David C. McLavic - 44. Chapter 44

Almost as I predicted, the next day I had visitors. Bobby’s brother , his father, and Bobby were at my door. I explained the concept of the waste disposal system I wanted to install. I pointed out that the quality of the fish caught in the lake will improve and there was the possibility of increased traffic as a result. Increased traffic meant more people, more people meant more opportunities for the residents of Crystal Lake to make some money.

I explained about the septic system. Bobby’s brother bought into it. So I told him to get those men who stayed there and start to lay out the drainage field. I explained by laying out the drainage field and then sowing grass on the field they will increase the number of wild creatures that will come to eat the grass. I had assume that there were rabbits and deer in the surrounding woods of Crystal Lake.

Then I showed his brother the layout for his cabin. I told him he would have to form a base for the cabin. He was quite enthusiastic about the cabin design. I made a quick sketch so he could take it home to show his wife.

Two days later Bobby ask if we could go to Crystal Lake, I assumed it would have something to do with my meeting with his brother.

Arriving, I parked at the base of the hill. I had the Lake on my right and the camps on the hill on my left. Getting out of the jeep, we walked to the east end of the lake. I wanted to check out the soil in that area. If the ground was mostly rock, a septic drainage system might be a problem. Water that drained from the septic system could pool among the rocks and the smell from the degradation of those waters would make the area unpleasant.

We walked about 100 yards into the woods. The ground was soft which would make digging for the drainage field an easy possibility. The problem would be laying the pipe from the septic tank to the distribution field. We needed to go under the creek that fed the Lake. That will be our biggest problem. Blocking the creek would cause a major overflow which would harm any construction south of the damn area until the connection is made.

Timing would be important. The flow of water in the creek is determined by the weather, spring thaws on the mountain would increase the flow and winter freezes would slow down the flow. So any work involving the creek would have to be done in the winter which makes the job more difficult.

“David, what are you thinking?”

I jumped when I heard Bobby. I forgot for a moment he was with me. “I was thinking when would be the best time to tie in the drainage field to the septic system. We’ll have to cut through the creek.”

As we were standing there, Bobby’s brother joined us. I asked about the condition of the creek during the winter months. He said that in January, there is just a trickle of water. He has gone home many times to get bottled water during January. He showed me three large ceramic tubs where he stored water during the winter. Now I knew any design I had must include water storage for when the creek level dropped.

On the way home, I was thinking this project was becoming more and more complicate. That evening I made a list of everything that needed to be done. I subdivided the overall project into the following sections. The septic system would be the most difficult since timing would be important. The next project that can be started now is the preparation of the ground area for the Bobby's brother's camper.

The drainage field can be started now as well as preparing the location of the cabin. With my outline of the timing, I met with some of the men at the Lodge. I offered to pay them for helping to put in the drainage field. I didn’t have to convince them much, the idea of earning some money appealed to them quite quickly. I didn’t think I would ever need those special stones that Uncle Joe and I found. Now I knew and was glad I hadn’t spent them all. I sent a letter to Dad asking for an estimate of available cash and I had to tell hm why.

Two weeks later Dad and Uncle Joe made a visit. Dad had the details of my accounts and the numbers I found hard to believe. I never knew how much gold Dad had placed in my bank box or how much he converted to cash. I did know one thing, I didn’t have to worry about not having enough money.

Of course, before they left I had to show them the Lake project. That is what I called the overall projects, the septic system, the cabin for Bobby’s brother and a simpler design single cabin to replace some of those shacks. I even had Bobby work at designing a one room cabin, including cooking and sleeping areas. I thought he did very well, so I called them Bobby Cabins. I told him I would pay him a commission for each cabin he sold.

The company that made the cabins I designed had a one room basic cabin. I showed it to Bobby, he made a few additional changes. I told him now he had to sell his cabin.

There is something about selling something you made or designed. I believe by Spring, he will have sold enough of his design to receive a nice bonus. Of course, it didn’t hurt when we submitted the design and a copy of the contracts. Pricing of the design had to be done with the help of the manufacture of the cabin.

I had Bobby prepare a design for his cabin. I watched as I showed him how to use my drafting tools. He was a quick learner and spending the time in my cabin allowed him the opportunity to ask questions. His ultimate design was a basic one room cabin. I asked him how would he expand that design into a two room cabin. By the first of Spring, he had three evolutions of his basic cabin.

After the first cabin he designed, I just told him to design a one, two and three bedroom cabin. While he did that, I had hired the men to lay the drainage field.