Forsomeyearsthesetwosortsofactivitygavethepartnersaboutalltheycouldattendto。AssoonasthedrivehadpassedRedding，Ordeleftitinchargeofoneofhisforemenwhilehedividedhistimebetweentheboomsandthemill。Lateintheyearhiswoodstripsbegan，thetoursofinspection，ofsurveyingfornewroads，theinevitablepreparationforthelongwintercampaignsintheforest。Assoonasthespringthawsbegan，oncemorethedrivedemandedhisattention。Andinmarketingthelumber，manipulatingthefirm’sfinancialaffairs，collectingitsdues，payingitsbills，makingitspurchases，andkeepingoiledtheintricatebearingpointsofitsofficemachinery，Newmarkwasbusy——andinvaluable。
Attheendofthefifthyeartheopportunitycame，throughacombinationofabaddebtandaman’sdeath，togetpossessionoftwolakeschooners。Ordeatoncesuggestedthecontractforasteambarge。Towingwastheninitsinfancy。Thebulkoflaketrafficwasbymeansofindividualsailingships——amethoduncertainastotime。Ordethoughtthatasteambargecouldbebuiltpowerfulenoughnotonlytocarryitsownholdanddeckloads，buttotowafteritthetwoschooners。Inthismannerthecrewscouldbereduced，andanapproximatedateofdeliverycouldbeguaranteed。
Newmarkagreedwithhim。Thusthefirm，inaccordancewithhisprophecy，wentintothecarryingtrade，forthevesselsmorethansufficedforitsownneeds。Thefreightingoflumberaddedmuchtotheincome，andthecarryingofmachineryandotherheavyfreightonthereturntripgreweveryyear。
Butbyfarthemostimportantacquisitionwasthatofthenorthernpeninsulatimber。Mostoperatorscalledthewhitepinealongandbackfromtheriverinexhaustible。Ordedidnotbelievethis。Hesawthetime，notfardistant，whentheworldwouldbecompelledtolookelsewhereforitslumbersupply，andheturnedhiseyestothealmostunknownNorth。Afteralonginvestigationthroughagents，andamonth’sland—lookingonhisownaccount，helocatedandpurchasedthreehundredmillionfeet。Thiswastobepaidfor，asusual，mostlybythefirm’snotessecuredbyitsotherproperty。Itwouldbecomeavailableonlyinthefuture，butOrdebelieved，asindeedtheeventjustified，thisfuturewouldprovetobenotsodistantasmostpeoplesupposed。
Astheseinterestswidened，Ordebecamemoreandmoreimmersedinthem。Hewasforcedtobeawayallofeveryday，andmorethanthebulkofeveryyear。Nevertheless，hishomelifedidnotsufferforit。