The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-25
CHAPTER ".

Nk1AE NR
Ninety miles west of the Big Mis-
souri, and in the heart Of tho thriving
town Of Brentwood the rival lines OF the
Chicago and Seattle and the Chicago and
Missouri valley. popularity known respeo-
lively as the Seattle" and the big
Horn" crossed each other and the beau
tifui stream that drained the valley. The
Pawnees long ages ago had called II af-
ter the prairie wolf, but their despoilers,
tho Sioux. rechristened IL Red Water, de-
clsrtng II so thick with the blood OF their
hereditary foes that Il had lost all sem
blance OF blue, and Red Water II remain
ed In name. at least, though IL speedily
lost tn sanguinary tint and outvied all
the storied streams OF Indian y nd In that
II never sulked and sank out OF sight in
beds OF Quicksand. never turned into rag
ing torrent and tore things out by tho
roots, as did the mountain born "Minnes"
and "Wakpas" that streaked the lands
CT the Dakotas to the north, never failed
TO freezeover In clear. solid Ice at the APP
propriate time In the early winter and to
bubble forth again, sparkling and smil-
ing. In the early spring. Fed by innum-
erable springs and brooks from pine crest
ed heights where the snow lay deep ali
winter long and only slowly melted for
the northering sun. draining broad.
beautiful and fertile valley through
which II meandered in long. sweeping.
graceful bends and reaches" moving Sc
reneiy, steadily. placidly. through mile
after mile OF fair and peaceful land
scape. rarely ruffled by the gales that
swept the uplands long, long leagues to
the west or stirred by the savage bliz-
yards that tore through the Dakota
wastes, II drew, 10 It's willow shaded
shores by hundreds the hardy settlers
and pioneers--the farmer. rancher and
herdsnnan. Brentwood became the market
town and grew apace. Railways from st.
Paul and st. Louis crawled and from
Chicago scrambled thither. and before the
Sioux were fairly out OF the country and
the settlers fairly IN Brentwood the Red
Water valley was the objective point OF
hall a dozen corporations. Brentwood
grew from market town TO country seat,
10 railway terminus Ca bad time that,
10 division station, with round house and
machine and car shops. Brentwood dam
med the Red Water aud began grinding
its own wheat before Minneapolis reached
for II. Brentwood jumped from a popu-
lation OF IS to 1900 In less than ten years.
and now the Seattle and the Big Horn
had handsome stone depot buildings. Ine
st. Louis and Northwestern had graded
20 within ten miles OF the town. and the
Minneapolis and Southwest had spuf
that tapped mills. elevators and factories
ance at those OF the big transcontinentais.
Tho Seattle was not built through 40
''the sound" by any manner OF means.
and the big Horn" for which It's rival
was named. looked very little when View
ed from the outermost stake. But the
grain and cattle business was tremendous,
81 through passenger was not. Chicago
took all the wheat and corn and live
stock the Red Water valley could spare
and eagerly bid for more But a bad
time had come for the Seattle and Big
Horn both. Long. long lines OF grain
and cattle cars. especially cattle, stretch
ed westward on both main line and sid
ings from Brentwood. The mercury had
dropped 10 within few degrees OF zero
A thousand horned cattle and five times
as many sheep and hogs were clamoring
for food and water and couldn't get II.
for a thousand angered men in the vari-
Gus shops and wards OF the Seattle ano
as many in the Big Horn had sworn no
wheel should turn and no hand should
minister until ''the road came to their
terms. II the trains had been passen-
ger coaches the passengers hungry and
thirsty women and children. the rule
would have been the same. The strikers
proved that in later and fiercer grap-
pie when the authority OF even the United
States was set at naught by the labor
leader who established his headquarters
In Chicago and checked the commerce of
the world. But this earlier insurrection
against law and order was serious enough
IN all conscience. For "a hours only tne
mall trains had been allowed to leave -ne
Chicago stations. For "A hours east
bound passenger trains had been side
tracked at faraway towns in the interior
Train crews were c0axed or driven from
their posts. The few determined and u--
voted men who remained steadfast were
assaulted and mobbed. and away out here
II Al. II
forth an array of strikers who, aided by
gangs OF tramps from all over the west
and toughs from the Missouri river towns
were more than sufficient 10 bid defiance
TO a dozen sheriff's posses and 10 ditch
a trainload OF Pinkertons three days
march away. Tho national guard was
on duty I'm Chicago, and the governor OF
Nebraska had ordered out such militia
al when then organized. The people OF
Dakota, Just budding into twin star state
hood. had appealed for federal troops nut
at Brentwood the striker had full sway
Two companies Of militia arriving TO re-
enforce the local command found a rev
OF the latter wandering disconsolately
about In small squads and civilian dress,
the laughing stock OF the town, the lead
ers of the strike having early and
thoughtfuly possessed themselves of
their arms. armory and uniforms Re-
ceived with ironical cheers. the newcomers
tOuknt 10 WIN the Snerfn,
as their instructions required.
Polite and sympathetic citizens bade
them remain aboard the train and they
would be switched over into the yards OF
the Seattle. where the sheriff was report-
ed holding out as best he could They re-
mained. were switched as promised not
only 10 but beyond the yards-40 miles be-
yond. In fact-at breathless speed and
bidden to camp there until they were
hauled back and 20 live meantime on the
country. For over "a hours tho strikers
had things all their own way and were
'Jubilant. Then came the backward sweep
OF the tide. A wire from the south an
nounced that regulars were in possession
Mt Omaha. Council Bluffs and Sioux City
and that little battalion was on Its way
20 the relief OF Brentwood, and still the
starving and imprisoned livestock baaed.
beloved and scuealed for food and wa
ter. Still passenger traffic was at q stand.
The division superintendent and his as
eistants were powerless. Though they
manned engines, threw switches and
brake" cars. the rails were soaped. the
boilers fosmed and their engines were