New Industries

The following morning, Ernest arrived at his office earlier than usual.

The factory grounds were only beginning to wake up. Steam drifted from the engine house chimney while workers filtered through the gates carrying lunch pails and tool bags beneath the cool morning air. 

Somewhere beyond the machine halls, the forge had already begun its daily rhythm of hammers and anvils, while the telegraph laboratory remained dark and quiet beneath the pale sunlight.

For once, however, Ernest's attention wasn't on telegraphs, batteries, or electrical experiments.

His thoughts were fixed on something much older and considerably more important.

Resources.