The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-02

them have told me That II labor nlatters
are loft to Wallace everything will be
all right. and find this to be the stand
Ing OF the chief engineer with our labor.
organized and unorganized. All his life
he has been dealing with labor questions.
and laborlng men. During his railroad
career he has had his troubles with the
unions, and has usually settled them
without strikcs. At such times he met
with the men themselves, showed that he
was willing to give as well as take, pnd.
when he could 80 no farther in 4 his con-
!ccssors. he brought his employees to time,
by speaking something like this: e
gentlemen, / have gone as far as
I can, and now / want you to put your
selves in my place. I have moro at stake
in this matter than you. You can strike.
but you2all know that you can get back
again. But as for me, IL 1 give you what
you ask, shall lose my job. am put!
here BY tho stockholders TO make this
road pay and they won keep me ifi It
don't pay. II can't do thatsif i give ) oui
wha you ask, for the road can't stand
1t. Now leave the matter withtyou." d
4 AS a result the men would go off and
confer und soon return q ABANDONING their:
demand, or making some small compro
mise by which they could go back TO-
work. 3p;8Hi
Little Chance for Graft. hi
Indeed, \ 1t is tho absolute honesty which
shines out Of everything connected with
Mr.. Wallace that makes him success,
full handler of men. I have heard a good
deal about graft at Panama. So far /
have not seen enough Doodle here atoapay
the cigar expenses Of government clerk.
There are contractors at Panama, but
only q few contracts have been let and
everyone Is treated inlpartlally. Ordinary
contracts arc placed by the various de-
partmcnts, and only the biggest things
come before the chief gineer. To show
low he. deals with such men, the other
daysa contractor slipped past the- door
Keeper and entering his private office.
said: 55 a il sss
5;ti5. .a1r. Wallace my name ii is Smith i
am a friend Of your friend, Blank, Of
Chicago, and | called TO see IL we could
not sell you certain building supplies
'.Ah r. replied the chief engineer: Il am
indeed glad to see friend of AR Blank,
sbutaI have nothing to do with such pnr-
cllases. I do not bot her with details. The
person you want to see is Mr.. Johnson,
the supervising architect. ana whatever
he says, goes. am glad to see you. how
ever. and hope you Will remember me
Mr.. Blank, MY messenger will
show you where 10 find Mr. Johnson
#3 Tho man left and that, strange to say,
not displeased. Whether he placed his
contract or not i do not know. ri.
At the Point Of the Pistol.
sss3I have Just one more story, and that.
lis to Illustrate the nerve OF Uncle SANS
chief engineer. The incident occurred in
the extension Of the Illinois Central Rail-
road. There was much opposition from
tho property owners, and on one farm
where the track was to cross, the owner,
a drunken fellow. protested that he would
$shoottthe first railroad manswho climbed
4 his fcncefto begin work. The track was
4 laid almost toGthe fence when Chief Ems
gineer Wallace, who had not heard Of
the mans threat, came up to look over
the ground. He went right ahaad, jump:
ed the fence. and had ken about three
steps beyond 1T when he found himself
facing the barrel Of a loaded revolver
held by manSwho was evidently drunk.
The drunkards hand was trembling anl.
his finger was OH the trigger. FIe said
with an oath: " u
ItA"I told them i would shoot the first.
railroad man who crossed hat fence.
and AM glad you are the man. You.
are the engineer and you are the cause
of all this trOnblc.' 81 A
Mr.. Wallace looked the man In the eye
and as he did SO recognized him as ono
who had worked for him before His
face did not. change, but in a quiet tone
8of authority he said, rs he took a cigar
from his pocket and put 1t IN his MOUTH.
"Jlm, Give me a match"
!. The drunkard dropped his pistol and
handed out n match Ie fell at once
into his old place as one of Mr. Wa! lace
employees, and as lie did so the engineer
said: u Il
Now, Jim, what Is the matter with
You? ] know you are a good fellow. and
i also knowsthat you and ! are not going
to have any trouble. Let's go offand
talk this over"
With that he man put UP his pistol
and walked With Mr.. Wallace toit shanty
They chatted a while, and the
man finally told Mr.. Wallace that no
could put the rond through his farm II
The wonld give him a job. When they.
came 3out they found the track was al
ready laid clear across the field. and the
man was at once surrounded. by his fam
ily and friends and denounced for per-
hitting 1t. He stuck to his promiSe.
sllowever although it was only a. few
hours before that he had said that lie
would demand several thousand dollars
damages, This occurred on Saturday.
That same night this man, still drunk,
tried to break into u saloon, and was
shot ut througllsthe door by tho saloon
list and killed.
FRANK g CARPENTER,
A NEW sELDORADO
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