Changes

[[Midas Mulligan]], a banker by trade, became embroiled in a lawsuit after he refused a business loan to one Lee Hunsacker, who had bought the old Twentieth Century Motor Company in a fire sale after the Starnes heirs finally ran that company completely into the ground. Hunsacker sued Mulligan. The original trial judge ([[Judge Narragansett]]) gave the jury a charge that was more like an argument for [[jury nullification]]. The jury found for Mulligan, but an appellate court reversed that judgment and remanded the case for a new trial, before a different judge. The jury in that trial found for Hunsacker. Naturally, John Galt approached Midas ''and'' Judge Narragansett and encouraged them to go on strike. Mulligan "took fifteen minutes" to join; Narragansett would join six months later.

[[Midas Mulligan]], a banker by trade, became embroiled in a lawsuit after he refused a business loan to one Lee Hunsacker, who had bought the old Twentieth Century Motor Company in a fire sale after the Starnes heirs finally ran that company completely into the ground. Hunsacker sued Mulligan. The original trial judge ([[Judge Narragansett]]) gave the jury a charge that was more like an argument for [[jury nullification]]. The jury found for Mulligan, but an appellate court reversed that judgment and remanded the case for a new trial, before a different judge. The jury in that trial found for Hunsacker. Naturally, John Galt approached Midas ''and'' Judge Narragansett and encouraged them to go on strike. Mulligan "took fifteen minutes" to join; Narragansett would join six months later.

Mulligan's answer was to liquidate his bank totally, though he made sure that no depositor lost any money in the liquidation. But Mulligan had also bought out the entire town of Ouray, [[Colorado]], and several miles of the Uncompaghre River Valley, both upstream (south) and downstream (north) of Ouray. He did this after Ouray, having previously lost its mining trade, now lost its tourist trade in the gradual sinking of the American economy. Now Mulligan took the proceeds of the sale of his bank, built a home in what now became known as Mulligan's Valley, and stocked the valley with livestock and other supplies sufficient to let him retire there for life.

Mulligan's answer was to liquidate his bank totally, though he made sure that no depositor lost any money in the liquidation. But Mulligan had also bought out the entire town of Ouray, [[Colorado]], and several miles of the Uncompaghre River Valley, both upstream (south) and downstream (north) of Ouray. He did this after Ouray, having previously lost its mining trade, now lost its tourist trade in the gradual sinking of the American economy. Now Mulligan took the proceeds of the sale of his bank, built a home in what now became known as Mulligan's Valley, and sought to cut off most avenues of approach, and stock the valley with livestock and other supplies sufficient to let him retire there for life.

John Galt now got his first job apart from his "strike job" at the TTRR. He built a refractor-ray-based cloaking system to project a false image of the valley to any overflying pilot, and thus conceal the valley completely. (By then, no one even remembered that Ouray had ever been a tourist trap, or even where it was located.) He also built a powerhouse to provide it and Mulligan's house with electric power. He based that powerhouse, of course, on a larger version of his electrostatic motor. Then he, Francisco, and Ragnar each built a house in the valley in June, the vacation month.

But Mulligan had a problem. He dared not hire anyone to do any of this work who was not part of the strike. So John Galt now got his first job apart from his "strike job" at the TTRR: as general contractor to Midas Mulligan to make the first "improvements" to Mulligan's Valley.

That fall, Judge Narragansett joined the strike, and Midas invited the judge to come and live in his valley permanently. The judge built his own house and also cleared enough land for farming and set up a dairy and chicken farm. Richard Halley then came to the valley, built a house for himself, and planted an orchard. Francisco d'Anconia drove a [[copper]] mine into the side of the mountains.

 

That fall, Judge Narragansett joined the strike, and Midas invited the judge to come and live in his valley permanently. The judge built his own house and also cleared enough land for farming and set up a dairy and chicken farm. Richard Halley then came to the valley, built a house for himself, and planted an orchard.

