Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-12-24
CHAPTER VII.

THE FORGING OF TIE Zig GUN.
~MlTIl. the foreman in charge OF
U the somm'rS gun. was raging
He lurchcd up aud down in
front Of the furnaces. cursing the men,
drivin. them here and there making
all manner Of confusion. apparently
without reason. OLcary. his assistant.
had done his best to quiet the half
crazed foreman. OLeary and every
man on the job knew that the Som
mers gun was in grave danger OF be-
ing ruined. 1t had been scheduled To
go into the furnace mt o'clock. but
Smith shortly after noon had lurched
in. called his men together and showed
the gun into the furnace three hours
ahead Of time. Now it was nearly
midnight. and unless the gun came out
shortly every man knew that II would
be completely ruined 1t must come
out. be brought to the proper tempcra-
ture and then thrust into the tempering
bath-a thousand gallons OF Oil
The last time Smith had been I'm
charge OF the job he had put gun
into the bath at too high n temperature
and il had burst nj the proving ground
Smith on that occasion had been laid
off and had net been brought back to
work until The casting of the Sommers
| gun. Then Pi:"knry had sent for him
and. after Il lnn- talk in his private
office. had placed the diSgraced fore
man In complete charge Of this new
and very Important piece of work.
At the casting Of the Hhincstrom gun
| Pinckncy himself had taken complete
| charge. Siayin= in the furnace room
until all the work WIS finished. and
the marked difference in the handing
of the two jobs had not escaped some
/ of the SLrcwdcr workmcn.
Looks like they don't care a hang
whether thi@ one goes ar not. Vl.eary.
! the assistant foreman. had complained
! ITS plain foo!iShness. putting Smith
on the job I'm just get him in trou-
! BILE and won't do any good That guns
| bound To he Il failure IL we amt care
! full"
The men had taken OLeary's view
OF the matter and were doing all they
could to make this Job a success.
Sommers during his stay about the
works had become tremendously popu-
lar They wanted to do their best
! for him: also OLcary expected in
the fall to marry Lucy Smith. the fore
mans daughter. and therefore he had
an interest in putting the job through
right
| Sommers WAS to come down about
| l:3O In the morning, when the gun was
expected to go into the temperng bath.
That was the important work. and he
was determined to superintend II.
However. with Smith putting the gun
In three hours ahead Of time there
seemed every chance that unless Som.
mers should he warned Of the change
the gun would be In the bath and ev.
erything Of Importance over before the
navy man should arrive
In vain OLeary pleaded with Smith
to do something about the gun.
Its been In too long already.
Smith," he urged. DO you want to
ruin this job: Who'll take care Of
you when you ruin another gunY
You'll be down and out for good"
| The forenan. swaying from side to
side. locked at his assistant with a
! drunken lcer.
who'll take care of meY" he sneer-
| ed. Don't you worry about who'll
| take care OF me. I'm the best man
about these works drunk or sober. and
don't you forget it,"
OLeary could not be put Off.
Then II you're the best man show
III! he shouted. "Show it by tending
to BUSINESS! That gun II be ruined In
no time.'
Smith. broad. brutal. savage from
drink. aimed blow at his assistant.
you will interfere" he shouted,
"You think you're better man than
am! I'll show you! I'll let you know
who's the boss Of this here iobw
ULeary lodged the blow and jump
ed out Of the way as the foreman
rushed. Again the foreman came at
him, but the assistant grabbed an iron
bar and stood ready.
You take another step and I'll brain
you" he yelled above the roar and the