Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1902-08-29
Master of
the Strike
ny A y, nbuH


HANA 50 AANA NNA 2MN u LUST WI"
nth this morning; not h train out"
was the laconic telegram handed to
the superintendent when he reached
his office. With him action was FIRST,
reflection a%fterward. and he shouted:
Here, you boy, go hunt up CaddlganI
Get him herel Hustler
In an incredibly short time Cardigan
showed up, hat on one side Of his head.
hands In his pockets, coolly whlstling
the latest popular air, the picture OF
unconcern. a striking contrast to the
bustllng activity OF his superior OH.
Ger.
"say, Cardigan, do you know there's
a strike at East CorinthT'
yep; heard So" was the brief re,
Spouse.
well. what Ina blazes are you doing
here anyway? Why amt you down
there? Get down on first train. Ii
leaves in ten minutes. And see that
you get trains cut. Do you hear1'
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. It
would never do to say so, however, TO
the superintendent, who had a failing
for always wishing to be Grst to give
orders.
"Al right; I'll go. Any further or
dersY"
Eyes; you fire every son Of n gun
Nhuf yrpaff No hont 20 usgrL % nr.a
Do you understands"
And Caddigan did understand. He
understood the superintendent better
than the latter understood himself and
well enough to take his instructions
with a grain Of allowance.
Don't compromise the company in
any way, and send an immediate ra-
port Of things when you get there"
were his final instructions.
East Corinth was 300 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. Swears not a train shall
leave here. All sympathize with yard
men. Things shaky. CARDIGAN.
Caddigan 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 raj along without Incl
dent for several days. Each attempt
to get n 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
int brakemen were not engaged in
the strike, but sympathy ran rampant,
and failure was recorded each time.
One evening the superintendent re-
eeived a section of q telegram reading:
"I will get a 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
were, a point closely guarded by the
strikers, pickets being constantly on
guard. Cardigan knew this point held
the key to the situation. and he direct
ed his attention to 1t. He tried to get
authority from headquarters, but the
telegraph operators, though not on a
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 Ego 1t 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 dlsconnect all the brake
chains on a train OF cars hat had been
ready to go east since the strike be-
gan. He then went to the tower. Mort
Collum. n Of the best known oper-
ators Of the middle west, was in
charge.
mort" Cardigan said, "T want you
to give a clear truck for an outbound
freight at 1 o'clock"
"AlI right. sir" he said. but don't
you think you had better wait till
wings grow on your box cars? You'll
never get q car by on wheels"
at won't cost much to try" Caddi-
gan l~aughingly replied, "and at the
worst 1t can only be another failure"
Cardigan her went to the engine
house and had old 142 fred up She
was IN charge OF Andy Devine.
II 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"
'Pll do It. sir. but suppose l lose my
ears"-
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 10 the cars. When
me train reached the tower, many stop
signals were given but. obedient TO or
ders, Andy paid nc attention to them.