Free A Heart for Home by Lauraine Snelling

Jeffers laid out more schematics, this time various views of the machinery to be installed in the plant where his deceased father’s invention would be produced. “In accordance with my father’s dream, I have hired a man away from John Deere, and he will be arriving sometime in September. If the shipments are on time, the first of the drill presses will arrive by the middle of September. Some of the equipment is coming from Germany and some from Pennsylvania.”
    “How about operators? Were you able to locate men for those positions too?”
    “Well, we won’t be operational until later in the fall. The sooner the better if we want farmers buying for spring work. I’m aiming for shipping the first of the seeder additions the middle of January, and we have orders for the new seeders for March. So the answer to your question is no – for now.”
    Joshua and Thorliff exchanged astonished looks. “You really think we can do this by then?”
    “We have to, or someone else will take the market. I plan to start running ads in farming magazines in January and in newspapers by March.”
    “And we haven’t finished the building yet.” Thorliff shook his head. “We have to have more men. That’s all there is to it. I’ll run ads in some papers for skilled labor. We can house the new men in tents for the summer if we have to. Sophie said she will rent rooms at the boardinghouse with four bunks in each, but even so . . .” He scrubbed a hand across his face. “Maybe we need to do like the railroads did and advertise in Europe.”
    “There are plenty of immigrants coming in. We just have to find them. How about running ads in Duluth?”
    “You speak Norwegian, Thorliff. Why don’t you go on over there.”
    Thorliff rolled his eyes.
    Jeffers looked to Joshua, who shook his head. “I only speak English. Sorry, can’t help you there.”
    “I’ll run the ads in the Norwegian and German papers, then. Mr. Geddick can help with the German.”
    When they broke up the meeting, Joshua returned to his crew. “Do you men know of any skilled construction workers? We need more men to work here. Write ’em, call ’em, just get them here.”
    “How many do you need?” Jonathan asked.
    “I imagine twenty or thirty. They need to bring their tools and be ready to work long hours.”
    “I’ll place a telephone call to my father tonight,” Jonathan said. “Surely there are men in New York needing work.” He thought a moment. “Will you pay their fares? Many of the immigrants might not have the money. And do they have to speak English?”
    “I’ll look into that,” Joshua said and then they all got to work.

    After the noon break Joshua put all his men and himself to work on the forms. Quitting time arrived and passed, and they kept sawing and pounding. It was dusk before they pounded the final nail and put their tools away.
    “Thank you,” Joshua called. “We’ll be working the concrete tomorrow. The railcars are parked on the siding, so all the supplies are here.”
    “Are you going to work on your place?” Thorliff asked.
    “Not tonight. Wasn’t planning to.” Joshua stretched his neck from side to side.
    “Did you order your house yet?”
    “Wanted to finish the cellar first.” He bent over and closed the hasp on his toolbox. “Why?”
    “Just thinking maybe we could order several at a time and see if we can get a reduced rate. Jeffers wants one and you do; and we could order a couple of spec houses. The way things are growing here, housing is critical. You’re doing the floor-and-a-half model with the dormers, right?”
    Joshua nodded.
    “I’m thinking if we ordered three or four of the two-bedroom one-story models, they would go up fast.”
    “You could probably rent them right away, if not sell them.”
    “True.” Thorliff paused and then shook his head. “Whoever would have thought we’d have a housing shortage in Blessing? Elizabeth keeps reminding me we need more schoolhouse space too. If