The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-02-15
A Difference
On Dynamite,
By ROBERT BARNES.

To Jim Carrigan, the big redfaced
contractor on the railroad cut through
Horseback Ledge, came Padrone An
Eelo Valente with empty kerosene can
0ra biting, snowless December morn
irfs "How heata dynamita?" asked he,
in tones of despair. "Oil for stove all
gone"
Borrow some of Murphy at the east
end. If he hasn't any, try Jensen"
Murphy no gotta more than 'nough
for self, nor Jensen, neither. | go
to town to buy?"
That meant wait of at least an
k~ur, and perhaps good deal longer.
e. half-hour twenty-four holes would
~ ready for loading 1t was Satur-
0My forenoon, and time was precious.
Carrigan picked up an old grain-bag
in which the dulled drills were carried
to be sharpened. From box in the
squat tool-shanty he took two dozen
eight-inch sticks of dynamite, rolled
in oiled paper, and looking for all
the world like lemon-colored molasses
candy. He dropped them into the sack.
Take this to the engine house, and
tell Drew to let you put it On the
boiler" he said, with decision.
Valente swung the bag over his
shoulder and scrambled up the ladder.
The survey for the new railroad had
called for cut one thousand feet long
and eighty deep through solid feldspar.
The general contractors were driving
the work. Three gangs" one at each
base of the ridge and one on the back
bone, were making havoc with steam
and dynamite.
Carrigan's subcontract allotted him
the centre of the ledge. In his en-
ploy we're an engineer, Morrison Drew;
fireman, Frank Hix; and forty Ital-
ian laborers. Already they had blasted
a pit fifty feet deep. On the brink
stood the boiler house and derrick, and
near by ran temporary track, on
which the rock was hauled off as fast
as it was hoisted out. The boiler furn-
ished steam to the hosting engine, to
the pump that freed the pit Of water,
and to the three drills chugging away
at the hard feldspar.
Zero weather made it necessary to
heat the explosive before it could be
used; and this had been done by a pail
of hot water on AN oil stove.
As the boss was deciding where to
start his next line of holes, his ears
were greeted by the sound of excited
talk from the boiler-house. Then down
the ladder came Angelo again, bag on
shoulder.
Here, you, what are you bringing
that dynamite back for?" demanded
'Carrigan, angrily.
Engineer tell me no put it on boil, .
err" whimpered Valente.
What" shouted the contractor.
Let me talk to him!"
AS fast as his two hundred and TWEEN
ty pounds would permit, he pulled up
the ladder and stormed into the boiler
house.
Whats this l hear?" he beloved
to Drew, a small, dark-haired young
man. did you tell Angelo he couldn't
warm this dynamite on the boiler?"
Yes, l did, replied the engineer.
Didn't he tell you l sent him up
with it?"
Yes" returned Drew, but thought
you hadn't considered the matter care
fully enough when you gave him his
orders. I'm not ashamed to say that
I'm afraid of the stuff; and l don't
think you can be any too careful with
lit. 1t seems to me that it's good deal
better to take an hour or so to send a
man to Weston rather than to render
your boiler insurance void and risk the
life of everybody on the job"
Haven't l handled dynamite before
you were born, and never had an ac-
'cident yet? Put that bag on the boiler.
Angelo"
mot while I'm responsible for this
Eachinery." was Drew's firm response
The contractor flushed with anger
Who owns this outfit, anyway? Who's
hiring these men, and you, too? You
know altogether too much, young man.
to be wasting your time round here.
You're discharged; you'll get your pay
check tonight. This plants under your
control, Hix. You can run 1t all right
can't YOU"
"Sure!" said Xix, briskly. He was
older than the engineer. and had al
ways been little jealous of him. Car
rigan snatched the bag from the Ital-
tt1's hands and laid it on the boiler
I'm send one of the men up to fire
TO- you," he said, and flung out of the
coor without another look at Drew.
The discharged engineer stood for a
moment dumbfounded. 1t is not pleas
AIT to be thrown out Of ones position
lost because one has been overfaithfui