Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-03-12

~
@N q been moved.
| NNNNaS Things looked
x s: smoky on the
? Is -: West End.
The general
superintendent happened to be with
US when the news came.
"You can't handle II, boys" said he
nervously. "What you'd better do is
to turn it over to the Columbian Pa
cific."
Our contracting freight agent on the
coast at that time was fellow so er-
ratio that he was nicknamed Crazy
horse. Right In the midst Of the strike
Crazyhorse wired that he had secured
big silk shipment for New York. We
were paralyzed.
| We had no engineers, no firemen and
no motive power to speak of. The
strikers were pounding our men.
wrecking our trains and giving us the
worst Of 1t generally-that Is, when
we couldn't give II to them. Why the
fellow displayed his activity at that
particular juncture still remains Il
mystery. Perhaps he had q grudge
against the road. If so, he took an
artful revenge. Everybody on the sys-
tenn with ordinary railroad sense knew
| that our struggle was to keep clear OF
freight business until we got rid OF
our strike. Anything valuable or per-
ishable was especially unwelcome.
But the stuff was docked and loadei
and consigned In our care before we
knew 1t. After that refusal to carry
it would be like hoisting the white
flag, and that Is something which
never yet flew on the West End.
Turn 1t over to the Columbian"
said the general superintendent. But
the general superintendent was not
looked Up to OH our division. He
hadn't enough sand. Our head was a
fighter. and he gave tone to every man
under him.
mo" lie thundered. bringing down
his fist. mot in a thousand years!
Well move II ourselves. Wire Mont
gomery. the general manager, that we
| will take care of 1t. And wire him to
| fire CraZyhorse-and to do 1t right Off"
And before the silk was turned over
| to us CrazyhOrse was looking for an
other job. 1t is the only case Oh rec
ord where freight hustler was dis
charged for getting business.
There were twelve car loads. 1t
was insured for $50. 900 a car. You can
| figure how far the title Is wrong. but
| YOU can never estimate the worry that
stuff gave us. 1t looked as Zig as
| $12OOO.O0O worth. In fact. one scrub
car tink. with the glory Of the West
END at heart. had Il fight over the
amount with Il skeptical hostler. He
| maintained that the actual money
value was u hundred and twenty mil
lions. but gave you the figures Just
| rs they went over the wire, and they
| are right.
What bothered us most was that the
strikers had the tip almost as soon as
we had it. Having friends on every
road In the country. they knew as
much about our business as we
ourselves. The minute 1t was un-
nounced that we should move the silk
they were after us. 1t was q defiance
a last one. If we could move freight
for we were already moving pas;cn-
| gers after q fashion-the strike might
be well accounted beaten.
| Stewart. The leader Of the local con
tingent, together with his followers.
| got after me Mt once.
"YOu don't show much sense, Reed"
said he. You fellows here are break
ing your necks to get things moving.
and when this strikes over If Our boys
ask for your discharge they'll get it..
This road can't run without our engi-
neers We're going to beat you. If
you dare try to move this stuff we'll
have your scalp when it's over. You'll
never get your silk to GAINESVILLE, I'll
promise you that. And II you ditch 1t
and make Il million dollar loss. you'll
get let out anyway. my buck"
"I'm here to obey orders. Stewart"
retorted. What was the use Of more?
felt uncomfortable. but we had de-
termned to move the silk. There was
| nothing more to be said.
| When ! went over to the rOundhouse
and told Neighbor the decision he said
never word. but he looked great
deal. Neighbours task was to supply
the motive power All that we had.
uncrippled. was in the passenger serv-
Ice, because passengers must he NOV
ed-must be taken care Of first Of all.
In order to win strike you must
have public opinion on your side.
"Nevertheless, Neighbor." said l.
after we had talked awhile. I'VE must
move the silk also"
Neighbor studied. then he roared at
his foreman.
"Send Bartholomew Mullen here"
He spoke with n decision that made me
think the business was done. had
never happened. 1t Is true, to hear OF
Bartholomew Mullen In the depart
ment of motive power. but the i'm
preston the name gave me was Of a
monstrous fellow. big as Neighbor or
old man Sankey or Dad Hamilton.
T'll put Bartholomew ahead Of it."
muttered Neighbor tightly. A boy
walked into the Office.
"Mr. Garten said you wanted to see
me. SIR" said he, addressing the mas.
ter mechanic.
81 do. Bartholomew" responded
Nelghbor.
The figure in my minds eye shrunk
In q twinkling. Then 1t occurred tc
me that 1t must be this boys father
who was wanted.
"You have been begging for q chance
to take out an engine, Bartholomew,
began Neighbor coldly. And knew II
was on.
Eyes, sir"
"You want to get killed, Bartholo
new"
d Bartholomew smiled as II the ides
was not altogether displeasing.
"How would you like to 60 pilot to
morrow for McCurdy7 You to take thu
a and run as first "a. McCurdy viii
run as second 78"
~ know I could run an engine al
IL~lku .,>~A..~oS navxho1nvnow oa {t