St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-20

/ anu Illt iilllt-NdS VI uClCO ohub uOhh AOA
an indefinite period. The roar of the
machinery gradually slackened, the
| shrill screaming of the immense saws
was stopped. and the men walked out OF
| the buildings with their dinner pals
| There were many unfriendly looks cast
] at the "boss" aud his friends, but the
| men went quietly. Here and there could
| be heard muttered threats against the
company, but none were ontspoken.
Then council of war was held in the
| office. The head sawyer, the head lum-
Der piler, the single contractor, the
| two transfers, the scaler and the boss
! OF the planning mill were there. Halt
| breed Jue," man OF all work, was
| there also. Joe had been hunter, and
| had lived with the Indians, and he was
| given the credit of having no fear OF
| man, devil or beast. He was short,
| thick-set, dark-compleXloned man, with
sinister look in his eye. They said he
had killed squaw on the reservation
several years back, but such a little
thing as that did not make him unpop-
ular. He took seat OIL the stove,
crossed his legs and listened to the con-
ference.
aloe, you take couple of the boys,
Jim and Charlie, and go up to the head
OF the Island. Bring all of the SkltfS
and bateaus down to the bridge, and
you had better go across to the shore
and get any loose boats you see along
there. Take them anyhow, no matter
who owns them"
Joe Slouched away with his two men
in response to the instructions of Mr..
Williams. Then instructions were
given the others in relation to the con-
StrucUlOn of a Darrcade on the bridge.
They were instructed to get doren
SiX-inch planks, saw portfolios in them
and place them in the interStlceS of the
iron work of the bridge. This would
make high barricade, and the holes
would permit the watchmen to shoot
any person who tried to cross the bridge.
The barricade was to be prepared. but
it was not to be put up until after night
fall.
Then the armament of the outfit was
gone over. There were three Winches
tiers, two sh0tguns and half dozen re-
vOlVers. A dozen pike poles with sharp
points were placed on the bridge; half
a dozen axes and couple of peevies
were brought out, and it looked as
though preparations were being made
for war.
The day passed without anything ex-
citing coming up. Frequently yells
could be heard from the town, and we
knew that the whisky was being resort
ed to. Garbled reports of the doings up
town were brought, and it was learned
that the men in all of the mills had been
won over with the exception of the
big" mill. This was to be left until
the last. Work was kept up until even
ing, and we were tired crowd when the
barricade had been completed. A small
hand car had been run up on the bridge,
and all of the implements were piled on
it for expediting retreat should it be-
come necessary.
I'VE are short OF ammunition" said
Mr.. Williams after supper, and when
the men were being placed in position.
I'VE forgot all about that. Some one
will have to go up town after SOME"
All of the others in the little party
were we'll known in the town and were
known as minnesota men. 1t would
be dangerous for any of them to go for
the ammunition, and | volunteered my
services. They did not wish me to go,
but l thought it would be lark and
started. l was to get two boxes Of thirty
Fights for the revOlvers and two boxes
of cartridges for the WinchesterS.
1t was no difficulty for me to get to
the town. | saw crowds of men around
the entrances of the saloons. and, from
the sounds which came from the in
teriors or the places, knew that large
number were inside filling UP for the
grand coup. They scowled at me, but
paid no attention to them. If | had l
suppose they would have taken hold of
Inc, and, although | was armed, did
not care TO meet with trouble. The man
who ran the store where the ammuni-
ton was sold had been instructed by
the city marshal to sell no arms or am
munitiOn to any person, and it was nee
esSary for me TO find him to get the per-
mission for the owner of the store.
This was done after a considerable
search, and started on my return.
Knots of men we're all along the
track. They appeared to have serious
thoughts of stopping me, but L hurried
on without word. Then l cut across a
piece OF marShy ground to the river and
followed the shore. | had picked up a
stick. and, as l gained the vicinity of
the bridge, man stepped up to me and
grabbed me by the shoulder. | struck
at him with the stick without the for
mality of an introduction, and, as l
heard him fall, l ran. Behind clump
of bushes OIL the river bank | gained
my breath and took in the situation.
On the bridge, in the shadows, were
gathered about fifty men. They had
Sneaked down along the shore and had
evidently not been seen by the men OH
guard. 1 knew | could not pass them,
and there was one thing only TO be done.
must swim the river.
Two hundred feet below the bridge
could be heard the roar of the falls as
they tumbled over the sharp rocks. The
current was swift, but thought | could
make it, as L was strong swimmer. L
rolled up my clothing in compact bun
die, placing the cartridges IN the mid
die. l tied the bundle OH my shoulders
with my belt and then stepped silently
inlO the water. 1t was warm and pleas
ant, and had it not been for the danger
L should have enjoyed the swim. There
was faint moon, and the rays fell into
the water in the middle of the stream
where the rippleS made by the current
made them shine like threads of silver.
Carefully let myself down into the
water so that no noise would be made,
and, with strong push with my feet on
the rocks, | shot into the current. 1t
was impossible to swim in the current
without making noise, but | was as
careful as | could be and was not noticed
until had passed under the bridge.
There caught on pier and rested for
a moment. Then, keeping hold of the
pier with my hands, made the upper
side and started for the next one. l was
afraid of going over the falls if got too
far from the bridge, land breathed more
freely when my hands graSped the
slippery stonework of the next pier.
The third one, for which | swan after
good rest, was some distance away, and
l missed 1t. The swift current drifted
me out in the moonlight,a and | was seen
by the men on both sides. The watch
men Oh the bridge thought | was one OF
the strikers trying to make the bridge,
and had the uncomfortable feeling of
hearing bullet go 'chung" in the
water close to my head.
Its jack" called out, and then /
heard an answering shout. A boat was
pushed off from under the bridge, and
with the ,sistance of two pair of strong
arms it was soon alongside of me. They
pulled me in, and resumed the oars just
in time to get away from the falls.
l rested OH the bridge for two hours.
The ammunition, thanks to my clothing.
had not been damaged by the water, and