Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-09-02

Gray knew the men, their wives and
their children, and. being a manof few
words, quick of decision in an emer-
gency, and amply able to comply with
the request, he answered: "All right,
Mason. I'll do it. But I want you to
countersign the orders. Then I'll be
sure there's no extravaganza"
Suppose the works should not start
up again, Mason" said Superintendent
Brown, quiet listener till now.
San improba blecontingency. There's
to much money in their operation or
dinarily to allow them to remain idle
! very long"
s'The old Vulcan mills across the
river haven't had fire lighted in them
for five years." continued Mr.. Brown.
Because the concerns in court and
can't run till the suits decided
Harry Brown and his father, more
like brothers than like father and son,
turned up a side street that led to their
home.
ST think Mr.. White must have paw.
ing stone in his breast instead of a
heart. What do you think, fatherT'
'I think, if you want to remain in
his employ, you would better be eau
tious how you criticise him." answered
the discreet elder.
ST know. ] kept my mouth shut over
there in the crowd. want to open it
now. Think of how many things the
men and their families will be deprived
bf if they are forced out"
.Such as half-arday lay-offs, pic
I, nd go
forth"
swell, shouldn't they have these d.
versions ~
perhaps. But consider the other
side moment. Mr.. White told me that
unless there was shut down he could
neither take his family abroad next
summer nor permit them to spend the
season at Newport"
EDO you consider that q hardship
exclaimed the young man, stopping and
turning toward his father.
"Why shouldn'tit be? The poignancy
of ones disappointment depends upon
how one has been reared. May not this
be felt quite as keenly by his wife and
daughters as the wives and daughters
of our men will feel the loss of their
brief outings? And if somebody must
meet with disappointment and depr1-
vations, you surely do not expect Mr..
White to shield the men and their fam
lilies at the expense of his own wife
and daughters. A man must look out
for his own first"
'sMr. White hooks out for his own
first, last and all the time can hardly
think it right for him to run the risk of
bringing suffering to the families OF
400 men in order to prevent his wife
and four daughters from pouting be-
cause they can't go to Paris next SUM
mer."
The strike had been on for month.
Mr.. Gray had disposed of his stock
in the works and was no longer treas
urer. One evening a number of the
idle men had gathered in his store,
where he also kept the post office. The
river was rising rapidly and the men
were discussing the probability OF
cheap fuel in the near future and the
consequent reopening of the works.
Harry Brown was there, too. He had
had a good deal of business to. trans
act with the cashier in the store when
the works were in operation and the
business hadn't seemed to lessen any
since the shutdown. The cashier was
Mr.. Gray's daughter.
While Harry was talking to Miss
Gray through the opening in the glass
partition behind which was her special
domain there was a connection among
the men at the other end of the room.
Superintendent Brown had come in
with others and appeared to have
some interesting information. Harry
was, called, much to his disgust, and
joined the group.
Mr.. Gray had received letter from
the president of the Broadway Bridge
company. Among other things, he had
written: S
II have bought the old Vulcan mills
from the litigants and propose to start
them as soon as they can be put in
shape. I am sure you will do me the
favor, Mr.. Gray, to accept the pres
idency of the new company. I know
that the best workmen will flock to
your standard. I have done with the
Rockybottom works."
"Mr. White will certainly sue him
for breach of contract interposed SUI
perintendent Brown.
"Wait a minute, Brown" said Mr.
Gray, looking over his spectacles, land
maybe you'll change your opinion"
And he continued to read:
ST have notified White that his viola
ton of the contract released US. i dis
covered that he had forced the strike
on the men, and am advised that he
had no more right to make an unrea-
sonable cut in wages and claim exemp-
ton from the obligations of the con-
tract on account of the consequent
strike than he would have to chuck
steel rail into his fy-wheel and claim
exemption on account of an accident
to his machinery
s'What do you say to that, Brown?''
Nothing. I am not a lawyer
snow, Harry, here's something
that'l interest you," continued the old
gentleman, turning to his letters.
''Tell young Brown that he can have
the SUPPLEMENTARY of the Vulcan,
subject to your approval of course.
I have kept an eye on him when he
didn't know IL and hayefohserv that