The Greeley tribune., 1907-02-07

man sleeps like the soldier, with al
ear alert, but just the same he sleeps
for with waking comes duty.
our engineers We're good fellows. II
they had faults they were American
faults-rashness. liberality borderins
on extravaganza and a headstrOng. vio
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 IL 10
comotive 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 fller The fast runs require young
men. If you will notice, you will rarely
see an old engineer on fast passenger
run Even II young man can stand only
few years of that kind of work. High
speed on a locomotive is Il 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" he
replied evasivGly.
rs that any reason for calling Il
thousand men out on this end!'
IF one goes out, they all co.
Would you go out?'
''Would /? You bet,"
"A man with home and q wife and
baby boy like yours ought to have
more sense
Getting up to leave, he laughed
again confidently. "That's all right.
Well bring you fellows to terms"
Maybe" reported as he closed the
door. But l hadn't the slightest idea
they would begin the attempt that
night. l was at home and sound
asleep when the caller tapped on my
window. L threw up the sash; II
was pouring rain and dark as a pocket
what is 1t, Barney? A wreck?'
l exclaimed.
"Worse than that. Everythings tieG
up"
What do you mean"
"The engineers have struck"
"Struck? What time is it?'
Half past 3. They went out at
o'clock" Throwing on my clothes,
fioundered behind Barney's lantern t,
the depot. The superintendent wa
already in his office talking to tn
master mechanic.
Bulletins came in every few minute
from various points announcing train
tied up. Before long we b. ;an to hea
from the East End. Chic. % reporte
all engineers out; Omaha wired n
trains moving. When the sun ros
that morning our entire system, e1
tending through seven states and tel
ritories, was absolutely paralyzed.
1t was an astounding situation, bu
one that must be met 1t meant eithe
an ignominious surrender to the Ell
gineers or fight to the death. Fc
our part, we had only to wait fc
orders. 1t was just 6 o'clock whe
the chief train dispatcher, who wa
tapping at a key, said:
Heres something from headqua
ters.''
We crowded close around him. H
pen flew across the clip; the messa2
was addressed to all division supe
intendents. 1t was short, but at tt
end of it he wrote u name we rare
saw in our office. 1t was that of ii
railroad magnate we knew as 1.-The O
man." the president of the system, ar
his words We're few:
'Move the trains!"
''NIove the trainsr' repeated the s
perintendent. Yes, but trains car
be moved by pinch bars nor by ma
force"
We spent the day arguing with Il
strikers. They We're friendly. but tirl
Persuasion, entreaties, threats, we G
hausted and ended just where we b
pers. The sun set without the turn
n wheel. The victory of the first d,
was certainly with the strikers.
Next day it looked pretty blue aroul
the depot. Not car was moved II
engineers and firemen were a un
But the wires sung hard all that d;
and all that night. Just before mi
night Chicago wired that No. 10
big passenger train, the Denver fiier
had started out on time, with the S
perintendent of motive power as G
gineer and wiper for fireman. T.
message came from the second vi
president. He promised to deliver t
train to our division on time the ne
evening, and he asked, "Can you get
through to DenverY
We looked at each other At last
eyes sravitated toward Neighbor, O
master mechanic
The train dispatcher was waitin
"What shall I say?" he asked.
The division chief of the motive po'
ier was tremendously big Irishma
with voice like fog horn. wltho