Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-07-29
CHAPTER Xv.-(Continued.)

crane IaQle, VINO acC0O as SpOkoS-
man when the uproar was quelled.
You're all right, Tom Gordon-you
and your daddy. But you've hit US
plum 'twixt dinner and supper. If you
Two was the company
we are the company. While Mr.
Farley is away we're the bosses; what
We say, goes"
"An right" Ludlow went on. That's
little better. But we've got kick
or two comm. Is this half-p goin
10 be in orders on the companys
stoce?"
4 said cash." said Tom, briefly
Good enough. But 1 spose we'd
have to spend 1t at the company's
store jest the same, r get fired"
"No!"-emphati cally. I'm not even
cure that we should reopen the store
We shall not reopen it unless you men
want it. II you do want it, We'll make
it strictly cooperative, dividing the
profits with every employe according
to his purchases"
Well that's white, anyway" COM
mented one Of the coke burners. BE
& mighty col day in July when old MIN
Farleyd talk as straight as that"
"Agin," said Ludlow, what's this
lf-pay to be figured on-the regular
scale?"
"Of course"
And what security do we have that
tother half II be paid, some timer"
My fathers word, and mine"
Ludlow turned to the miners. What
dye say, boys? Fish or cut bait?
Hands up"
There was a good showing of hands
among the white miners and the coke
burners, but the negro foundrymen did
not vote. Patty, the mulatto foreman
who was Helgerson's second, explain
ed the reason.
You amt said unttin' bout de foun-
dry, Boss Tom. W-w-w-w-we-al boys
been wukkin' short It'll time, and M
mmakfn' pig amt gwine give we-ail
n-n-nuttin' ter do" Patty had a pain
ful impediment IN his speech, and the
strain Of the public occasion doubled It.
We are going to run the foundry
too, Patty, and on full time. There
will be work for all of you on the
terms I have named"
Caleb Gordon closed his eyes and put
his face in his hands. For weeks be-
fore the shutdown the foundry had
been run on short time, because there
Nf1S A1O IIidLhCb AOI lis IulSC0AId1lCOuS
output Surely Tom must be losing
his mind!
But the negro foundrymen were TAX
ing his word for 1t, as the miners had.
Pup pupput up yo' hands, boys!"
said Patty, and again the ayes had 1t.
Tom looked vastly relieved.
We'll, that was a short horse soon
curried," he said bruskly. Ths power
goes on tomorrow morning and we'll
blow in as soon as the furnaces are
refined. Ludlow, you come to the of
fee at o'clock and I'll list the shifts
with you. Patty, you report to Mr..
Helgerson, and you and the pattern
maker show up at half-past 5. want
TO talk over some new work with you.
Anybody else got anything to say? If
not Well adjourn
Caleb followed his son out and across
the yard to the old log homestead
which served as the superintendent
office and laboratory. When the door
was shut he dropped heavily into a
chair.
Son." he said, brokenly, you're
you're crazy-plum' crazy. Don't you
know YOU can't do the first one O. these
things you've been promisin?"
Tom was already busy at the desk
emptying the pigeonholes one after an
other and rapidly scanning their con-
tents.
If I believed that, I'd be taking to
the high grass and the tail timber.
But don't you worry, pappy; were 60
ing to do them-al of them"
But, Buddy, you can't sell found
Of foundry product! We may be able
to make pig cheaper than some 9TH
ers, but when 1t comes to the foundry
floor. South Tredegar can choke US off
IN less'n week
Wait" said Tom, still rummaging
There is one thing we can make-and
sell"
I'd like tolerable well to know what
It IS" was the hopeless rejoinder.
You ought to know, better than any
One else It's cast-iron pipe-water
pipe. Where are the plans OF that In
vention OF yours that Farley wouldn't
let YOU install?"
Caleb found the blue prints, and hts
bands were trembling. The invention,
pit machine process for molding and
casting water and gas-pipe at a cost
that would put all other makers of the
commodity out of the field, had been
wrought out and perfected in Toms
second Boston year. 1t was Caleb's
one eve lamb and he had nursed it by
hand through a long preparatory
period.
Tom took the ue-prints and spread
them on the desk, absorbing the details
as his father leaned over him and
pointed them out. He saw clearly that
The invention would revolutionize pipe
making. The accepted method was to
cast each piece separately in floor
mask made in two parts. rammed by
hand, once for the drag and again for
The cope, with reversings, crane hand
Nngs and all the manipulations neces-
tary for the molding of any heavy cast
ing. But the new process substituted
machinery. A cistern-like pit; cir
cuIar table pivoted over 1t, with a hun
dred or more iron TASKS suspended up
right from its edges: huge crane car
rying a mechanical ram, these were
the main points Of the machine which.
with & small gang of men, would do