The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-03

Martin Irons there, and oftener grim sullen ST.
lence. One man told his companions that he
could stand anything but his wifes patient but
sad manner. But they all agreed that they had
been misled into striking. At Parsons, whila
there was the same evidence or anxiety and hui
initiation, there was also more OF bitterness
toward the authorities than elsewhere.
This may be due TO the fact that for three
weeks this town practically under
martial law, and these men steoS all that time
face to face with the baycnels or the Kansas
militia Yet. Notwithstanding this bitterness,
the men there do not attempt to excuse them
selves, and, as elsewhere admit that the strike
was foolish unreasonable act heard con-
versation between two skilled mechanics here
which indicates how all these men now feel.
They were car builders, good workmen. who are
gloomy feelings into the future.
One, middle-aged man, who had been 10 the
employ of the company under its former as well
as present management, said: when | think
of my prospects, and what they might be if it
had not been for this strike it seems as though
l should go crazy. / know and you know'-to
his companion-"that it has. always been the
policy of this company to promote the men. /
had as good chance of becoming master
mechanic on this division any man could
wish. was almost certain of promotion next
fall. but shall never be master mechanic now
here or anywhere else. Why. you remember
when we first went to work for the road; 1T Was
just out of St Louis. Billy Kerrgan at that
time went out with surveyors party on what
is now the Iron Mountain division. he was only
an axeman He had only been out OF the army
two or three years, and drifted down here from
Iowa looking for a job. The axeman goes
ahead and clears away the brush for the
surveyor. That was the way Kerrigan began.
Then they made him chairman, and the next
| heard of him he was section boss. Three or
four years later he was assistant superintendent
of division, and then they made him superin
tendent Now he is the general superintendent
of the whole system. and he began seventeen
years ago as an axeman. There isn't superln-
tendent of single division of the whole system
who hasn't been promoted from the ranks.
Almost all the master mechanics and foremen
have been advanced in the same way, and have
been working steady and hard because | knew
that my turn would come too And here it was
right at hand, and, my God, | have thrown 1t
away" The man seemed to be unable TO restrain
his emotion, and he suddenly stopped and
walked rapidly away, evidently that he might
conceal it.
What he says is true" said the other, land
wouldn't wonder if it broke his heart"
I'VE were married seven years ago" she said.
lin St Louis, where my husband had learned
his trade OF car-builder, and we came here He
did not come here asking work. They sent him
here from the Carondelet shops. Five years ago
we had saved enough to buy this place. We had
paid $500 and once since then have paid $500
more and the interest on the mortgage. In five
years more we should have had the house paid
for, and when mechanic has home of his own
about the future. We have three chill
dren. and the two oldest 60 to school.
My husband was happy, and were doing
we'll. Ny heart sunk when he came home last
winter and said that they had been ordered to
strike l cautioned him, but he was they
would win. / asked him if he hadn't always got
his wages and all that ne asked for and he said
he wasn't striking for himself, but for other
workmen who were being wronged, and that ii
the strike wasn't begun and won 1t might be
| INF do
nothing They all struck. But when the strike
was over we never dreamed that the men
wouldn't be taken back. When we found that
it was to be so, do believe that for week we
neither slept nor ate. Our home that we worked
so hard to get and felt of owning before
very long, we knew we never should own, but
though thinking OF that all the time.
we neither OF US had the courage to speak of it
to the other. Finally my husband said to me
one day, You will have to look after the chill
dren bit. / must 60 to Texas to see if l can
get place.; and said. That means that
have got to give this up, doesn't itP He never
said word but simply nodded Now he has
gone, and he has found something to do. / sup
pose he will send for us by and by. Perhaps
we shall get back some of the money we have
paid, but maybe not We must take our chances
of getting any Of that, but if we do We have lost
our home"
That tells the whole story In one form or
another the same tale may be heard in every one
of these railway towns, and these people seem
to think not so much of the chance of realizing
upon any equity they may have in this property
as of the bitter disappointment and sacrifice
that the loss of home owned entails 1t surely
seems no wonder that these men, when they
think of all that their action has cost them, feel
bitterly Inundated and distressed, nor that they
sometimes break out in vehement impreca-
tons against those who led them into taking
this step.
Martin Irons is looked upon as the cause of
all this misfortune. 1t would be hard to persuade
many of these men who faithfully obeved
them last winter that Irons was sincere and
acted in good faith. The impression is now gen.
eral throughout all the Southwest system that
Irons had long contemplated the step for personal
and possibly political reasons. Some even &C
cuse him of money making schemes, but there
seems to be no foundation for such supicion.
or, if there is, his schemes mscarried. for he is
now penniless, his petty property IN Sedalia is
attached for debt, and he has virtually abdcated
his Office and has wandered away, few know
where, with no future, apparently, before him,
and, added to the hostility of those whom he
lately ruled like a tyrant, is the distrust of
knights of Labor everywhere because of be-
lief that he meditated disoyalty toward Mr..
Powderly and his assistant officers of the Knights
of Labor. The result of the strike upon the ca
reer of Martin Irons is not the least interesting
matter for contemplation in connection with the
remarkable attempt of a social revolution.