The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-07-29
BY FRANK d. BLUE


well enough to take his instructions
with a grain of allowance.
Don't compromise the company in
any way. and send an immediate re-
port of things when you get there
were his final instructions.
East Corinth was 300 miles away,
and 1t was late In the evening when
the superintendent received the follow
ing telegram:
All men out RED Jack Podeck is
running strike. Swears not a train shall
leave here. All sympathize with yard
men. Things shaky. CARDIGAN
Cardigan was very popular among
the men. He had risen from them,
having himself twisted brakes and
shoveled coal, and reaching his present
position, train master, by sheer force
of character, combined with hard and
willing work
The strike ran along without Incl
dent for several days. Each attempt
to get a train out resulted in failure.
The men were watchful and headed
off each move toward getting yard
work done. 1t would seem no hard
matter to get trains out once in awhile,
as the engineers, fremen, conductors
and brakemen were not engaged In
the strike, but sympathy ran rampant,
and failure was recorded each time
One evening the superintendent re-
ceived a section of telegram reading:
Il will get train out tomorrow
apparently from Cardigan, but the op-
orator said the wire went down, and
he could not get the rest, and direct
communication ceased
All trains had to pass the telegraph
tower, where the interlocking switches
strikers, pickets being constantly on
guard. Cardigan knew this point held
the key to the situation, and he direct
ed his attention to it, He tried to get
authority from headquarters, but the
telegraph operators, though not on
strike and apparently playing fair.
managed to favor the strikers. 1t is a
comparatively easy matter to have the
wires down" Nothing daunted by
this, Cardigan resolved to ''stand the
layout and "go it alone'
To get dependable men not in sym
pathy with the strikers was not an
easy matter, yet it was accomplished
in time. Taking these men aside. he
told them to go down into the yard at
noon, a time when few strikers were
around, and disconnect all the brake
chains on a train of cars that had been
ready to go east since the strike be-
gan. He then went to the tower. Mort
Collum, one of the best known oper-
ators of the middle west, was in
charge.
Mort" Cardigan said, 81 want you
to give a clear track for an outbound
freight at O'clock"
"All right, sir" he said "But don't
you think you had better wait till
wings grow on your box cars? You'll
never get car by on wheels"
ut won't cost much to try" Caddi-
gan Iaughingly replied, land at the
worst it can only be another failure"
Cardigan then went to the engine
house and had old 142 fred up. She
was In charge Of Andy Devine.
Il want you to be right on time,
Andy" said Cardigan. Back right
down into the yard. couple on to that
train of cars and start for Europe,
straight across the pond. Pay no at
tention to any stop signals until you
are at least ten miles out"
'I'll do it, sir, but suppose lose my
cars
go on, Andy" Cardigan called
back. You'll have your cars all right.
Trust me for that"
The engine went to the yard without
trouble, and no effort was made to pre-
vent coupling on to the cars. When
the train reached the tower, many stop
signals were given; but, obedient to Or
ders, Andy paid no attention to them.
Instead, every effort was lie to get
up speed before passing the tower
where the strikers were thickest. AS
the train passed many strikers. accus-
TONED to jumping upon moving trains,
easilv climbed upon the cars.
Andy watched them curiously and re
marked to his fireman:
"Just watch them fellows stop us.
There's enough Of 'em to set every
brake in two minutes"
Cardigan never told a man more than
was necessary to carry out plan of
action. That was the reason he usual
ly came out with flying colors. BY the
time the strikers found the brakes
were useless and began to realize how
they had been fooled the train was
running fully thirty miles an hour ana
still gaining speed. A few of the more
daring jumped off, but the results wit
messed by those who remained on the
rapidly moving train discouraged emu
lation. A hasty meeting was called on
the top of the cars.
"Podeck," as usual, led the men, and,
turning to his ever faithful partner,
Pete, he hurriedly said:
sPete, let's run ahead and take the
engine"
"'Tain't safe, Red he said. Didn't
you see them fellers watchin' us?
There's about five on the engine"
Podeck saw the point and hedged.
"Well, boys, guess we're in for it.
What'n we do now?"
McCollum spoke up. Lets sue for
peace; I'm willin'."
A rush was made for the caboose,
where Cardigan calmly watched them.
1t was hard dose to swallow. but no
compromise was now possible.
Cardigan, you've got u.s." was Reds
brief introduction. 1--WE want to go
back"
"Oh, you do, do you? Aren't you hav-
ing nice ride? It's cheap too. You
are not kicking on the fare, are your"
was Caddigan's rejoiner.
Not word was said until McCollum
in his squeaky voice walled: Och,
be aisx on Us an let US or