The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-29
Copyright 1904. BY Charles King

the beattle, 1tB poWefiul riNhi oi Nn~ P''St
was still blookaded. Traversing az they
did for 20 miles the same territory. the
lines divided only by the narrow gorge
OF the Reu Water. II WIZ strange to mark
the bustis and life along the north bank
the llshts, head and tall. OF passenger,
freight and cattle trains hurrying away
eastward-and by contrast to note the 81
lsnee on the hther shore. All day long
the "booming'' western city, the railway
center OF the popuious section. had been
thronged with people over and above Its
postoffice iist-frut, the farmers and VII
layers from all over the countryi second.
the tramps and toughs and vagrants from
ali over creation. These latter, having
Joined forces with the strikers early In
the game. had speedily. az has been seen.
taken the Bit In their teeth. the game into
their own hands. and the destruction or
trains by fire and fame and the whole
robbery OF freight cars were their doing.
not that OF the d.saffeotcd railway mon,
all too late, wished themselves rid or
their desperado allies. But all over tho
neiHhborhood dnow--amons the saloons that
bordered the yards, the cheap taverns and
lodging houses. all through the crowds OF
sullen, disheartened men skulking about
tho street corners, undecided whether 20
give up snd go back to duty or launch
out on some new enterprise at the rk-
pense OF the road-the story had gone
far and wide how that fellow In the derby
hat and plain clothes had taken command
Of a company OF ''mslishy." 'tin soldiers
nothing better" and had no oooily han
died them and in 30 cold blooded n way
had loaded up with solid lead and given
the gang to understand that he'd let day
light through their hides II they stirred a
foot through the company's gates that
the mob that went there bent on oe-
struction. determined to burn and loot
the offices and warehouses, skunk away
completely cowed. THAT fellers boss
OF the Big Horn yards this day. boys.
and We amt in It," was the way the
leader Of thu strikers expressed II. ana
there was no sane man who cared to
put IL TO the test.
Ascribe IL to whatever cause we may,
It was a petrined fact that from the In
stant Eric Langdon stepped out at the
head OF that company the Big Horhs
property was safe. Tho few willing
workers left to the management took noiu
with vim. An experimental train,
guarded by m!litiamen from other COM
panies. was started down the Red Water.
A construction train followed with SUI
der boys manning both brakes and
shovels. Claiming, the hustling manager.
tumbled clerks. bookkeepers, switchmen
and carsmiths into engine cabs. wired for
others TO meet them at Gunn!son and ac-
tually had his trains moving at the very
moment when the Seattle sheds were 60
ing up In flame. and the great gene, al
manager OF that great corporation, with
curses In his heart and his hands In MS
pockets, steed seewsiRs on the scene OF
ruin through which the belated regulars
were driving the last vestiges OF the mob.
and Mr.. Barclay, the general manager
aforementioned was both thinking
and saying unwholesome things OF the
regulars commander at whose hospitaple
board he had been wining and dining
but amonth or so ago. the too deliberate
Captain Nathan.
What Melville would have said TO that
crestfalen omcer when at last. about
noon. mis- train and command arrived can
not we'll be conjectured, but that the
long delay was OF serious import there
can be no doubt. for Captain Nathan's 3
explanation In writing was demanded and
forwarded a day or two later, and both
the unique explanation and old Gray
Fox's (the name OF Gray Fox was given
by the Indians TO the famous frontier
soldier at the time commanding the de-
partment of the Platte) telling reply was
speedily the talk OF the department OF
the Platte. Na,nan said that II was true
he might have earlier reached the Red
Water valley but he conceived that his
first duty was to protect the lives OF mis-
devoted men and prevent the possibility
of an ambuscade or pitfall.
To this end every dangerous bridge was
cd, etc, before he deemed IL safe 10 pro-
ceed. He admitted long delay at the juno
ton, but declared IL necessary because of
the alarming reports brought him by
reliable railway officials" to the effect
that the tracks were undermined, the
trestles sawed and every mile of the
Seattle from the junction 10 Brentwood a
thread OF mines and mantraps. IL was
true, he said, that the train bearing
some militia companies had passed him
at Gunnison and gone forward by the Big
Horn road. but the way was cleared for
them by the sheriff and other officials.
whereas on the south bank no friends
were 10 be hoped for.
And so IL had resulted, to the unspeak-
able disgust OF the few officers with Ma
than's command. that the untried mill
tia under fearless and energetic leader
ship, had forced their way. despite mobs
and distractions, 10 the seat OF action
and rescued the property OF the Big
Horn road, while the regulars. hampered
by their timorous head, were held back
for hours in front OF purely imaginary
obstacles and only reached the yard nj
brentwood in time 20 find the buildings
q mass OF fame Even that calamity
might not have happened but that at II
IN the forenoon Major Melville. learning
that the mob was drifting away IRON
the Big Horn and gathering In treatenina
fore. about the Seattle yards down or
the south side, had hurried In from the
suburbs, whittier he had gone TO staticr
the recently rustioated battalion, and
while standing on the platform OF the
freighthouse, calm and unmoved In the
presence OF a Jeerins bowling pack OF
transformations and writing an ordei
summoning certain companies to the
spot. was suddenly struck In the heed by
a coupling pin hurled by vigorous ant
yenseful hand and felled TO the ground
stunned and senseless :.
That was n sore blow 20 the Seattle. II
left the situation on the south side In th'
hands OF the rioters for over an hour
Word was sent 20 little Major McCon
VILE. but ne. with his men, was movini
and guarding cattle trains. The best ~
could do was 10 send a company on tn
run but their captain had had no expert
ence. The sheriff vainly tried to tell then
how Langdor had handled things over a
the Big Horn He would take no responsi
biiity. They dare not, and the mob saw
n In a twinkling. The only wonder u
they did not dash upon this isolated com
mand and by sheer force OF numbers bea