The contractor on the job claimed financial difficulty, so Mackenzie accepted a promissory note for summer wages. The note later proved to be worthless. Subsequently, Mackenzie won a contract building a bomb-proof arch at Fort Henry.
The contractor's financial struggles led Mackenzie to accept a promissory note for summer wages instead of immediate payment. The note turned out to be worthless, and later, Mackenzie secured a contract to build a bomb-proof arch at Fort Henry.