Pat Ritter. Books

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'Build An Empire' -

Sidney couldn’t believe the person seated before him served three and a half years in the harshest prison on earth. His admiration for Joe grew more by the second.
‘We’d better move on.’ Sidney rose from his seat, collected remaining food Hannah packed. Pushed soil to extinguish the fire. Poured remainder of the billy over the fire.
Road to Thargomindah from Eulo tough going, slow, dodging wagon tracks.
‘How did you and Joseph Ryan change back to your correct identity?’
‘We met at Barcaldine Hotel after my release. Celebration for the town and return of their men folk. Joseph was pleased, as was I to again be ourselves.’ They drove along the track slowly in silence.
‘You must hate Joseph Ryan?’ Sidney implied.
‘Not at all. If I hadn’t swapped places with Joseph, I would never have met Hannah. Love of my life.’ Joe smiled.
‘Joseph has gone on to become Premier of Queensland.’
‘Yes, he deserves to become Premier. Worked hard to achieve this position.’
‘You should be Premier. Not Joseph Ryan.’ Sidney shouted above the noise of the engine. His driving swerved from one pot hole to the next.
‘No. Joseph makes a fine Premier. He’s worked hard to deserve this position. No regrets for what I did. Love my life.’
‘You are a hero in my eyes. You realise. This act of unselfishness together with serving time in prison for another person, rates high with me Joe.’ Sidney said with pride in his voice. ‘Here’s another pot hole. We should write a letter to your friend The Premier to ask permission for better roads in this region.’ Sidney drove on dodging wheel ruts.

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'Build An Empire' -

Before dusk they arrived in Thargomindah.
‘Do you mind if we camp on the river bank?’ Sidney asked.
‘I don’t mind at all Sidney. How far is your property from Thargomindah?’
‘Couple of hours from here with this vehicle. One day riding a horse.’ Sidney diverted from the makeshift road to stop on the bank of Bulloo River. ‘This should do us for the night.’
‘What about I try to catch us a couple of fish for dinner.’ Joe quickly took a small empty drum, punched holes in the bottom with a tomahawk, secured wire as a handle, secured a piece of bone to the bottom of the drum. Threw the drum into the water.
Joe cut a branch from a nearby tree to use as a rod. Secured fishing line to the rod twisting the line around the length of the branch. With a length of fishing line dangling, he secured a cork top, a fishing hook at the end.
After completing this task, he pulled his trap from the water to find scrimps jumping about. Collecting a hand filled with scrimps, threw his trap back into the water. Securing one scrimp onto the hook of his fishing line threw his line into the river. Squatted to watch the cork on his fishing line sink below the water.
Joe jerked the line soon as the cork dipped beneath the water. Lifting his rod soon discovered a yellow belly swishing its tail fighting against the hook. Joe landed the fish onto the bank. ‘Have you the fire going Sidney? Fish are biting. Here’s the first one.’ Joe threw the live fish to Sidney who caught it. With a sharp knife Sidney gutted the fish.

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‘Sidney. Mind boggles at these figures. Can’t imagine the size. Larger than small countries in Europe.’ Joe made tea handed a pannikin with a slice of cake to Sidney.
‘Wanted Bulloo Downs to bred cattle. Rich Mitchell grasses, good grazing. Thought buying the property added to my overall plan of fighting the drought. This cake is great. Hannah cook, it.’ Sidney asked filling his mouth with cake. ‘We should arrive at the homestead by lunch.’ Sidney added devouring each small morsel of cake.
‘Puzzled.’ Asked Joe.
‘About what?’
‘What decision did you make to purchase ‘Bulloo Downs’?
‘History of explorers Burke and Wills expedition. Cooper Creek is one of the most important rivers in our history. Sometimes known as Barcoo River and is one of the three most major river systems flowing into Lake Eyre River System.’
‘You know and understand your lay of the land.’ Joe admitted.
‘Studied each river system in Australia. Where they commenced, flowed into other river systems. This has taken me years of travel, research, determination to discover these river, systems Joe.’
Joe breathed in a strong breath. ‘I never understood.’
‘Joe, to fight any drought you need water to feed your stock. With the number of cattle I own, I need to follow the stock routes from top of Australia to where appropriate stock feed is to feed my cattle. Purchased ‘Tilbaroo Station’ from you to improve stock feed.’

