Butte semi-weekly miner., 1886-05-12
SCORE ONE FOR THE COMPANY,
A Freight Train Of Eighteen Cars De.
parted Yesterday Afternoon From
the Butte Depot,
And Four Others Left Eagle Rock With.
out Encountering Very Deter.
mined Opposition.
The Backbone Of the Strike BrOken.-
Scenes and Incidents at the Butte
Yards. ..Side Notes.

From Sundays Daily.
The backbone OF the brakemens strik
is broken. A south-bound freight trai
was hauled from the Butte depot en-
, passed Silver Bow yesterday afternoon
and last evening the report was receiv,.
from Eagle Rock that four north boun
freight trains had LETT there during the day
These trains are worked by men who ar
old in the compahy's employ, and the raj
rad officials at this point anticipate n
further serious trouble
| HOW IT WAS DONE.
I The usual crowd Of loafers assembled a
the Butte depot yesterday morning, an'
| it was evident that an attempt to NOV
freight was expected to be made during tn
day. The railroad officials had no infor
nation to inipart, however, and the deput,
sheriffs either pleaded ignorance or main
tanned a bival:ular silence when inter
rogated Dis to what they knew about tn
days programme. The crowd was on th'
qui vive, and every movement Of the rail
road officials was eagerly watched. Moth
ing unusual occurred until about 2 p. M.
when Assistant Superintendent Leslie, Chic
| Train dispatcher Calvert, Yardmastel
| Burns and Sheriff Sullivan were observed
| to meet in earnest but brief consultation
The pow-wow was broken by Yardmaste1
Burns advancing to the edge of the plat
form and signalling "back up" to the
| switch engine, which was constantly kept
| in readiness for active service. The engine
glided up the track to where two empty
| cars were ditched and obstructed egresS
from siding upon which stood mixed
freight train OF eighteen cars, and in a
twinkling the ditched cars were replaced
upon the track and switched out OF the
way. This proceeding was watched in
eager silence by the crowd. but as soon as
the cars were removed it was apparent
that
THE CRITICAL MOMENT
had arrived, and that an attempt was be-
the immediate circle of railroad officials
and deputy sheriffs nobody seemed to
know what the next move would be, and
surmise was numerous. "They are
going to run the empty ore-cars up to the
Anaconda mine," said one would-be oracle.
but lie was subsequently proven false
prophet. as indeed were all who attempted
prediction. Meantime, Assistant Superin-
tendent Leslie wake I'd over to where Fore
man Wright was standing on one of the
sidings and a few hurried remarks were ex-
changed by them. Then the Foreman
sau tered care'essly to where group Of
begrimed engineers were lounging, and
beckoned to Engineers Clemerson and
Frost, who received instructions and imme-
diately repaired to their respective engines
Nos. SS and 10, which instantly stea med
from their sidings to the main switch.
When they had passed the switch and
slackaned up on the main track the switch
was turned and the engines slowly backed
up No. 4sidi g. upon which stood the mixed
freight OF eighteen cars and caboose,
which had been made up last Wednesday.
The train was composed of several fiat cars
and some box cars loaded with copper
matte and general merchandise. As soon
as the rear engine touched the forward car
the signal "go ahead" was given, and the
train began to move toward the main
track. The crowd pressed forward, but
WIS kept back by solid line of armed
deputies. Then a clamor Of Of disapproval
rose. which quickly gave placeto howl OF
DERlsIvE LAUGHTER
as the drawhead connecting the rear car
and the caboose became deta ched, and the
"Stop" was signalled to the engineers, and
the train came to standstiIl. The crowd
yelled and jeered, but the deputies stood
firm while a gang of hastily summoned
workmen repaired the damage. Again the
signal to move ahead was given and again
it was promptly obeyed-and again draw
bead dropped out. Twenty minutes were
consumed in repairing this break, and then
the train started up again. 'She's all right
now," cheerily remarked the Yardmaster
to Assistant Superintendent Leslie,
but ere the latter could re-
spond another stoppage occurred.
This time the train was delayed by sud
den shutting down OF the air brak 8, which
person OF the rear valve. It re-
quired but moment to close the valve,
and the train was in fair way OF ching
the main track when a daring fellow broke
from the crowd, sneaked past the deputy
sheriffs, jumped nimbly upon the buff.rs OF
one OF the moving cars, removed a coupling
pin and jumped down on the opposite side
and-iound himself in the embrace OF de-
termined deputy. go ahead" signalled
the Yardmaster, and away went the train,
leaving box car and the caboose standing
on the track. Between the lower switch
nd the Butte Reduction Works the train
stopped by
SEVERAL MORE BREAKS
n the couplings, and to the exultant crowd
at the depot it seemed as ii the entire train
vas going to pieces. "Back up'' was sig
lalled, and the disconnected string of cars
were run back upon the salt-house siding
Then one of the engines backed up the sid
ing where the box car and caboose had
been lett standing, and, taking them in tow.
with shrek OF triumph rushed rapidly
down the main track. Everything was
lovely until the switch at the Colorado
smelter was reached. when another impedi-
ment was encountered. The engine and
box car passed safely over the switch, but
the caboose jumped the track, and an ex-
a amination of the switch showed that the
bolt had been removed. And
in this connection it may not be amiss to
state that the pers' n who furnishes testi-
mony that will lead to the arrest and con-
viction OF the party who tampered with
that switch will receive from tine railroad
reward OF
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS.
Meantime the excitement at the yards
was unabated. AS soon as the train had
been run up ON the salt house siding the
detached couplings were repaired and four
deputy sheriffs jumped aboard. The train
then moved slowly down the ack, and
the mob watched it's departure in disgusted
silence. When opposite the Reduction
Works the train was stopped by signal
from the obstruction at the Colorado
Smelter switch, and the engine went down
to assist in replacing the caboose on the
track. When this was accomplished the
train was again made up and proceeded
without meeting further obstruction to
Silver Bow, where it was side-tracked until
the south-bound passenger passed it. The
freight train then pursued it's way, arriving
at Melrose at 1905 p. M, where the depu-
ties disembarked, and it continued it's run
to Spring Hill. where it arrived safely.
Thus was inflicted blow which has
fatally crippled the vertebrae of the brake
mans strike at Butte.
AT SPRING HILL.
Special to THE MINER.
SPRING HILL, May 9.-3 a. m.-Eneines
No. So and 10, hauling freight train No.
612 (mixed), arrived here at 2:4O o'clock
this morning. Two extra freight trains
from Eagle Rock have also arrived here,
and will reach Butte this afternoon. The
end of the strike is received here with gen.
eral satisfaction.
AT EAGLE ROCK.
Special to The MINER.