You're no philanthropist pure and simple, I take it, and want to make money out of this thing.

So agree to this change.

You'll make a saving both in time and cash.

Carrigan's contract doesn't include the building of these drops; you plan to do that yourself; and if you substitute wood for concrete in these drops and in the gate-frames, it would lessen the labour cost, the material cost, the freighting cost, the----" "And in five years the wood will have rotted and then concrete will have to be put in after all," Lee interrupted.

"More than that, the water will undercut wooden drops, then rip the devil out of the canal along the ridge, making the cost of rebuilding ten times what it is now and very likely causing a water shortage in the middle of an irrigating season so that the farmers' crops will be a dead loss.
Fine! I suppose you didn't allow yourself to think that far." "Why should I ?" Gretzinger retorted.