The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-11-14
IN THE MOLDING ROOM.

The massive travelling cranes, car
r!ying the huge ladies of motion iron,
were rolling slowly back and forth
through the great molding room.
1t was three o'clock in the after
noon, aud the largest "heat" of the
day was being taken off. The pic
ture was weird one. The day out
side was dark and gloomy, and with
in the big building there seemed to be
premature twilight.
Clouds of steam rose from the
damp sand, and here and there a
brilliant glow showed where the melt
ed iron was squirting from the cupola
or being poured from the ladle into
the molds in the sand. Groups of
halfnaked men hurried about, work
ing with tremendous energy.
The new chairman of the board of
directors, who had never witnessed
such scene, followed the general
manager into the moldiKg room rath-
er timidly.
cts hard work, you see," re-
marked the general manager, "and
rather responsible work, too. Be-
sides, it's mighty dangerous some
times, and / don't know that the men
are not justified in asking for their
increase OF pay"
The chairman did not reply at once,
being apparently a trifle nervous.
His little son, who was with him,
clung tightly to his hand. The eyes
of the boy were wide with wonder,
but he seemed more fascinated than
frightened.
The chairman patted the lad on the
head to reassure him.
"Thev are never satisfied, I sup
pose," he said, drawing himself up
and pulling his coat together in way
that important men have. "When
we were losing money until our stock
was down almost to where we would
have had to pay people to take it,
and we ran at loss simply to keep
our men together, they didn't COM
plain but now that there is bare
chance of a decent dividend, they
want to share it with u.s."
The general manager shook his
head. "They don't look into the
matter strictly on the inveatment
basis, fear," he said.
1.-The trouble isl asserted the
chairman, elevating LIS voice little
that it might reach the ears of the
general manager above the din of the
shop, "the rank and file of them are
little better than horses, and" he went
on, pleased with his comparison,
"some horses know would be asAam-
ed of good many of them :.
Il was one of them myself for
good many years." remarked the
general manager, dryly.
"Of course, l said the rank and
file, ;" interposed the chairman, hast
lily. "There are exceptions in all
classes as we'll as cases. Now, right
on our board of directors there are
men that good, steady-going dom
key would be ashamed Of" and the
chairman laughed in a highly self
satisfied way at the tactful manner
in which he had set himself right.
The general manager smiled grim
ly, but made no response, and pres
entity he suggested passing on to in
spect the new brass foundry.
The little son, however, had be-
come fascinated by the glowing metal,
and he whispered that he wanted to
stay longer. I don't like to leave
you alone" answered the chairman !;
"you might get in the way"
"Wants to stay, does he?" said
the general manager. "Well, he can,
if you are willing. I'll put him in
charge of one of the men, and we can
come through here on the way back.
He will enjoy seeing them pour the
big castings"
He beckoned to one of the men, a
stalwa-t. curly-haired young fellow.
George, he said, "tae little fellow
wants to see the big ones poured.
Take care of him until we come
back"
"All right, SIR" The workman
held out his hand, and the boy prompt
ly went to him.
my stars !" calculated the chair
man. ''He is usually afraid of stran-
gers"
"He knows a good horse when he
sees one," remarked the general man
ager, as he stalked along ahead.
"Oh, now, / say" protested the
chairman, "that was only my little
joke"
"And this was only mine" return
ed the manager, smiling, as the big
iron doors closed behind them.
George Smith, big George
Smith" they called him, to distin-
guish him from Little Geo. Smith, ;"
who was pattern maker, took the
boy by the hand and led him over to
safe place by the stone wall of the
building.
IF you will stand right there" he
said, "you will be safe, and you can
see everything"
The little fellow was fascinated by
the scene. There was row of holes
which the big ladle filled, quite near
him, and as one after another was
poured, he watched the process close
ly. There were three more, and the
last one was quite close-not over IS
feet away.
Twice more the crane came with
its heavy load, and then rolled noisi-
ly back to the squirting cupola. Now
it rolled toward him again. A half
dozen men came with it to help direct
the pouring, which was to be the
most important one of the day. The
eyes of the little boy glowed with ex-