyst for Elsie, stripping away her romantic illusions and revealing the true depth of her affection for Jim. Clarke, a man of profound integrity even in defeat, gracefully accepts this heart-wrenchwrenching revelation, leaving the shattered remnants of his industrial dream behind. His only solace, and indeed his only companion, on this melancholic journey is little Sue, a child he had previously rescued from the very rapids that had both inspired and ultimately thwarted his colossal ambition.
Synopsis
Robert Fisher Clarke, a dreamer and engineering genius, on his way to Chicago, astonishes the Pullman porter by leaving the train at a small way station on the Sault Ste. Marie rapids. Clarke has seen a wonderful vision of a model industrial town situated on the banks of the river, utilizing the harnessed power of the great rapids. After he has succeeded in gaining backing for his project, a conflict between certain financiers so hampers the completion of his plans that he decides to bid farewell to the rapids. Before going, he proposes marriage to Elsie Worden, but when Jim Belding, a young engineer in his employ, meets with an accident in the river, Elsie suddenly awakens to the fact that it is Jim she loves and not Clarke. Clarke accepts his fate and takes with him little Sue, a child he has rescued from the rapids.