IMPORTANT NOTICE: I'LL BE ABSENT UNTIL 27TH DECEMBER 2022. THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT WITH MY WRITING. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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'Build An Empire' - Pages 35-36:

‘Do you ever think I will be able to have my garages like you have your cattle stations?’ Joe asked his friend.
‘Anything is possible Joe. Building your first garage at Cunnamulla is a start. Have you thought of a name for your garage?’
Joe thought. ‘Not at this stage. I’m too engrossed with your empire to worry about my future.’
‘Select a name you want people to recognize and remember.’
‘Want Hannah to become involved in the business. What about GIBSON’S GARAGE?’
‘What are you going to do in this garage?’
‘Service and repair motor vehicles. Same I did for you at Cunnamulla.’
‘Your name is important. I don’t name my properties SIDNEY KIDMAN STATION’. Name each one independently.’
Joe sat silent. Finished his cuppa. Thought deeply about Sidney’s comments.
‘What about GIBSON SERVICE STATION CUNNAMULLA.’
‘Sounds good to me. What’s the number of GIBSON SERVICE STATIONS will you own?’
‘In each town north and east of Cunnamulla.’ Joe smiled at his statement. His mind filled with visions of each country town having GIBSON SERVICE STATION.
‘You can do this Joe. When do you want this event to happen?’
‘When we return from our trip Cunnamulla. GIBSON SERVICE STATION CUNNAMULLA completed. From the money you paid for ‘Tilbaroo Station’ I have enough to own Cunnamulla GIBSON SERVICE STATION CUNNAMULLA outright. How will I purchase and build the other service stations?’ Joe asked his friend. His body shaking in anticipation.
‘Borrow the money. Can help you with where and who to obtain finance for your venture.’
‘Why are you helping me?’ Joe questioned.
‘Want to see you succeed. I’ve been where you are Joe. You’re half my age. Strong. Brilliant mind. Can fix any machinery. Strong commitment to what you want to achieve. You can do this Joe. Have utmost faith in your ability to achieve anything you want to achieve.’ Sidney said confidently.
‘Sidney. I’ve never in my life had a person who believed in me as you do. Thank you, my friend. Appreciate your kind words. Will work hard to fulfil my dream. Not going to be easy. Keep focused on the result.’
‘Joe. See in my mind’s eye GIBSON SERVICE STATION in each country town. Congratulations my friend.’ Sidney shook Joe’s hand. ‘We better move if we want to arrive at ‘Bulloo Downs’ by lunchtime.’
Sun reached its zenith. They arrived at ‘Bulloo Downs’ homestead.
‘I’ve never seen anything like this in my life before.’ Joe exclaimed with excitement. A huge homestead spread across their path together with buildings, stock yards, quarters. Enough buildings and outbuildings to house a small town.
‘Six mustering camps live here Joe together with Manager, Jack O’Shea, his wife Heather plus three children. Great Manager Jack O’Shea. In six years since he arrived here to manage this property, he’s turned boys into men.’ A stocky built man walked toward their motor vehicle.

