Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-11-15
FOLLOWED.

contractors upon the Northwestern roa,l,
which was then pushing through North
crn Nebraska into the adiaccn, Territory
VI Wyoming.
We were doing some heavy grading
and rock work, and with II larg,, force
were pushing the work day and night in
order to sc; out of the way OF thc track.
which Iiai then advanced to point with
III days ride Of us.
We had lei payday slip by without
paying the men, and hoped to satisfy
them 10y The issue Of time checks until
the track should ovcrtake us, and or
money could come to us with little risk
ON the construction train. But, three or
four days after paying OH time, some
of the men began 10 grow suspicious and
to grumblc, ami threatened to quit work
until their checks were caShcd. They
were afraid we might somehow Slip III
on them and ihcy wouldn't get their
money
As we were in desperate need Of every
available hand, it was necessary that
the men .oud he satisfied. 10
1t was determined that should 90 to
Chadron, our supply base and banking.
point, and bring up enough money to
pay the men their last months waves,
which amounted TO about four thousand
dollars
decided to 90 alone. Sc; GU, that
night ON ho,srback, and reached th,
lend of track nj Crawford sdin" IN.
next morning in time To leave my horse
ut Il nci%rrnS ranch corral and ..ci
aboard Il supply train which hail jns,
nnioadcSi, and was now "oiuy back.
AT Chad'on Ike supply store OF the
main contractor, II huge. roughly hujl
shed, stood ~ side track about forty
rods from Tie main street of The town.
Here was accustomed Ia order supplies.
and get drafts for money from the book
keeper from time To time.
Tia, morning, after finishing my bu.i-
ness with the supply department, / went
10 Inc DOCK -kccpc; Ia procure y draft 4
crowd OF lairpad lahprcrs were waiting
before has window to get their time
checks cashei, or secure passes to 20 IN
or down The road. noticed that two
ol these men we're better dressed than
the others, but thought nothing %! the
circumstance.
awaited my turn nj the window. and
handed the book Keeper II slip of paper
on which was written, -Four Thousand
three hundred and for. : seven dollars
and fifty cents, Pay Roll-Rodncy and
Curtis" He made me draft for The
amount named, folded il carclcssly.
thrust ii through the window. and took
the rcccip; which | had Just written, and
then turned Ia the next man
As left the store / pas .cd The Two men
whom had noticed AT the wiu,lon, and
II struck me, upon Il more attentive view.
that they Were rather slarpcrs ;han WORK
nSmcn, although had seen thcn cash
two ''mc-chcckS, and sc; PASSES 10Y some
point nj the road. The construction train
did not leave until 3 O'Clock that after
noon, and lonnged upon the shady stoop
OF the ChGlron House watching the
pasScrs-by and chatting with the landlord.
who WAS IN old acquaintance of mine
when lived in Tie East | i,a,i Il pleas
ant thinner with him, and after the meal
was finished, walked across ;hc so,,ar,
to Lake " liaIcy's Bank. III the cnrncrof
the two principal streets of Ike town.
where caShcd the draft
The bills received | stuffed into yor:
Gus side pockets Of my CLOTHES, and stowcd
Il sack OF silver change intoa small leather
grip which carried in nv hand.
] heard Il locomotive whistle and. turn.
ing walked quickly ont of The bank. As
reached the sidewalk, was startled to
see the two men who had before attracted
my notice step rattle: hastily away
from the sidewalk in front of the bank
windows, and walk across the street.
was satisfied that they had watched
me us cashed my draft Ny suspicious
were thoroughly aroused by this circum
stance, and when. an hour later.
stepped into the cabOoSc OF the constr,lc
ton train, and discovered the men lounn
ing upon two cracker barrels smoking
their pipes, it did not need their cvidcn,
avoidance Of the direct stare gave them,
the moment entered. to convince me
that they were after me
l now heartily berated myself for NOT
having exercised greater caution while NJ
Chadron. should have waited until I
could see the bookkccper alone before |
obtained my check, and should have had
my cash made up by the clerk Mt the bank
and brought to my roora at the hotel, MS
might easily have been done. But it is
easy enough, after you have done fool
ish thing, to think how much better YOU
might have managed it.
While | sat upon one of the hand
benches in the caboosc, with my grin
lying beneath the scat, considered how
should dodge the two fellows Mt Craw-
iord. There was no danger that should
DC robbed on the train, as there were nt
least twenty passengers on board. Pres.
emily one of the men sauntercd up to NV
seat, sat down by me, and began ia
talk.
"Seel" said he, ''You'rc with Rodnc,
an Curtis, amt ych, one O. their fore.
men2"
l answered carelessly that / was il
their employment.
"Paul N Is goin' up the road lookin
fur rock job. We're strikers. Coulf
We hire us, dye think2n
Certainly" said 1, eve need NOR,