Chương 135: Chapter 131 — Rivergate Landing

Grainfields Region Day 7 of Grainworks Initiative The council meeting ended, and as everyone headed back to work, Mark stopped David before he could leave. Mark said, "David, I would like to send two teams of two oxen each down south for the new barge crew to use. One pair will be pulling up while the other pair heads down." David said, "You realize that is half of the total that we have, right?" Mark said, "I do.

I think we need to increase the breeding program for oxen and also reach out to Northridge to see if they can sell more or also work on increasing the breeding, as we will need a lot more. We will even want them away from the towlines for really heavy loads." David said, "I can take care of that. Would you like me to find someone to take the two teams south, and can you give me details on where we're taking them?" Mark explained where the teams were going.

He wanted one pair to find the barge coming upstream, while he worked on finding crews to build the towpath ahead of it if possible. The second pair would continue down to the Riverbend Trading Post. Whoever took them could bring wheat or flour to trade, then either walk back or catch the next barge upstream. After handing off the oxen problem, Mark brought up his map and studied the zone.

He quickly realized they had nowhere to unload the barge or stage cargo, so he went looking for Garrick to help design the best routes and locations for the needed infrastructure. Mark found Garrick outside the inn. Mark said, "Hey Garrick, do you want to help me with some construction issues?" Garrick said, "Don't tell me you want me to build you another village." Mark said, "You know me too well, but let's start with an outpost." Garrick said, "You always say that you start small, then add a hundred things.

What's this for?" Mark said, "You know that barge coming up the river. Well, we need somewhere to park it." Garrick said, "Can't they just beach it on the side of the river and unload?" Mark said, "You know, I was thinking we should build a dock on the river for the barges and another on the lake side of the outpost. Oh, and a couple of longhouses for people to sleep in. Maybe a couple of warehouses and a yard for the oxen. Oh yeah, we need a crafting and food hall too. Don't forget that."

Garrick said, "That's not an outpost, that's a village." Mark said, "You think we should add a few more things?" Garrick started to laugh and headed towards the barn. Garrick said, "Come on. If we're going to design your next village, we need to go inspect the site. I assume you want roads and other infrastructure too?" Mark said, "Oh, I forgot. We need a towpath too, all the way down the river to meet the other zone's current path. Maybe half a zone's length of it."

Garrick said, "Well, Mark, we can say one thing: you never think small. You have a barge so you need a village to support it." Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Mark said, "Yep." Mark and Garrick got on their horses at the barn and headed down the road toward the clay deposits, stopping just as the road started turning south toward Fisher's Point. Garrick pointed at the stream.

"That is where we need to build a bridge. Then the road can head south on the other side until the stream reaches the river. That way, traffic will go around Fisher's Point instead of running tons of loud cargo through their small fishing outpost. From there, we can follow the lakeshore to the river with our road." The two of them followed Garrick's path with him jotting notes in a notepad and mumbling about rush orders and how Mark always wanted everyone to drop everything.

They finally got to the river and stopped and looked around. Mark started to point where he thought things should go. Garrick stopped him and said that was all wrong. He brought out some stakes and measuring string, then started marking out his ideas and taking measurements while they talked things over. Garrick pointed to where the river dock would go, and Mark asked why they could not put it closer to the lake so the two docks could connect.

Garrick explained that they needed room for the towpath to pass the river dock and pull barges the last little distance. If the river and lake docks sat side by side, the oxen would end up trampling across the docks, which would not work. Garrick showed him where the lake dock would go, about halfway between the lake and the edge of the planned settlement.

Mark pointed out that the boundary he picked for the outpost was in the middle of the forest next to the stream, and Garrick said that he would have a team out in the morning to clear the trees out; some would be used to build the dock and some to build the buildings needed. Garrick also mentioned increasing their lumber order from the Silvermere Timber Consortium. With trade now flowing south, they finally had enough goods to exchange for more than just wheat.

Garrick then pointed out where two large warehouses would go, holding food, grain, and trade goods between barge, boat, and wagon shipments to places north of the new outpost. He marked out the two longhouses, the well, the cooking hut, the carpenters' hut, and a storage shed for the outpost. Then he laid out oxen pens with room for a dozen animals, a hay-storage building, and an extra pen in case they needed to hold other animals.

He showed Mark where the main gate and guard tower would stand, along with the fence surrounding the entire site. Even though Mark kept insisting this was an outpost, Garrick was clearly planning for a village. Finally, he marked out the cargo unloading yard for the wagons. They headed to the river and walked a ways downstream to inspect the bank and determine where the towpath would need to run.

Trees and brush crowded the bank in several places, so Garrick said he would send a team to clear them all the way down to wherever they found the barge. That would speed the trip upstream and keep the tow ropes from having to be routed around trees.

"Before anyone gives this place some terrible name," Mark said, "I'm claiming that privilege. From today on, this is Rivergate Landing." Just after he said it, they both received a system message.

[Construction Project Registered] Rivergate Landing Project Type: Transportation Outpost Primary Purpose: River & Lake Trade Planned Infrastructure Cargo Dock Lake Dock Storage Warehouses Worker Housing Towpath Connection Status: Planning Approved System Note: Transportation infrastructure increases regional trade efficiency and future settlement growth ◈ ◈ ◈ Mark laughed.

"I think the system agrees." Garrick said, "Just wait till I send you my bill. You won't be happy any longer." Then he handed Mark a well-drawn layout of everything they had gone over, jumped back on his horse, and headed to the village to get the work crews organized and moving. Garrick said, "Maybe with luck I can get at least one dock done by the time the barge arrives." Mark looked across the river and then back toward the lake. A few hours ago this had simply been another stretch of shoreline.

Now he could already picture barges unloading, ox teams waiting on the towpath, and wagons rolling north loaded with southern goods. It was amazing how quickly an empty place could become the center of something much larger.