The Greeley tribune., 1907-02-07

l. say yes.
e Every one of lis started. 1t was
!. throwing the gage of battle. Our word
f had gone out: the division was pledged
: the fight was on.
t Next evening the strikers through
: some mysterious channel got word that
/ the tlier was expected. About O'Clock
Il crowd of them began TO gather round
the depot.
1t was after l O'Clock when No. !
pulled in, and the foreman of the Oma-
ha roundhouse swung down from the
locomotive cab. The strikers clustered
around the engine like II swarm of an
CRY bees. but that night, though there
was plenty of jeering, there was no
actual violence. When they saw
Nei"hbor climb into the cab TO take
the run west there was a sullen si-
lence.
Next day a committee of strikers,
with Andy Cameron. very cavalier, at
their head. called on me.
Mr. Reed said he ofiiciously,
we've come To notify you not to run
any more trains through here till this
strikes settled The boys won't stand
it. That's ALL With that he turned on
his heel to leave with his following.
Hold OIL Cameron" replied, rails
ing my hand as l spoke; that's not
quite all. l suppose you men repre-
sent your grievance committee"
Yes. sir
Il happen TO represent. in the sup
erintendent's absence. the manage
=
say to you and to your committee
that | take my orders from the presi
dent and the general manager-not
| from you nor anybody you represent
| That's all"
Every hour the bitterness increased.
! We got Il few trains through, but we
We're terribly crippled. AS for freight.
we made no pretense of moving it
! Train loads of fruit and meat rotted
in the yards. The strikers grew more
turbulent daily. They beat our new
men and crippled our locomotives.
Then our troubles with the new men
We're almost as bad. They burned out
our crown sheets; they got mixed
up on orders all the time. They ran
into open switches and into each other
continually and had us very nearly
crazy.
l kept tab on one of the new en-
gineers for a week. He began by
backing into a diner so hard that he
smashed every dish in the car and
ended by running into siding a few
days later and setting two tanks Of
oil on fire, that burned up u freight
depot. l figured he cost us $4,000 the
week he ran. Then he went back to
selling windmills.
, After this experience I was sitting
[ IN my office one evening when a
, youngish fellow in a slouch hat opened
, the door and stuck his head in
3 what do you want?' 1 growled.
Are you Mr.. Reed?"
$ "What do you want?"
s II want to speak to Mr.. Reed"
r "Well. what is it?'
1 "Are you Mr.. Reed"
0 "Confohnd you, yes! What do yo,
e want?"
: "Me: l don't want anything. In
: just asking; that's all"
His impudence staggered me so tina
It took my feet off the desk.
r Heard you were looking for men,
l. he added
r NO. l snapped. 81 don't want an,
r. men"
n Wouldn't be any show to get on III
3 engine, would there?"
A week earlier I should have rise,
t and fallen on his neck, but there ha,
been others.
nrH,S eh -
e broke" l suggested.
l. Il don't mind that if get my time.
e What do you know about rupnin
y an engine?"
'e Run one three years"
~ "On a thrashing machine?'
W "On the Philadelphia and Reading"
"Who sent you in here?"
i, "Just dropped in
=. "Sit down.
IN eyed him sharply as he droppe
- into a chair
~ when did you quit the PHILADELPHIA
- and Reading?'
A. about six months ago.
"Fired?'
t. "Strike."
:. l began to get interested. After
y. few more questions l took him int
= the superintendent's office, but at tt
=, door l thought it well to drop hint.
- Look here, my friend, if you're
~ spy you'd better keep out of this. TIL
~ ~ man would wiring your neck as quic
- as he'd suck an orange. See?"
=. Lets tackle him anyhow" replie
the fellow, eying me coolly
l introduced him to Mr. Lancast,
- and left them together. Pretty SOC
the superintendent came into my offic
'e What do you make of him, Reed,
ce said he.
ne What do you make of him?"
~ Lancaster studied minute.
II Iake him over to the roundhou.
and see what he knows"
LII l walked over with the new fin
Ohn4