Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-18


The general superintendent happened 10
be with US when the news came
.'Yon can't handle it. boys" said he. nerV-
ously What you'd better do is to turn II
over TO the Columbian Pacific
Our contracting freight agent on the
coast at that time was a fellow so erratlc
that he was nicknamed CraZyhOrse. Right
In the midst of the strike Crazyhorse wired
that he had secured a big silk shipment for
New York. We were paralyzed.
We had no engineers, no firemen and no
motive power to speak Of The strikers
were pounding men, wrecking our
trains. and giving us the worst of it gen
orally; that is when we couldn't give it to
them Why the fellow displayed his activ-
ity at that particular juncture still remains
a mystery. Perhaps he had grudge
against the road; if so he took artful
revenge. Everybody on the system with
ordinary railroad sense knew that our
struggle was to keep clear of freight bust
ress until we got rid of our strike. Any
thing valuable perishable was especially
unwelcome.
But the stuff was locked and loaded and
consigned in our care before we knew 1t.
After that. a refusal to carry it would be
like holsting the white flag; and that is
something which never yet few on the
West End.
general superintendent; but the general
perintendent was not looked up to
division. He hadn't enough sand. Our
head was q fighter, and he gave tone to
every man under him.
No" he Numbered. bringing down his
fist, not in a thousand years. Well move
it ourselves. Wire Montgomery, the gen
eral manager, that we will take care of it.
And wire him to fire Crazyhorse-and to
do it right off, And before the silk was
turned over to us Crazyhorse was looking
-, &c,
record where a freight hustler was dis
charged for getting business.
There were twelve carloads; it was IN
sured for eighty-five thousand dollars ear;
you can figure how far the title is wrong,
but you never can estimate the worry that
stuff gave us. 1t looked as big az twelve
million dollars worth. In fact, one scrub
car tink, with the glory of the West End al
heart. had a fight over the amount with a
sceptical hostler He maintained that the
actual money value was a hundred and
twenty millions; but l give you the figures
just as they went over the wire, and they
are right.
What bothered US most was that the
strikers had the tip almost as soon as we
had 1t. Having friends on every road in
the country, they knew as much about our
business ourselves. The minute it
was announced that we should move the
silk they were after US. 1t was a defiance,
last one. If we could move freight-for
We were already moving passengers after a
fashion-the strike might be well accounted
beaten.
Stewart. the leader of the local contin-
gent, together with his followers, got after
at once.
You don't show much sense, Reed" said
he. You fellows here are breaking your
necks to get things moving. and when this
strikes over If our boys ask for your dis
charge they'll get it. This road can't
without our engineers. We're going to
beat you. If you dare try to move this
stuff We'll have your scalp when its over.
You'll never get your silk TO GAINESVILLE, III
promise you that. And If you ditch it and
make million-dollar loss, you'll get let out
anyway, my buck"
I'm here to obey orders, Stewart" I re-
torted. What was the use of more? I felt
uncomfortable; but we had determined to
move the silk. There was nothing more
TO be said.
When l went over to the round house and
told Neghbor the decision he said never
word, but he looked a great deal. Neigh
boris task was to supply the motive power.
All that we had, uncrippled, was in the
passenger service, because passengers must
be moved-must be taken care of first of
all. In order to win strike you must have
public opinion on your side.
Nevertheless, Neighbor." said I, after
We had talked while, I'VE must move the
silk also"
Neighbor studied; then he roared at his
foreman.
Send Bartholomew Mullen here" He
spoke with a decision that made me think
the business was done. I had never hap
Mullen in the department of motive power;
but the impression the name gave me was
OF a mOnstrous fellow; big as Neighbor, or
old man Sankey, Dad Hamilton.
I'm put Bartholomew ahead of It," NUT
tered Neighbor, tightly. boy walked in
TO the office.
Mr.. Garten said you wanted 10 see me,
sir" ssd he addressing the master me-
chanic.
4 do, Bartholomew" responded Neigh
Dor.
The figure in my minds eye shrunk in
twnkling. Then 1t occurred to me that 1t
must be this boys father who wanted.
you have been begging for chance to
take out engine, Bartholomew, began
Neighbor coldly; and l knew It was on.
Yes, sir.
You want TO get killed, Bartholomew"
Bartholomew smiled. as if the idea was
not altogether displeasing.
How would you like to go pilot tomor-
row for McCurdy? You TO take the A and
run as first seventy-elght. McCurdy Will
run as second seventy-eight."
II know l could run engine all right"
ventured Bartholomew as If Neighbor were
the only one taking the chances in giving
him an engine. Il know the track from
here to GAINESVILLE. 1 helped McNeff fire
one week.
Then go home. and go to bed, and be
over here at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning.
And sleep sound; for it may be your last
chance"
It was plain that the master-mechanic
hated to do 1t; it was simply sheer neces-
sity.
Hes a wiper" unused Neighbor, as Bar
tholomew walked sprtngily away. Il took
him in here sweeping two years ago. He
ought TO be firing now. but the union held
him back that's why he hates them. He
knows more about an engine now than half
the lodge. They'd better have let him in. :"
said the master-mechanic. grimly. He
may be the means of breaking their backs
yet. If give him an engine and he runs
&. I'll never take him off, union or no
union. strike strike.
How old Is that boy?" l asked.
Eighteen; and never a kith or kin that
] know of. Bartholomew Mullen" unused
Neighbor. as the slight figure moved across
the fiat, big name-small boy. Well, Bar
tholomew, you'll know something more by
tomorrow night about running engine.
or a whole lot less; that's as 1t happens. If
he gets killed, it's your fault, Reed"
He meant that l was calling on him for
men when he absolutely couldn't produce
them.
Il heard once" he went on "about a
fellow named Bartholomew being mixed I'D
In a massacre. But take 1t he must have
been an older man than our Bartholomew
nor his other name wasn't Mullen, neither
I disremember just what it was; but it
wasn't Mullen"