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Page 37:
Build an Empire
Okay: ‘Just like Camp Pie.’ Cook answered.
‘Never eaten Camp Pie.’ Joe replied.
‘When you’re hungry enough. Your ribs are sticking from your shirt. You’ll eat anything Joe.’ Sidney replied finishing each Prairie Oyster with a lick of his fingers before handing cook the empty plate. ‘We need to go. I have a trip planned for ‘Durham Downs’.
After farewelling his workers, Joe, Sidney, and Jack climbed into their motor vehicle to return to the homestead.
‘When can I expect to have my new vehicle delivered Joe?’ Jack asked.
‘Hopefully, in a couple of months. I’m waiting for delivery from America. You will be first to be delivered except for my father-in-law.’
‘Can’t wait. You’ve both impressed me with this contraption.’ Jack arrived at the homestead. ‘Better have a cuppa before you leave’.
After a cuppa plus a dinner hamper prepared by the cook they left ‘Bulloo Downs’ for their journey to ‘Durham Downs’.
‘We’ll camp at the same spot at Thargomindah.’ Sidney told Joe who nodded.
‘Can I ask you a private question?’ Joe asked.
‘Go ahead. I’ve nothing to hide from you Joe. What is it you want to ask?’ Sidney replied.
‘You blow me away with the number of properties you own. How did you start?’ Joe queried.
‘Born in Adelaide, 9th May 1857. Third son of George Kidman who died seven months after I was born. My mother Elizabeth, a strong woman, who needed to be at the time of my father’s death.’

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‘Please Sidney. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.’ Joe explained. ‘I didn’t realise how tough a life you lived.’
‘I don’t mind telling you my story Joe. My mother made certain of my education which I’m proud she did. My education, a private school in Norwood. Wasn’t school taught me much. Life experiences you need to learn yourself.’
‘I agree. My time in St Helen Island taught me more than I learned before.’ Joe stated.
‘Still can’t believe you served time for another person Joe. Proud of you.’
‘Tell me more about your life Sidney.’
‘Left home aged thirteen years with nine shillings and a one-eyed horse which I bought with my savings. I joined a drover. Learned quickly. Worked from dawn to well into the night. Tough and demanding work. Packing and unpacking pack saddles, caring for stock. Hard and tough work for a thirteen-year-old. One important lesson I learned with the drover. Hard work never killed anyone.’
‘Hell. I’ve worked hard in my day. Never like that.’
‘Worked as a roustabout and bullock-driver at Poolamacca and Mount Gipps Station. Learned to think of what I wanted in life. Hard decision for a fourteen-year-old boy.’
‘Go on. I’m listening.’
‘Watched shearers in the wool shed at Poolamacca. You were a shearer, weren’t you Joe?’
‘Yes. I always wanted to become a shearer from an early age. Started off with hand shears, progressed onto power shears. Build overhead shearing equipment for all of Nat’s shearing sheds. Always wanted to build a shearing shed at ‘Tilbaroo Station’. Never happened.’

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‘I intend to run cattle on ‘Tilbaroo Station’. Great fattening country with river frontage.’
‘Nat only grew sheep. Don’t know much about cattle. At times I wish I were as courageous as you Sidney. How you chased those Mikey Bulls, threw them by the tail, castrated them in one action.’ Joe explained with admiration for Sidney.
‘If you’ve been doing since the time I have Joe, you’d be just as good. Doesn’t take courage only skills you learn along the way. I threw my first beast at thirteen years old Joe. Had time to hone my skills. We’re close to Thargomindah. We’ll camp on the river.’ Joe nodded.
Joe build a fire. ‘Do you want fish or eat the food which the cook sent with us?’ Joe asked when he placed a billy over the coals for heating.
‘We’ll eat what the cook sent. Camp here tonight. Head off to ‘Durham Downs’ in the morning. Feel fresh and ready for action.’ Sidney replied, prepared food for their meal.
‘May I ask why we are going to ‘Durham Downs’.
‘To buy the property. Been a fight with the present owners about stock and other happenings. Might buy it at a reduced price.’ Sidney explained.
Seated around the camp fire silence fell over the two men whilst they completed their meal. Joe prepared a pannikin of tea for Sidney, handed it to him.
‘Thank you, Joe. Cook prepared a great tucker box. Don’t you think?’
‘Yes. Most delicious. Always ate mutton. Now I’m a beef lover. Different taste.’ Joe explained licking his lips.