Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-11-18
TEN YEARS. TRIAL
The Story of a Soldiers Struggle
BY Brigadier General Charles King
Copyright, 1901, by Charles King.
CHAPTER XII

A'ie, Atoih Wuo pushing w tO"dIu tuG
wide northwest. The Seattle was grad
ing the Sweetwater valley through far
Wyoming. Brentwood shops We're
thronged with busy. grn.y men; Brent
wood elevators were bursting With
grain; Brentwood streets We're busting
with shoppers. Both railways were
running to the full capacity every car
they owned and many they didn't, but
had pressed into service unbeknown to
the owners as strays from the Burling-
ton, the U. p, the st. Paul, the North
western and 4 dozen different alpha
betical combinations descriptive of rail
way corporations in the wide west.
Brentwood banks had never done such
a business. Red Water farms were
shedding mortgages as horses shed
their winter coats. Some farmers were
even clipping coupons with the wool
from the backs of their sheep. An era
of prosperity seemed to have dawned
on the smiling Nebraska valley. All
business, said The Banner. was boom
ing. The Golfers of the rival roads
We're Sled with earnings. but the
hearts oil their people with discomfort.
On account OF hard times the previous
year 10 per cent cut had been ordered
In all wages and brought on the disas-
trous strike. The roads had won The
hands had lost and sadly accepted the
inevitable Oh the promise that when
business warranted the old rate would
be restored Business couldn't be bet
ter than it was when September came
and had been all summer, but deaf
ear was turned to all hints as to the
restoration of the rates. Winter would
soon come Coal, clothes, groceries
and provisions were commanding high
prices. Everybody had prospered eX-
cept the operatives Of the railways,
and they and their families made up
nearly half the population of Brent
wood. Then came the walking dele
gates. conferences with local officials,
responses that expenses exceeded re-
ceipts. vast sums were needed for eX-
tension and repair, then much talk pro
and con in the papers. frequent meet
1ngs, fiery speeches and then threats.
Another kind of meeting was held in
Brentwood one night. Bankers and
business men with large interests at
stake saw in the situation the exact
symptoms which preceded the fierce
outbreak of the previous year. The
police reported tramps and toughs
again gathering in force from all over
the west. and this time. said the orator
Of the day at a vast open air concourse
of the employees of both roads, when
we strike it will be with no such fall
tering, misguided hand as in the year
gone by. The blow will be instantane-
Gus. The scab will find his occupation
gone. There will be no engine left for
him to run the bread from our hungry
children. There will be only smoking
ruins to greet the coming of those hire
ling butchers. the despised soldiery Of
either state or nation" Certain few of
the railway men who had Joined the
Brentwood rifles in the days Of Peril
go's popularity were warned by anony-
nous letters to themselves or to the
timid wives and children to drop that
association at once or take the conse-
quences. Most of them applied for dis
charges and were refused. Nothing
remained for them but to deliberately
absent themselves from drills, refuse
to pay the fines and under the laws be
expelled "for the good Of
the service" But the rifles had lost
heart and interest. One of the officers
had resigned. Most of their member
ship preferred paying fines to attend
Ing drills at which they learned moth
Ing and Gunuison men came up, looked
liid snickered when that blow
comes said Mr. Banker Pcrrigo in e:,-
cited speech at the business mems
meeting, we shall be absolutely with
out protection for our Sheriff has been
replaced by one who is the open sym
patl!zer of the strikers (Which was
Tue), and our one company of militia,
thanks to who knows what insdious
Influence. is reduced to a mere hand
full A vehement discussion followed,
winding up with an astonishing attach,
at the hands OF the ablest lawyer in
Brentwood.
That our one company has dwindled
to handful Is as true as that its de-
morali2ation is due to no insidious in
fiuence whatever, but to the most re-
grettahle Interference of Mr.. Perrigo
himself, whose gold bought the cap
taincy for an utter Incompetent and
sold out the one man who deserved our
whole support and gratitude, the man
who alone was capable OF putting and
Keeping that company up TO the stand
ard and whose treatment by the Off
Gals of the road he so CALAMITY and
faithfully served and, not to put too
fine point upon it, by this community
also is reproach unutterable to both"
Coming from Il man who had been TO
congress from Kentucky and hoped to
get there from Nebraska, these were
bitter words. But most tonics are bit
ter, and Brentwood swallowed, reflect
ed and protited. Colonel Cresswell. as
he was called, in Difference TO the fact
that he held no commission, but had
served in the war, was not yet on the
subsidized list of the Seattle, but as u
rapidly rising lawyer he would doubt
less soon find his price, railways, like
other big corporations, employing only