Changes

== Dagny Taggart's Visit ==

== Dagny Taggart's Visit ==

In October of 2017, a beautiful and very driven woman came to see Hugh Akston at his diner, asking after the inventor of the electrostatic motor. Her name was [[Dagny Taggart]], and she was Vice-President in Charge of Operations for the [[Taggart Transcontinental Railroad]]. Hugh Akston knew her by reputation, and did not take long to infer that she was trying to track down John Galt (whose name she did not know) through his association with his former superior, William Hastings. Hastings, as Akston knew, had died five years earlier, but his widow had apparently given Akston's name to Miss Taggart.

In October 2017, a beautiful and very driven woman came to see Hugh Akston at his diner, asking after the inventor of the electrostatic motor. Her name was [[Dagny Taggart]], and she was Vice-President in Charge of Operations for the [[Taggart Transcontinental Railroad]]. Hugh Akston knew her by reputation, and did not take long to infer that she was trying to track down John Galt (whose name she did not know) through his association with his former superior, William Hastings. Hastings, as Akston knew, had died five years earlier, but his widow had apparently given Akston's name to Miss Taggart.

Hugh Akston tried, as gently as he could, to persuade Miss Taggart to break off her search. In the course of that conversation, he introduced himself to her. She was shocked to see a professor of philosophy working as a short-order cook. Without realizing that he might be giving her another clue, he told her, {{cquote|Contradictions do not exist. If you find it inconceivable that the inventor of a new kind of motor would abandon his creation, or that a professor of philosophy would be working in a diner, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.}}

Hugh Akston tried, as gently as he could, to persuade Miss Taggart to break off her search. In the course of that conversation, he introduced himself to her. She was shocked to see a professor of philosophy working as a short-order cook. Without realizing that he might be giving her another clue, he told her, {{cquote|Contradictions do not exist. If you find it inconceivable that the inventor of a new kind of motor would abandon his creation, or that a professor of philosophy would be working in a diner, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong.}}

== Development of the Gulch ==

== Development of the Gulch ==

November of 2017 brought the lighting of [[Ellis Wyatt|Wyatt's Torch]] and the arrival in the valley of many brilliant businessmen who had been attracted to Colorado by its limited government, and then felt chased out of Colorado when the Federal government had issued a series of "directives" that destroyed Colorado's incentives. John Galt, of course, told these men to come to Mulligan's Valley, which the new arrivals and the long-term residence soon renamed [[Galt's Gulch]] in honor of Galt. They, of course, brought their skills with them, and soon had the Gulch organized with a very robust industrial and commercial economy.

November 2017 brought the lighting of [[Ellis Wyatt|Wyatt's Torch]] and the arrival in the valley of many brilliant businessmen who had been attracted to Colorado by its limited government, and then felt chased out of Colorado when the Federal government had issued a series of "directives" that destroyed Colorado's incentives. John Galt, of course, told these men to come to Mulligan's Valley, which the new arrivals and the long-term residence soon renamed [[Galt's Gulch]] in honor of Galt. They, of course, brought their skills with them, and soon had the Gulch organized with a very robust industrial and commercial economy.

Hugh Akston finally closed his diner and established himself in the Gulch permanently. Midas Mulligan had, a few years earlier, established the Mulligan [[Tobacco]] Company, and invited Hugh Akston to buy into the company. Their company rolled a distinctive brand of [[cigarettes]] bearing the sign of the dollar. Those cigarettes had heretofore brought Akston a modest extra income, but one that he could spend only inside the valley, not outside. But now that the valley's population had exploded, Akston realized that his Mulligan Tobacco "holding" would bring him an income that would let him live permanently in the valley. And so he was already a resident in May of 2019, in time for another momentous event.

Hugh Akston finally closed his diner and established himself in the Gulch permanently. Midas Mulligan had, a few years earlier, established the Mulligan [[Tobacco]] Company, and invited Hugh Akston to buy into the company. Their company rolled a distinctive brand of [[cigarettes]] bearing the sign of the dollar. Those cigarettes had heretofore brought Akston a modest extra income, but one that he could spend only inside the valley, not outside. But now that the valley's population had exploded, Akston realized that his Mulligan Tobacco "holding" would bring him an income that would let him live permanently in the valley. And so he was already a resident in May 2019, in time for another momentous event.

== Dagny's crash-landing ==

== Dagny's crash-landing ==