, 1892-11-28
AN OLD TIME FIGHT.
How Eight Thousand Dollars
Were Secured for Work.
Glover Greek Bridge on the North
erm Pacific Railroad Held
Against the SherIff's POsse-A
Visit TO Governor Ferry.


TACOMA, November 2s.-E. E. Coy, now
a millionaire and one of the principal own
ers of the famous Daldanelles mine of
British Columbia, who is an old American
railroad contractor, was one of the work.
men on the Northern Pacific line from
Portland to Tacoma 20 years ago. He says
in the summer of 1878 ne applied to J. B.
Montgomery, the contractor then building
the road, for a position, and was given
the care of his horses. The financial crash
of '73 came. The laborers had not received
any money during the summer, but held
bonds instead. At that time no money
could be raised on the paper For instance,
Chinaman offered $1,000 in bonds to
storekeeper at Old Town for $1OO worth of
rice and the offer was not accepted.
1.-TWO foremen, named Powers and Todd,
besides myself we're stopping at lodging
house about where the Halstead hotel now
stands. and owned by Doc O'Brien. The
house was closed and we had to get out.
1t was a few days before Thanksgiving, the
rain had set in for the winter and tell
you the future looked rather blue to us.
/ went to T. B. Morris, the engineer in
charge of the works. and told him our DO
sition, and asked HIM to help us get our
pay from the company. He treated me
rather cOldfy, and concluded by saying
that the Northern Pacific company would
not pay us, and we would have to look to
Mr.. Montgomery for any assistance.
explained to him that we needed proyis-
tons. He replied that we could go down
the road and lay rails and get something to
eat at the camp. That answer made me
mad, and grabbing him by the throat
gave him shaking, which he must have
remembered for some time after. l called
netting of the unpaid labOrers of Old
Town, and on assembling drafted a petit
tion to Governor Ferry, which was
signed by all the men. / hired
a horse at the livery stable and proceeded
at once on horseback to Olympia, and on
Thanksgiving morning, covered with mud
from head to foot, called on Governor Fer
ry at his residence. laid before him our
case, in the presence of the governors wife
ana daughter, and the tears came to the
eyes of Mrs. Ferry, while the daugher
spoke up and asked her father to help us.
The governor said his sympathy was with
us, but as governor Of the territory he
could not advise us what to do. But at
the conclusion of the meeting he said we
had the right to hold possession of part of
the road upon which we had performed
labor, that no violence should be resorted
to or property destroyed and he would see
that we were protected in our legal rights.
l secured another saddle horse and re-
turned to Old Town Thanksgiving night. l
made the trip in thirtYsix hours without
a wink of sleep. / organized a company of
fifty-two men, and with three wagon loads
of provisions sent from Seattle and Old
Town, we marched down the track and
took possession of Clover creek bridge
Every man Of us was heavily armed with
guns and ammunition. We piled up ties
and made a breastwOrk, behind which we
ca amped and awaited developments.
l was elected captain and given charge of
the men. / drilled them daily, and we de-
to hold our position to the bitter
end. General Sprague went to Governor
Ferry and wanted the militia called out.
The governor showed him our petition and
refused to accede to the request as long as
the men held peaceful possession. General
Sprague then called upon Sheriff Davis, |
but the latter had poor success in raising
posse of citizens as the inhabitants were in |
sympathy with our efforts. On the third
day the sheriff with his men came to drive
us out. l formed my men in double file
before the breastWOrks of ties, and when
the sheriff was off 150 yards, ordered him to
halt. He did so, and read the riot act to |
us. l replied that we we're not rioters and |
were holding a peaceful possession of the |
bridge, which had been built by the men,
and until paid we did not propose to give |
up possession.
There were fully 300 people present to
watch the result. At the end of five days, |
and after holding a parley with General |
5prague, every man of us was paid every
cent that was due. 1t amounted to about |
$4,000. General Stevens, General Ferry and |
J. @. Ainsworth were present at the settle |
ment. The upshot of the matter was that /
all the Indebtedness of Mr.. Montgomery |
was paid by the Northern Pacific, amount |
ing to 100000. President Cass, of the |
Northern Pacific, telegraphed Captain j. !
@. Ainsworth, director of the Pacific diYi-
sion Of the road, to pay off all of Mont |
obligations. This is my first |
in Tacoma since then, and |
those experiences come to me now as
which seems stranger than |
tiction."