Calumet 'K'

A construction foreman is sent to take charge of an unfinished two-million-bushel grain elevator whose completion is obstructed by rival interests seeking to control wheat delivery. He discovers that a powerful railroad and speculators aim to delay the cribbing to prevent legal delivery, and he races to secure materials and transport, arranging steam barges and negotiating with allies while navigating office politics, sabotage, and logistical obstacles. The narrative follows the technical challenges of building the elevator, the strategic maneuvers of merchants and railway officials, and the protagonist's efforts to outwit a conspiracy that threatens the project's timely completion.