The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-10-06
DYNAMITERs SEEM TO HAVE
OVERLOOKED SUNDAY.
NOTHING WAS BLOWN UP
Threatened Injury to Northern Pacific
Does Not MateriaIize-What
Some Think.

Although Sunday was supposed to
he the last day of grace given the
Northern Pacific by the men who
started out some weeks ago to make
little easy money by demanding
the trifling matter of 900 as the
price of immunity from destruction
OF bridges and buildings, nothing
seemingly transpircd to give rise to
the le.lief that the different blood
curdling threats would be carried in
to execution. Trains arrived and de-
parted yesterday. and today as usual
and for all that the public could see
or learn matters were progressing
without a hitch or break anywhere.
While it was only natural that the
officers OF the company should take
the threats contained in letters re-
ceived by them seriously, especially
In view OF the attempt made to de-
stroy the Livingston bridge, some OF
the men who have been following
events of the last few weeks closely
are OF the opinion that entirely too
much talk has been indulged in by
the dynamiters to make tAem really
to be feared. They argue that if any
intention had been harbored to ac-
tually carry out the threats contained
in the first letter to the directors Of
the company evidence of this would
have been forthcoming some time ago.
Undoubtedly the fellows intended to
frighten the company into the pay
ment of the sum demanded as ran
some," but as it was not paid with
the celebrity expected, say those who
now regard the thing as a huge
bluff" the outlaws weakened and
sought to accomplish their end by
further threats.
Among those who share this be-
lief are some of the trainmen them
selves. One of the latter, a man who
has been following railroading in the
west from almost the first day that
a rail was laid on this side of the
Missouri, was heard to express himself
a day or two ago in manner that left
no doubt as to his view OF the sit
uation. "If those fellows had really
meant to blow us up or destroy the
depot" he said, they
would not have talked so much about
it, and you bet they would not have
sent all those letters telling the men
at ST. Paul what they were going to
do. They might have sent the first
letter and getting no reply would
have started in to make good just
to let the company know they were
in earnest and meant business. AT
ter the first letter all was bluff and
while may be too confident, if no ac-
,ident happens to property or employ
IS until it is caused by the dynamiters
We will all live good many years
Ind bills for repairs will be only those
hat arise during the ordinary course
If wear and tear"
Another man said that while at
irst, he had no doubt, a gang or,
perhaps, an individual had started out
% intimidate the company into the
payment of blackmail, he was now
# the opinion that the scare caused
vas being exploited for a purpose by
nen who found it profitable to keep
up as long as possible Way down in
lis inner consciousness, he said, lurk-
ID the belief that if all were known
ONE startling things could be told
S to recent events that have kept
he company's officials on an edge.
winter is coming on" he added,
and some men who are now acting
S detectives do not like the prospect
f having nothing to do. l may be
vrong in my conclusion, but honestly
elieve that if there were not quite
0 many detectives and others who
an turn the thing to account for
lemselves. the last of any dynamite
lots would have been heard long
lme ago. In my opinion the same
lso holds good as to the finding of
ticks of giant powder at different
laces along the track to the west OF
ere recently"