The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-23

SI@TNz On enty-nine of
these men walk
ed out. One fireman-just one-stayed
with the company; that was Dad Ham
iIton
yes" growled Dad, combating the
protests of the strikers committee. Il
know it. / belong to your lodge. But
I'll tell you now-an' I've told you
afore-I amt gofn' to strike on the
company so long as Neighbor is master
mechanic on this division; amt a-goin'
to do 1t, an you might as we'll Quit.
II you jaw here from now till Christ
mas, 'twon't change my mind mar
Bit
And they didn't change it. Through
the calm and through the storm. and
1t stormed hard for awhile, Dad Ham
ilton, whenever we could supply him
with an engineer fired religiously.
No other man in the service could
have done it without getting killed,
but Dad was old enough to father any
man among the strikers. Moreover
he was a giant physically and eceen-
trio enough to move along through the
heat of the crisis Indifferent to the
abuse of the other men, His gray
hairs and his tremendous physical
strength saved him from personal VIC
lence.
| Our master mechanic, Neighbor,
| was another big man, six feet an inch
In his stockings, and strong as a draw
bar. Between Neighbor and the old
fireman there existed some sort of a
| honda liking, an affinity. Dad Ham
/ ilton had fred on our division ten
years. There was no promotion for
Dad; he could never be an engineer,
though only Neighbor knew why. But
his Job of firing on the river division
was sure as long as Neighbor signed
the payrolls at The roundhouse.
Hence there was no surprise when
the superintendent offered him an en-
| CINE, Just after the strike, that Dad
refused to take it.
I'm fireman, and Neighbor knows
It, l amt no engineer I'll make
steam for any man you put in the cab
with me, but l won't touch a throttle
for no man. l laid it down, and I'll
never pinch it again-an' no offense
t. you. Neighbor, neither,'
Thus ended the negotiations with
Dad on that subject; threats and en-
treaties were useless. Then, too, In
spite of his protested willingness to
throw coal for any man we put on his
engine, he was continually rowing
about the green runners we gave him
From the standpoint of a railroad mar
they were a tough assortment; for 6
fellow may be good painter, or 6
handy man with jack plane, or al
expert machinest even and yet fail
ure as an engine runner.
After we got hold of Foley, Neighbol
put him on awhile with Dad, and the
grizzled fireman quickly declared thai
Foley was the only man on the pay
roll who knew how to move train.
The little chap proved such re
markable find that I tried hard to ge
some of his eastern chums to come
out and join him. After a good bi
of hustling we did get half a dozeI
more Reading boys for our new corD'
of engine men, but the East End of
; ficials kept all but one Of them on theil
own divisions. That one we got be
cause nobody on the East End wantet
T him.
:, They've crimped the whole bunch
Foley" said l, answering his inquiries
There's Just one fellow reported her
he came In on 5 this morning
Neighbours had a little talk with him
but he doesn't think much of him.
guess we're out the transportation o.
that fellow"
whats his nameT' asked Foley
us he off the Reading"
''C1aims he is; his name is McNeap'-
''AfcNealf' echoed Foley, surprised
: Not George McNeal?'
sI don't know what his first name /:
He's nothing but boy"
: Dark complexioned fellow"
, perhaps you'd call him that; sort Q
} soft spoken"
George McNeaI, sure's you're borI
: If you've got him you've got bir(
2 He ran opposite me between New Yor
2 and Philadelphia on the limited.
i want to see him right off. If it's Geo
D gle, you're all right
Y Foley's talk went a good way wit
me any time. When l told Neighbc
s about it he pricked up his ears. Will
z we were debating in rushed Fole
i. with the kid, as he called him.
: AS luck would have it, Neighbor pl
n the boy on the 244 with Dad Hami
ton. and Dad proceeded at once I
e make what Foley termed "a gres
Y roar"
e whats the matter" demande
Neighbor ROUGHLY when the old fir