Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-12-17
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Battle on the Desert.

Out in the sage-covered wilds a
horde Of pigmies charged the ice
bound earth with pick and powder.
Fighting desperately against endless
malignant obstacles, George Gregory
forged on toward Salt Lake, the goal
of his dreams.
Side by side, mile after mile, the
rival companies ran their grades, the
Central Pacific working steadily east,
the Union Pacific rushing west from
their main front, and pushing east
with the grade they had begun at
Humboldt Wells. They hoped to out
run their rivals and meet their own
iron far west of Salt Lake.
Thus the days sped. Gregory's life
became a profane prayer for iron. For
ten days his men worked but four
hours a day. The rest of the time
they slept, visited or tramped. A few
quarreled, some gambled on the SLY.
Yet these men averaged well, and it
was not for them Gregory held his
~sleepless vigilance, but for the tide of
rif-raff setting westward from the on
coming Union Pacific, from the remote
mines and camps, and taking toll of
mischief as it passed.
One night, worn with fruitless court
ship Of sleep, Gregory rose and went
out into the desert cold, striding
noiselessly down the sleeping tented
town. He turned the other way,
passed the boarding train, the com
missary, the shops, and on by the
Chinese camps. Returning, a slight
noise caught his ear as he neared the
wheeled bakery. He stopped, listened,
and sent his lantern ray against the
door. 1t was ajar.
Presently a man came out with a
loaf Of bread and climbed down the
steps into Gregory's light. He was a
recent conner, thick, sturdy, with
beetling brows and fierce, resentful
eyes.
What are you doing here?" thun
dered Gregory.
Il walked too far to get back fol
supper, and went for ome bread" the
mar answered readily enough.
How'd you open the door? Wasnt
1t locked?"
eyes, sir; but I got the key. +"
He got no farther. Gregory dropped
his lantern and few at him. Hot an
ger and the power Of authority rein
forced Gregory's more than usua
strength. He rained blows and invec
tive IN the offender; listed him ant
booted him; kicked him under the
wagon finally, with a last irate charge
Lie there, you dog! till daylight, II
you want to; but be out of this camI
before I see you again, you son Of
iniquity! Blast your eyes! I'll see II
stealing can't be stopped here!"
Gregory hurried away, but not fast
enough to escape the mans defiant re
joinder: Taking a loaf OF bread In
place Of supper's no stealing. I'll be
even with you for this, you damned
slave.driver!"
The voice was weak, but Gregory
felt the venom, and its threat.
There's a man under the bakery
that I've ordered out Of camp" he said
to the Waterman, Is the two met. "See
that he goes; but give him this-or
the quiet, you understand" The watch
man took the five dollars. He's only
worked two days; there won't be
much coming to him, poor devil" the
superintendent said compassionately
It was this side of Gregory's varied
character that won for him the allie
glance and service of the men he
drove hard, though less hard than he
drove himself.
Gov. Stanford established headquar
ters at Salt Lake City, and Superin
tendent Crocker fitted up and down
the line to the Front whenever the
Sacramento office did not claim him
The movements of the directors
seemed fatally slow to Gregory, the
man Of steel, who must ask no ques
lions but execute their of1ce-made
plans. He chafed more than eves ovei
delay in forwarding materials, for he
was desperately near the end of all
the rails on the coast.
why don't you get iron across the
Isthmus?' he asked Of Mr.. Croker
when the latter had told OF the de
layed ships carrying iron, Locomotives
and other supplies.