The economy of the valley was very simple. Francisco's copper mine was the only industry that the valley had, other than agriculture and a kind of tourism. Specifically, the strikers could come to the valley in June, take in a Richard Halley concert, and buy a pack of the best cigarettes available on earth: the dollar-sign brand of the Mulligan Tobacco Company (which "company" consisted of Mulligan and Hugh Akston as principal members). They would use only [[gold]] and [[silver]] coin for their purchases. Mulligan produced both at a mint that he established. He also re-established his bank, into which Ragnar would deposit the fruits of his "plunder" every year.

The economy of the valley was very simple. Francisco's copper mine was the only industry that the valley had, other than agriculture and a kind of tourism. Specifically, the strikers could come to the valley in June, take in a Richard Halley concert, and buy a pack of the best cigarettes available on earth: the dollar-sign brand of the Mulligan Tobacco Company (which "company" consisted of Mulligan and Hugh Akston as principal members). They would use only [[gold]] and [[silver]] coin for their purchases. Mulligan produced both at a mint that he established. He also re-established his bank, into which Ragnar would deposit the fruits of his "plunder" every year.

John Galt did not act as any sort of "mayor." Instead, he, Francisco, and Ragnar formed a three-man Committee of Safety that was the closest thing to a state that the valley had. Galt called the place Mulligan's Valley (because Midas Mulligan actually owned the land). The other strikers called it [[Galt's Gulch]] (because John Galt was still their spiritual and political leader, as chairman of the Committee of Safety, and because John Galt's electrostatic motor gave the valley an actual source of physical power).

John Galt did not act as any sort of "mayor." Instead, he, Francisco, and Ragnar formed a three-man [[Committee of Safety]] that was the closest thing to a state that the valley had. (Strictly speaking, Galt acted as Midas Mulligan's proxy in this Committee.) Galt called the place Mulligan's Valley (because Midas Mulligan actually owned the land). The other strikers called it [[Galt's Gulch]] (because John Galt was still their spiritual and political leader, as chairman of the Committee of Safety, and because John Galt's electrostatic motor gave the valley an actual source of physical power).

John Galt was also the chief utility provider—because his electrostatic motor was now the main power plant of the valley, which he housed in a blockhouse guarded by a sound lock that would respond only to a repetition of the Oath of the Men of the Mind that he had coined:{{cquote|I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.}}

John Galt was also the chief utility provider—because his electrostatic motor was now the main power plant of the valley, which he housed in a blockhouse guarded by a sound lock that would respond only to a repetition of the Oath of the Men of the Mind that he had coined:{{cquote|I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.}}

The judicial power rested with Judge Narragansett. Legislation was nonexistent. The only by-laws were the lease contracts, or the occasional deed, that Midas Mulligan signed.

The judicial power rested with Judge Narragansett. Legislation was nonexistent. The only by-laws were the lease contracts, or the occasional deed, that Midas Mulligan signed.

So now, joining John Galt's strike meant leaving a punitive political and economic system, and joining a true [[republic]] in which [[capitalism]] and property rights were paramount.

So now, joining John Galt's strike meant leaving a punitive political and economic system, and joining a true [[republic]] (actually a voluntary association of a landlord and his tenants) in which [[capitalism]] and property rights were paramount.

Yet John Galt did not spend all or even most of his time in the valley. He spent the month of June of every year in the valley, like everyone else except for Midas, Richard, and the judge. He spent the other eleven months of the year in New York, pumping Eddie Willers for information (while never letting Willers suspect him of doing anything but letting Willers talk), and watching Dagny.

Yet John Galt did not spend all or even most of his time in the valley. He spent the month of June of every year in the valley, like everyone else except for Midas, Richard, and the judge. He spent the other eleven months of the year in New York, pumping Eddie Willers for information (while never letting Willers suspect him of doing anything but letting Willers talk), and watching Dagny.