Chapter 270: The American Freeloader
"Anyway, it's not my fault that I offended people!" Sheffield didn't care how the proposal was passed, as long as it was passed. He didn't think he was being too much, because the reconstruction plan of New Orleans could be called a conscientious project.
Why do Dixie people feel superior? The overall economy of the North is far superior to that of the South. Why do they feel superior in this situation? It is nothing more than a vast land with a sparse population, and excellent agricultural and animal husbandry conditions, so they do not have to bear the difficult and harsh working environment of the industrial areas in the northeastern states.
So maybe the people of Dixie weren't that rich, but they definitely didn't live a bad life, and they got rich through hard work. As for the densely populated industrial areas in the northeastern states, it depends on how the profits were divided between factory owners and workers.
Sheffield had a problem of liking to visit places where people were worse off than himself, so he once took Anne to visit a brothel in Paris. In his spare time in New York, he took Natalia to the slums to see the dire straits of the beacon of capitalism. Unfortunately, they came at the wrong time and did not find any homeless people.
The reason is very simple. In places with distinct four seasons, even begging has to divide into off-season and peak season. It is still the beginning of the year, and the living environment for homeless people is not very good. If the climate changes one day, they will die overnight.
Sheffield also had to admit that the north had its advantages. For example, fraudulent behavior was a very risky thing in winter. He had never seen many people who dared to back out in front of a car on an icy road in winter. The icy road offset the effect of the brakes. Fraudsters just wanted money, not their lives.
"My father told me that our hometown is very cold in winter!" Natalia curled up her hands, and was quite satisfied with Sheffield's company, even overcoming the unfriendly temperature.
"I really can't refute what you said!" Sheffield smiled helplessly. He could tell from Natalia's name that she was of Russian descent. No one in this world, as long as it was habitable, would dare to compare with Russia in terms of coldness. Not even him.
I just don’t know how the homeless people in Russia survive the winter. Do they rely on vodka?
"In fact, our country is so big that people from the northeastern states can definitely immigrate to the West!" Natalia said with a bit of pity, "They are all crowded in a few states near New York. How difficult is life?"
"A large population has its advantages. First of all, a large population means more opportunities, so many people are willing to flock to big cities. After all, in their subconscious, they all think they are the chosen ones. There are many people who believe that they can change their fate through their own efforts. Various newspapers are also exaggerating the superiority of the United States over the European aristocratic countries, creating such a false impression for the citizens." Sheffield shrugged and said, "There is nothing we can do about it. All countries will do this. Who makes people greedy?"
"Isn't the population of New Orleans a little insufficient, delaying the implementation of your plan?" Natalia asked with some concern, "Even if you join forces with other friends to seal off the land near New Orleans, the local pressure won't be too great, right?"
"Who told you that there is no land for us in the city?" Sheffield asked with a smile. "Back then, New Orleans was the largest city in the South and the center of population trade. It can be said that all the big plantation owners in the South had real estate in New Orleans. You don't actually know the owners of the land there. Considering the relationship between supply and demand, even if there are only a few hundred thousand people in New Orleans, it is more than enough. Besides, a reconstruction plan will be formulated based on the population. It is better to make parks out of the extra land than put it on the market to disrupt housing prices."
Wouldn't it attract other people if the population was not enough? At least compared to places like New York, Chicago, and Detroit, the housing prices in New Orleans were not expensive. Although most of the land outside the city was in the hands of the United Company and its allies, couldn't it be rented out if it wasn't sold?
The environment itself is similar to that of a British colony, so Sheffield has reason to believe that he can turn New Orleans into the Pearl of the South. Soon Sheffield led Xiaomaomei to end this journey of capitalist sin. Just when he was about to suggest that we observe the prostitution industry in New York, Xiaomaomei said that she was tired and wanted to change her appetite and experience the decadence of capitalism.
Well, then! Sheffield didn't see the homeless man and felt sorry for not doing his daily good deed today. But Natalia spoke up, and he could only end his trip with regret.
"Why would Sheffield even try to win over someone like Vanderbilt II?" Morgan Jr. asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Does Vanderbilt II have any business? It seems that he doesn't have any, except for the railroad left by his grandfather. His attempt to enter the supermarket chain also failed. Could it be because of his achievements in real estate?"
"That's possible!" Morgan was like a wild cat when he was silent. He was also wondering why this southern slave owner came to New York. However, even he couldn't figure out how to win over someone like Vanderbilt II. What was so valuable about the descendants of the railroad king? "Could it be that he came for the Vanderbilt family's railroad?"
