The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-25
Rr- CLARENCE HERBERT NEW.
strike Of the freight handlers
on the Midland Railroad mad


TIME strike of the freight handlers
on the Midland Railroad mad
been in operation less than d
week when It became evident that in
General Manager Lambourne the
strikers had met their match
Lambourne's railroad experience
dated from his early apprenticeship in
the car shops, and extended subse-
quenty through twenty years Of
steady upward progress as engineer,
foreman Of machine shop, master me
chanic. and superintendent of machin-
cry. until at last his executive ability
and his familiarity with every detail
of railroad life and management were
recognized by his appointment as
manager of the great system of rail
ways operated by the Midland.
As one after another of the schemes
for compelling the company TO come
to terms with its striking employees
were defeated by Mr.. Lambourne's
tireIess activity and able generalship,
their feeling against him grew more
bitter. From mere mutterings of dis
comftUre, it had become q suIIen, vim
dictive hatred by the end of the fifth
week, when, in spite of their attacks
upon the road and it's rolling stock,
every passenger train had come in on
schedule time and the freight kept
moving.
It was after the force of loyal men,
organized from among his mates of
former years by the general manager
himself. had foiled an attempt to de-
stroy one Of the largest round houses.
that he began 10 receive anonymous
letters Of threatening character.
Without acquainting his family with
the real gravity Of the situation. Lam
bourne suggested to his wife that
visit 10 the country would do both
herself and the children good. Then.
feeling that they were safe and that
there were now no personal worries
TO distract his attention from the task
in hand, he devoted all his energies to
defeating the enemies of the road and
stamping out the dangers which men
aced its passengers and property.
He used his city home as a basis of
operati tons The house, which he had
recently purchased, was one in a new
block on West Eighty-first street,
near the river. AS much OF the sur
rounding property was unfmproved,
the only barrier between the rear Of
the building and the vacant lots on
Eightieth street was the ordinary
seven-foot- wooden fence fncIosing the
back yard.
His household. in the absence Of the
family, consisted Of Nora Murphy, the
cook, and John Brady, the butler.
Neither of these could be considered
in the light of a bodyguard; but, as
he was in instantaneous conmunica-
ton with the telephone and district
telegraph Offices in addition to-the
connection with the railroad station
by his own private wire, the idea of
being attacked at home did not, at
first. occur to him. In few days,
however, when communications Of the
NOS. ominous kind were showed under
the front door, and finally when they
naysteriously appeared by his plate at
breakfast, he made a point of testing
the burglar alarm every night; max
ing sure that both doors and win
dows were securely boIted before re-
firing.
Then came the report that the loco
motive engineers had been called out
70 aid the strikers. In the excitement
of hastily assembling q reserve force
of old and trusted non-union men TO
supply their places, If necessary, his
personal danger was entirely forgot
ten. To the surprise Of the company's