The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-12-17
The Battle
BY
CLEVELAND MOFFETT
Novelized b.. he Author
From His Cres. Play of
the Same Name
Copyright. 1909. by c. w. Dillins-
hmm Co.
lContinued from page l9l


same plan. They want TO do fine
things. but they can't afford to-just
now"
That evening In the Moran home.
where Jenny was beginning to be sore
~ missed. Gentle produced scrap books
containing facts for Haggleton's fur.
Their edifcation. Moran was out in the
streets searching for his daughter. as
was his nightly custom now. Philip
stood at the window. Haggleton and
Gentle girded themselves for the strug-
gle. 1t was for him that they were
fighting.
I'D like to show you some state
ments," began Gentle, opening one Of
the scrap books, that bear on the sub
dents caused by lack of them. You're
great railroad magnate, one of seven
men who own most of the railroads in
the United States"
II have some influence in railroad
matters, but
Yes, you have some influence" said
Gentle dryly. do you know how
Ahdny pSOpiC yOui idbiOuuS NIL anu
injure every year."
mo-" answered Haggleton.
~ have the figures here" said Gen
tie. pointing TO the scrap book. land
they show that in the year just past
you and your fellow magnates killed
over 10000 persons on the railroads of
the United States. You killed Jenny's
ha Sc
gleton. You may ask why | dwell on
railroad accidents when our problem
is poverty. Because there is terri
BILE relation between the two. You
speak contemptuously of those who
have failed in life. You like to think
that the million or more in this city
who are in poverty are there by their
own fault. | want you to know that
thousands of them are there because
you railway kings have failed to do
your duty"
Haggleton made an angry gesture.
Gentle lifted his hand.
LET me finish. In the past year
over $4,000 persons were injured by
railway accidents in the United States,
ffths Of them your own employees.
Think of that-S0.O0O crippled and
MANNED In one of your enter
prises! There is part of your magnate
handiwork. You take these working
men into your service. these passen-
gers into your trains. you accept their
toll or their money. and then. instead
nf thar hv faf
ances that are perfectly well known
and In constant use abroad. you tor
ture them in criminal wrecks. you
burn them. you scald them. you tear
off their hands or feet, you crush their
legs or arms. you wrench their backs.
you fracture their skulls. You do this
to little children. 70 loving mothers, to
young men; you do il every day of the
year to over 200 of your cOuntrymen"
Haggleton was silent.
"Why is it that in a given number OF
railway employees America kills near
ly three times as many as England and
Injuries five times as many:" asked
Gentle.
America is a bigger country. with
ten miles of railroad where England
has one mile."
Gentle shook his head.
II made allowances for that. said
we killed more in proportion"
"Our people are in hurry. They in.
sist on going fast. and that increases
the danger"
Pardon me- replied Gentle, 1.-The
fastest trains In the world are in Eu-
rope"
You talk like child" retorted Hag-
gleton. You know nothing about con-
ditions."
NO? | know this--that for years
you magnates fought against air brakes
and automatic couplers, although you
knew they would save thousands Of
lives. Now you're fighting the system
of block signals that is used every
where in England and that would save
thousands of lives more"
1--WE have block signals on some rail-
roads," insisted IIaggleton.
ION very few, and where you have
them you don't use them half the
ume. lour OWL engineers nave ad-
mitted that when forced to testify
about accidents
IF we had TO run freight trains un-
der strict block signals we'd never get
our business DONE" snorted the old
man. Think OF the freight piling up
all over this country. millions and mil
lions Of dollars worth. far beyond what
the roads can handle and much of II
perishable. We've promised to move
if, and we've got TO move 1t. haven't
we?"
mo, sir" flashed Philip. Not IT It
means destroying lives"
Resides" resumed Gentle. Its not
only In railroading that you slaughter
people. It's the same In mining and |
tuilding and manufacturing. Here's
an article"-he turned to another page |
THAT estimates at over half q mil |
Hon year our casualties in various
industries largely controlled by your
trusts. Half a million killed and In ]
Jured every year aud the greater part |
needlessly! How? By dangerous ma
chinery In your factories that might |
be protected, by wheels and saws and |