It seems that now the only valuable thing in the hands of the Vanderbilt family is the New York railway system, and it is the railway system that supports the luxurious life of the Vanderbilt family members.
"That's really not good news, father!" Young Morgan said with some concern. The Morgan family's infiltration of the railway system has been going on for more than a year or two, and the infiltration can be said to be very successful. The only shortcoming is the Vanderbilt family's railway network and the Rockefeller railway network.
However, Standard Oil had already begun to focus on the oil pipeline system. In the battle with Scott, it used the oil pipeline to defeat Scott, who controlled the railways, causing Carnegie's mentor to end up in a miserable state.
Morgan and his son both thought of the feud between Rockefeller and Carnegie, but they did not expect that the feud had already been resolved.
The railway network centered in New York, including the Harlem Railroad, Hudson Railroad, New York Central Railroad, Michigan Central Railroad, Lake Shore Railroad, and Canadian Southern Railroad, was the foundation of support for the Vanderbilt family.
Many of the above-mentioned railways have been controlled by Morgan through some means, but the descendants of the railway tycoon still control several key railway lines. If Sheffield comes to collude with the railway tycoon to challenge him, it will be a real troublesome thing.
The Vanderbilt family is also too far away from the story of entrepreneurship. Every time they appear in the news, they are reported about how luxurious their life is. Even Morgan could not imagine what value is left in the Vanderbilt family?
A brain that is too smart likes to complicate simple things. After his son's reminder, Morgan began to have some doubts.
At this time, Sheffield had already left New York with a guarantee of 20 million US dollars from Vanderbilt II. He didn't know that he had made Morgan and his son suspicious for several days, and they were ready to deal with the challenge of the railway system as if they were facing a great enemy.
"John doesn't even know I'm in Chicago!" Sheffield's tone was full of distress of not wanting to work hard, waiting for the richest woman in Chicago to help him. He looked like a failed man who had to bow his head under the pressure of a difficult life.
"If you hadn't brought that girl with you, you might have been able to confuse me!" Edith Rockefeller pouted, "You and your old man are not that far apart. Are you coming to my villa for a one-on-two fight?"
"If you don't object, it's not impossible!" Sheffield's eyes rolled, and he seemed to have imagined the scene in his mind, and the expression on his face gradually became abnormal.
"You wish!" Edith Rockefeller said with all her might, "What do you think? Do you really want me to sleep with you and other women?"
"I'm kidding, Edith!" Sheffield touched Edith Rockefeller's hand and exclaimed, "This is the hand of the richest woman, and it feels so smooth. I wonder which man got it for free?"
Sheffield knew that coming to Chicago would be a difficult task, and he really needed Edith Rockefeller to help him. If he could get the help of Rockefeller's sister, his success rate in cashing out and taking over Carnegie Steel Company would increase from 60% to 90%.
Edith Rockefeller wiped the sweat off her face after her joy and asked with a smile, "John wants you to jointly take over the shares of Carnegie Steel Company. You don't have money, so you want to borrow some from me? Did I hear you wrong? Have you forgotten that my last name is Rockefeller? You use the money my father gave me to start a business partnership with my family? Is there any way to do business this way?"
Edith Rockefeller still underestimated Sheffield's thick skin. The latter nodded directly, indicating that her guess was completely correct. That's what he thought, and he had been eyeing Edith Rockefeller's 30 million US dollars of assets.
"You are too much of a bully. You eat and sleep for free, and you still want me to pay to help you develop your career?" Edith Rockefeller said in disbelief, "This is what I get for supporting a little man!"
Sheffield pointed his finger at his nose nonchalantly and said leisurely, "Am I too old? Now your little man has said it directly. He doesn't have enough cash and needs your help. Will you give it to me? If you don't give it to me, I will have no prestige in front of Standard Oil, and John probably won't look up to me either."
"I'll give it to you!" Edith Rockefeller was silent for a long time, then gritted her teeth and said, "But you have to use your shares as collateral. Don't look at me like that. I'm also thinking about my son and leaving him a guarantee. You have reached a certain level to be able to get so much from a woman."
Sheffield's expression remained unchanged. He also felt that he had surpassed the old man in a certain field, and that he was better than his master. He was considered the king of gigolos, the number one gigolo king in America.
(End of this chapter)
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