The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-01-21

zss:.sisSzn II warming
enough Yet in
the railroad life there is always fric-
ton in some quarter The railroad
man sleeps like the soldier. with an
ear alert. but just the same he sleeps,
for with waking comes duty.
Our engineers were good fellows. If
they had faults they were American
faults-rashness a liberality bordering
on extravaganza and headstrong VIC
lent way Of reaching conclusions
traits born Of ability and self conf
dence and developed by prosperity.
One of the best men we had on a To-
connective was Andrew Cameron; at the
same time he was one of the hardest
to manage, because he was young and
headstrong. Andy, big, powerful fell
low, ran opposite Felix Kennedy on
the flier. The fast runs REQUIRE young
men If you will notice, you will rarely
see an old engineer on a fast passenger
run. Even young man can stand only
a few years Of that kind of work. High
speed on locomotive is a question of
nerve and endurance-to put it bluntIy.
a question of flesh and blood.
"You don't think much of this strike,
do you, Mr.. Reed?" said Andy to me
one night.
Don't think there's going to be any.
Andy"
He laughed knowingly.
What actual grievance have the
boys?" l asked.
1.-THE troubles on the East End. /" he
replied evasively.
rs that any reason for calling
thousand men out on this end?'
IF one goes out, they all co."
would you go out?'
would /? You betr'
"a man with a home and a wife and
a baby boy like yours ought to have
more sense"
Getting up to leave, he laughed
again confidently That's all right.
Wen bring you fellows to terms.''
Maybe" l reported as he closed the
door. But | hadn't the slightest idea
they would begin the attempt that
night. | was at home and sound
asleep when the caller tapped on my
window. I threw up the sash; it
was pouring rain and dark as pocket.
what is 1t, Barney? A wreck?p
/ exclaimed.
Worse than that. Everything's tied
up"
What do you mean?"
''The engineers have struck"
Struck? What time is itT'
"4aIf past 3. They went out at
o'clock" Throwing on my clothes, /
fioundered behind Barney's lantern to
the depot. The superintendent was
already in his office talking to the
master mechanic.
Bulletins came in every few minutes
from various points announcing trains
tied up. Before long we began to hear
from the East End. Chicago reported
all engineers out; Omaha wired no
trains moving. When the sun rose
that morning our entire system, ex-
tending through seven states and ter
ritories, was absolutely paralyzed.
1t was an astounding situation, but
one that must be met 1t meant either
an ignominious surrender to the en-
gineers or fight to the death. For
our part, we had only to wait for
orders. 1t was just 6 o'clock when
the chief train dispatcher, who was
tapping at key, said:
Here's something from headquar-
ters."
We crowded close around him. His
pen few across the clip; the message
was addressed to all division super
intendents. 1t was short, but at the
end of it he wrote a name we rarely
saw In our office. 1t was that of the
railroad magnate we knew as 1.-The old
man." the president of the system, and
his words were few:
''Move the trainsw
''Move the trains!" repeated the su-
perintendent. Yes, but trains can't
be moved by pinch bars nor by main
force"
We spent the day arguing with the
strikers. They were friendly, but firm.
Persuasion, entreaties, threats. we ex-
hausted and ended just where we be-
gan, except that we had lost our tenn
pers The sun set without the turn of
q wheel. The victory of the first day
was certainly with the strikers.
Next day 1t looked pretty blue around
the depot. Not car was moved. The
engineers and fremen were a unit.
But the wires sung hard all that day
and all that night. Just before mid
night Chicago wired that No. Our
big passenger train, the Denver hier-
had started out on time, with the SUI
perintendent of motive power as en-
gineer and a wiper for fireman. The
message came from the second vice
president He promised to deliver the
train to our division on time the next
evening. and he asked, "Can you get it
through to DenverT'
We looked at each other. At last alI
eyes gravitated toward Neighbor, our
master mechanic.
The train dispatcher was waiting