Word: took
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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Thirty-four years ago a gaunt young Russian with a crew haircut took over the job as chief conductor in the orchestra pit of Moscow's Imperial Grand Theatre. Muscovite socialites liked the way he conducted. But Sergei Rachmaninoff had other fish to fry. Not only was he Russia's best pianist, but also the composer of three operas, a symphony, two piano concertos and a sheaf of smaller and more popular operas. One of these, the "Flatbush" Prelude in C Sharp Minor, had already swept the world, made his name a byword among people who never went...
...however, the deal was a shock. He is short, bald, capable Colonel Charles Edward Speaks, 52, Fisk President, who has increased his firm's business about 65% since he took over in 1936. Almost solely responsible for Fisk's good showing, he wanted to keep his plant going independently and profitably. Says he: "Of course, I'm an operating man, and I don't see any reason why the directors should want to sell...
Complaints. Railroad men have many a complaint against the economic conspiracy which has ruined their business. One big complaint is against the tremendous rise in taxes and wages which they have to pay. In 1916 taxes took 4.4% of gross operating revenues. By 1938 the tax percentage had gone up to 9.5%, $340,781,954. Wages took 28.3% of gross revenues in 1916. But in 1938 employes got close to 50% of the roads' $3,565,000,000 gross...
Meanwhile barge competition heavily subsidized by the Government undercuts railroad rates on many inland waterways. Trucks-which until recently did not have the handicap of being under Government regulation-meanwhile cut into freight traffic, and pipelines took a flood of oil (1938's total: 1,158,000,000 bbls.) that railroads would have liked to have in their tank cars. At the same time automobiles and motorbuses cut passenger traffic particularly on short runs, and finally airplanes arrived to cut long distance Pullman travel...
What Napoleon thought of this tale is not recorded. But he lugged it around for 20 years, took it with him into exile on Saint Helena...