Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1904-12-24
Made the Suffers Pay.

Made the Suffers Pay.
81 remember well an experience we
had with suffers said Dan R. Ander-
son. at came to my mind with that
story of looping the loop of Loup
creek. That is the only river or creek
in the world that runs over itself,
under itself, and around itself There
are some close seconds, but Loup
creek stands first for crookedness. l
remember on one occasion my COM
pany was encamped just across the
Kanawha opposite Loup creek. We
used to put in most of our odd time,
when we had no steamboats, to unload,
watching the waters of the Loup as
they came out into the Kanawha.
1.-The water had become so crooked
coming down the creek that it didn't
cease making loops and circles until
it reached the opposite shore, when it
made graceful whirl and lost its
identity in the Great Kanawha. 1t was
at Loup creek camp where company
H, First Kentucky infantry, got first
pay of $11 per month. What lot of
money that wasi My recollection is
that a money consideration did not
have a place in reckoning up the case
listed, so we were somewhat agree
ably surprised to receive two months
pay in gold or ante-bellum paper
money, as we chose.
"Our business was to unload gov
eminent property from steamboats,
that could go no further up only on
extra hazardous risk. Three boats
had been un1oaded and the goods
hauled by teams to Gauley bridge,
which was the headquarters of our
brigade, and was supply post for
the army of West Virginia. Soon after
the unloaded boats got away on their
return, a boat loaded entirely with
sutler goods tied up at the landing,
and seven suffers came to our tents
and asked for 'rousters.' We had
had plenty of that kind of work in
unloading the three boats, and as we
had money to burn, we were indif-
ferent whether the suffers got their
goods off or not
Captain Cahin was in command of
the post and quartered in cabin near
ly half mile from the camp OF the
company. We told the suffers that
we would work if they would pay us
81 cents an hour per man. They de-
INJURED and went and saw the captain
TT is your duty to unload the goods.
and 1 command you to do SO at once
No one made a move toward the boat,
and it was evident from the looks of
the boys that they were not entirely
in accord with the views of the cap
tain was singled out from the
bunch and ordered to go to the boat
I went At that the captain smiled
knowing smile to the suffers with the
other eye.
81 caught the inspiration and saw
that we were being done for, but not
vet. After we were all aboard the
captain was seemingly in great glee.
We lust stood around and when the
order direct came to me to shoulder
a box of cheese and take 1t ashore,
1 fatty refused. I told the captain
that if. 1 was promised so cents an
hour for the time 1 worked, would
work. Otherwise not. The captain
was in a rage instantly, but it was
impotent. All the boys followed my
lead. and after the captain held a con-
ference with the suffers, one of them
came out and said they would pay the
SO cents
ct was only after the threat of the
captain of the boat to take the cargo
back to Charleston that they agreed
to this-with a mental reservation at
the suggestion of Captain Cahill- In
four hours the boats cargo was
ashore Two mysterious boxes
marked sKronk, One Doz-' were taken
| to the cabins cabin and from. the hill
arity in that direction we guessed
kronk was it We were not at all
sure that ~ would get our pay with
| out a lien on the goods
I'VE had small wedge tents, six
meut to q tent We stored a barrel
Iof ginger snaps, a box of cheese,
| caddie OF tobacco, boxes of cigars,