Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-10-15
Master Of
the Strike
BY FRANK ID. BLUE
Copyright, 1901, by Frank D. Blue

"All the men went out at East Cor
NTH this morning; not a train out,
was the laconic telegram handed tC
the superintendent when he reached
his office. With him action was first
reflection afterward, and he shouted
Here, you boy, go hunt up Cardigan
Get him here Hustler
In an incredibly short time Cardigan
| showed up, hat on one side of his head,
hands in his pockets, coOlly whistling
the latest popular air, the picture of
uncOncern, a striking contrast to the
busting activity of his superior Off
GER
"Say, Cardigan, do you know there's
a strike at East CorinthY
yep; heard So" was the brief re-
spouse.
well, what in blazes are you doing
here anyway? Why amt you down
there? Get down on first train. 1t
lStNto III ltil lnlnultS. Anu SIT llul
you get trains out. Do you hear|
Underneath the apparent indifference
of Cardigan lay quiet, calm and cool
action, and long before he had made
all plans to go to East Corinth. 1t
would never do to say So however, to
the superintendent, who had n failing
for always wishing to be first to give
orders.
"All right; I'll go. Any further Or
dersT"
eyes; you fire every son of gun
that won't 20 back to work at once.
Do you understands
And Cardigan did understand. He
understood the superintendent better
than the latter understood himself and
well enough to take his instructions
with 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 800 miles away
and it was late in the evening when
the superintendent received the follow
ing telegram:
All men out. RED Jack" Podeck Is
running strike. Swcars not q train shall
leave here. All sympathizc with yard
men. Things shaky. CARDIGAN.
Cardigan was very popular among
the men. He had risen from them,
having himself twisted brakes and |
Shoyeled 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
lent for several days. Each attempt
70 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
natter TO get trains out once in awhile,
Is the engineers, firemen, conductors
md brakemen were not engaged I'm
he strike but sympathy ran rampant,
md failure was recorded each time.
One evening the superintendent re-
eived section of telegram reading:
Il will get train out tomorrow
pparently from Cardigan, but the OPP
rator said the wire went down, and
e could not get the rest, and direct
ceased
All trains had to pass the telegraph
over, where the interlocking switches
we're, a point closely guarded by the
trikers, pickets being constantly on
uard. Cardigan knew this point held
he key TO the situation, and he direct
uthority from headquarters, but the
elegraph operators, though not on q
trike and apparently playing fair,
to favor the strikers. 1t is
easy matter to have the
Tres down" Nothing daunted by
MS, Cardigan resolved to "stand the
lyout' and Ego it alone"
To get dependable men not in sym
athy with the strikers was not an
lsy matter, yet il was accomplished
! time. Taking these men aside, he
I'D them to 90 down into the yard at
Don, time when few strikers were I
round, and disconnect all the brake {
Mains on train Of cars that had been 5
lady to go east since the strike be- |
IN. He then went to the tower. Mort Y
ollum, one of the best known oper- /
-ors of the middle west, was in |