Book excerpt: Minor Cooper Keith was an American who, pursuing personal wealth, helped to develop a small country. Keith made a fortune in Costa Rica, built its railroads, was chief collector of its archaeological treasures. As a founder of the United Fruit Company, he introduced the banana as a staple on the world market. In 1871, after graduation from a Brooklyn high school and a successful year herding his own cattle on an island off Texas, he went to work for his brother in Costa Rica. He died on his family estate on Long Island in 1929. The greatest drama in his life was the building of the railroad -- greatest, too, in the economic life of that Central American republic. The bridge over the Birris, a fine structure for its day -- 300 feet at its highest point above the river, 600 feet long -- was the difficult final link. In 1890 on the initial run, the engineer approaching the bridge, fearing it would collapse, refused to continue. Keith, seizing the American flag, mounted the cowcatcher. When the intrepid contractor showed such courage, where was the engineer who would hesitate further? The bridge was crossed; the line, twenty years abuilding, became a reality. - Back of jacket.