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 f1ier. The fast runs require young
men. If you will notice, you will rarely
see an old engineer on fast passenger
run. Even young man can stand only
few years of that kind of work. II Oh
speed on a locomotive is n 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. 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.
The troubles on the East End" be
replied evasively.
rs that any reason for calling Il
thousand men out n this end:'
If one goes oUt. they all GO
Would you 20 oUtf'
Would !: Yo1 bet
"A man with d home and a wife AID
a baby boy like yours ought 10 have
more sense"
Getting up 70 leave he laughed
again confidently That's all right
Wen bring You fellows TO terms"
Maybe" reported as he closed the
door. But l hadn't the slightest lGca
they would begin the attempt that
night WAS at home and sound
asleep when the caller tapped on NY
window. threw NJ the sash; it
was pouring rain and dark as q pocket
What is it, Barney? \ wreck"
exclaimed.
Worse than that. Everything's tied
up
What do you mean
THE engineers have struck"
STRUCK? What time is it,"
Half past 8. They went out at
O'clock" Throwing on my clothes. l
foundered behind Barney's lantern 10
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.
l,,,+
one that must he met. 1t meant either
an ignominious surrender 10 the en-.
gineers or a fight 10 the death. For
our part. we had only to wait 70"
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
lntendents. 1t was short but mt the
end of it he wrote name we rarely
saw in our Office. II was that of tie
railroad magnate we knew as the old
man." the president of the system. and
his words We're few:
"Move the trains
"Move the trains" repeated the SUI
perintendent. Yes. but trains can't
be moved by pinch bars nor 10y 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 TEN
pers. The sun set without the turn OF
wheel. The victory of the first d.;
was certainly with the strikers.
Next day it looked pretty blue around
the depot. Not a car was moved. The
engineers and fremen We're unit
But the wires sung hard all that day
and all that night. Just before mid
night Chicago wired that No. 1-our
big passenger train, the Denver tier-
had started out Oh time, with the su-
perintendent of motive power as ell
gineer and 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 il
through to Denveri'
We looked at each other. At last all
eyes gravtated toward Neighbor. our
master mechanic.
The train dispatcher was waiting.
"What shall | say?" he asked.
The division chief Of the motive pow
er was tremendously big Irishmnn.
with a voice Ike a fog horn. Wlthor'