Crittenden record=press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1907-1909, 1907-05-09

one OF the best men we had on 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 fiier. 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
few years Of that kind Of work. High
speed on a locomotive is a question Of
nerve and endurance-to put it bluntly.
question Of flesh and blood
You don't think much Of this strike
DO you. Mr.. Reedi" said Andy to me
one night.
Don't think there's going TO be any,
Andy"
He laughed knowingly.
What actual grievance have the
boysY' / asked.
THE troubles on the East End" be
replied evasively.
rs that any reason for calling q
thousand men out On this endT
IF one goes ont. they all CO."
"Would you 20 outf'
Would l. Nou bet
"A man with a home and a wife and
q baby boy like yours ought 10 have
more sense"
Getting up to leave. he laughed
again confidently. That's all right
Wen bring you fellows 10 terms"
Maybe" reported as he closed the
door But | hadn't the slightest i4ea
they would begin the attempt that
night. l was at home and sound
asleep when the caller tapped on NY
window. l threw up the sash. il
was pouring rain and dark as POCKET
what is il, Barney? A wreck"
/ exclaimed
Worse than that. Everythings tied
mp"
What do you meant"
THE engineers have struck"
Struck? What time is it,"
Half past 3. They went out AT 8
o'clock" Throwing on my clothes, !
foundered behind Barney's lantern "a
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
lied 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.
II was an astounding situation. but
one that must be met II meant either
an ignominious surrender to the en-
gineers or a fight 10 the death For
our part. we had only 10 wait fo-
orders. 1t was just 6 o'clock when
the chief train dispatcher, who was
tapping al a KEY. said:
Here's something from headquar.
tiers"
We crowded close around him. His
pen few across the clip; the message
was addressed TO all division super.
intendents. Ii was short. but at the
end of ii he wrote a name we rarely
saw in our office. 1t was that Of tie
railroad magnate we knew 8s the old
man." the president of the system, and
his words We're few:
"Move the trainsw
''Move the trainsr 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
xtrn
pers. The sun set without the turn Of
a wheel. The victory Of the first d..
was certainly with the strikers.
Next day it looked pretty blue around
the depot. Not ear 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 su-
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 DenverF'
We looked at each other. At last all
eyes gravitated toward Neighbor. our
master mechanic.
The train dispatcher was waiting
"W'hat shall | say" he asked.
The division chief Of the motive pow
er was a tremendously big Irishmnn
with voice Ike a fog horn. Wlthor'