Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-01-08

While the men were busy building
the wall George Eddy and two or
three of his friends found time to
discuss the situation.
There's a hard crowd there said
Walter Waite, a sturdy young fellow
of IS. -'AH kinds-Slavs. Poles, Ital-
ians and French. We're going to have
trouble with them when they begin to
want water
That's what is bothering me-" said
Eddy. 1.-THE only way is to take mat
tiers right in hand now. Who can we
count on?"
1t was decided that an Italian
named Que Antoniese could be count
ed on to stand by Eddy and Waite
in case of trouble, and he was told to
watch his countrymen and see that
they were kept in some sort of order.
1t was discovered that there were
some sick men in the crowd too. and
Waite CROPPED around until he found
the two who were in the worst condi-
tion-an old Pole named Walowczak
and an Italian. Zannarini Already
these two were moaning for water,
and the leaders foresaw the trouble
that would surely come when it
should be discovered that there was
no water there.
He maintained an air of perfect
composures however. and when the
men had finished walling the chamber
he began to talk to them
Boys" said he, we're going to be
all right now The first thing to do
is to see how we stand for food. How
many of you have lunch pails?" Near
| ly all the men answered in the af-
frmative. Now, hand them over to
me. We're going to pool their con-
tents, and I'm going to give the food
out in regular rations. so that it will
be fare and fare alike. Anybody got
any objections?"
| Waite, who had been feeling his
! way about the cave, whispered to
Eddy that big Slav. nicknamed THE
Bull was holding out his dinner pail.
Eddy called to him:
The First Sign of Trouble.
-1 don't find The Bulls pail among
| these" he said Come, hand it over"
With grumble the man did as or
dered. accompanying the act with an
| oath that did not escape Eddy.
There isn't much here. boys" said
the leader, trying to be cheerful about
it. but 1 guess it'll do. Now, as to
water. 1 suppose you fellers think
you're going to die of thirst, Ell? Well,
don't worry. Some of you take your
i picks and dig into the ground as deep
| as you can. I think you'll find some
| thing to drink, all right"
The men did as he ordered. and in
a little while the cry came that the
1
began to seep through the earth, and
the men, already thirsty, fell on their
| stomachs and pressed their faces
down into the black ooze that was
forming in the little wells Eddy or
| dered them to drink sparingly.. as
there was no telling how long this
scanty supply would hold out As
some of the men rebelled against
these orders, notably 1.-The Bull. .
Eddy set Walter Waite and Que An
toniese as guards over the two prin-
cipal wells and moved the sick Walo-
weak and Zannarini near the wells
so that they could get the water, as
they needed it badly
subduine ~The BuII-
Eddy portioned out the food &C
cording as his judgment directed. and
most Oh inc men seoou ~ min, except
little group headed by The Bull
1t was on the second day of their con
finement that the first real trouble oc
CURED Eddy had called the men to
him to give them their food His
hand would select a quantity from
the pile which he had made in one
corner of the cave, and as he felt q
miners hand reaching out to receive
il he would give the man his rations
He could not tell if a man repeated
He had to take their words in the