The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-05
A PAY-NIGHT LOVE FEAST.
The Tale of Man, "A Mob and Girl
Who Learned Her Mind.
BY c. e. DingwaII.

In the midst of tumble of harsh and
jarrng evidences of ndustrialism there
nestled a little box-Ike shaniy Long
lines of shabby dump cars, couple Of
diminutive narrow-gause locomotives, piles
of rails rock cutting and moving ma
chimes and rough-boarded and taxpayer
roof repair shops and store-houses hedg-
ed it in on all sides. II differed from the
neighOorng structures only in that its
sides were Of planed stuff and painted. In
other respects il was as dilapidated and
strictly unitarian in appearance as any
shack on the job As a guide for those
having business Whereabouts there was a
black and white sign running the length
Of the peak OF its shed roof that bore the
Lgend ID. Mcdonald & Co" over one
Of the two doors was another. which said
simply. "Ohice." The facade Of each Of
its TWO long sides was divided with math-
ematicaI exactness into seven equal parts
by two windows and a door. One of these
spaces was puncured for smoke pipe.
which, with an abrupt turn, shot upward
three or four feet and ended in a ser
rated edge that suggested a sudden sepa-
wind
The view from one side was marred by
the intervening low, rambling buildings
of the boarding camp in the near fore
ground, with rows of bright hued arti-
cles of wearing apparel strung on lines
along the wall to dry Up the right OF
way Of the canal immensely tall steel der
ricks lowered high in The air, and the spl-
derived ironwork Of ponderous rock con-
veyors stood in sharp relief against the
sky when the day was clear From the
excavation the smoke from hosting en-
gines and farther away, from oyerWorked
steam shovels, hung in a cloud over the
land. Now and then the dull boom Of
blast was heard, and mass of rock shot
up into The air-another step was made
toward the completion Of the contract for
sec q.
Men acknowledgements Of them
along the twenty odd miles of the drain
age canal-and 100000 worth of machn-
cry worked hand in hand day and night,
BY night the immediate vicinity of the
scene of operations was bright with the
glare of electric lamps OF powerful sput-
tering kerosene torches.
By night, too, the vicinity Of the board
ing shacks was made lurid by the boist-
erous carvings on OF rough workers. On
pay nights that playful tendency overflow
ed and a nights carousing ended in brok-
Nti lACdhG anu bIulsEu AdteS DtFuELilNEH Nle
Unborn viciousness Of a few guided the
actions of the many and the plant and
belongings of the contractors suffered
The Mcdonald outfit at the time had on
their section nearly 800 men, as d.srepu-
table a lot OF navvies as ever swung a
shovel OF these there were Old hands to
the number Of perhaps forty or fifty, most
ly skilled workers. with a few common
laborers who followed the company about
the country from one job to another
Every land that breeds men that can do
a hard days work was represented. There
were Italians. Poles, Lithuanians and
other-lans from the same garlc-eatng
benghted district, Scotch engineers and
stone settlers, Scandinavian riggers, handy
with a rope. Irish drillers and foremen.
Canucks from down Quebec way and ne
groes. A few had dependent families in
far-om homes and saved their money;
the majority threw 1t up in the air by the
second night after pay night at the far
thest.
At the end of a wet, sloppy Monday in
September the day shift was congregated
in and about the little office while the
bookkeeper, behind a wire screen, pur-
sued his welcome bi-weekly occupation of
passing out the yellow pay envelopes to
the men as they called off their numbers.
Outside a continual drlzzling rain fell up
on the crowd and the moisture trfckled
pool on the floor IN front of the railing.
Standing back of the bookkeeper. watch
ing the operation Of paying off was the
companys superintendent, David Nc
Keen, a bulky, weatheF-tanned Scotch
man, VITO feared neither God nor man.
His fist was like a sledge hammer and his
voice could be heard halfway across The
section. A younger man, not so heavy
but as toll, leaned against the desk His
strong beardless features also bore the
tan Of sun and wind A little felt crush
hat covered his head the brim drawn
down into spout from which the water
dripped unnoticed down his front A long.
black rubber coat, literally splashed with
mud, covered his form and hung away In
front, disclosing a good breadth of chest
and muscular frame, High-laced russell
boots reached almost to the knee. the
canal mud ciinging in quantity to their
soles.
His name was Imrie-John L. Imrie-
and he, in the capacity of assistant super
intendent, divided with McKeon the re.
sponsibility for the success of the opera
tons on section z.
Now, success, plainly speaking, is profit
profit for old Donald Mcdonald. He
employs some sharp people In the home
office, who are good at figures, and who
know very soon when a job is runnine
short, and are not backward in writin.
profit, plainly speaking, Is the sweat OF
the brow of the man on me pay roll
Therefore. il behooves a good superintend-
ent to make the most of mans capacitv
for labor during every minute of the len
hours of working day, if he would pre-.
sent a good report at the cleanup. Ana
in pursuing this profit, and a consequent
good character from the mereenary home
office, it is the easiest thing in the world
for those in authority to get themselves
disliked
But Notwithstanding the easy possibility
of friction between superintendent ana
employees, NcT<eon and Imrie enjoyed, so
far as they knew an immunity from any
Ill feeling toward them. McKeon was bluff
and outspoken, and used bad words and
his fist al the drop of the hat, 1t is
true, but he was fair and square, ana
always impartial in his dealings with tne
men, and did NOT haggie too much over
ella ms for shortage in their pay, And he
knew what was fair days work Like
wise lmrle, under the tute'age OF the big
Sootchman, fell into the right way from
the beginning of his career on contract