The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-14
CHAPTER Xv.-(Continued.)

q e z
CHAPTER Continued.
1t was Ludlow, hammering clamor-
ously for silence on the shell Of the
big crane ladle, who acted as spokes-
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"
I'VE are the company. While Mr..
Farley is away we're the bosses; what
we say. goes"
''All right" Ludlow went on. That's
a little better. But we've got kick
or two comm. Is this half-pay goin'
to be In orders on the company's
store?" ,
Il said cash." said Tom, briefly.
Good enough. But 1 s'pose we'd
have to spend it at the company's
store. Jest the same, r get fired"
No!"-emphaticall I'm not even
sure that we should reopen the store.
We shall not reopen 1t unless you men
want it. If you do want 1t. We'll make
1t strictly cooperative, dividing the
profits with every employee according
to his purchases"
We'll, that's white anyway" COM
mented one of the coke burners. BE
a mighty coli day in July when old man
Farley'd talk as straight as that"
"Ag'in," said Ludlow, what's this
half-pay to be figured on-the regular
scale?"
"Of course"
And what security do we have that
t'other half IL be paid. some time?"
my fathers word, and NINE"
Ludlow turned to the miners. What
dye say, boys? Fish or cut bait?
Hands up!"
There was 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 tit time, and m
m-makip' pig amt gwine give we-aIl
Nm muffin ter do" Patty had a pain
full impeachment in MIS- 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 have named"
Caleb Gordon closed his eyes and pur
his face in his hands. For weeks be-
fore the shutdown the foundry had
been run on short time, because there
was no market for its miscellaneous
output. Surely Tom must be losing
his mind!
But the negro foundrymen were TAX
Ing his word for it. as the miners had.
Pup pup-put up yo' hands, boys!"
said Patty, and again the ayes had II.
Tom looked vastly relieved.
wen, that was short horse soon
curried." he said, bruskly. The power
goes on Tomorrow morning, and we'll
blow in as soon as the furnaces are
refined. Ludlow, you come to the Of
ice 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 s. 1 want
to talk over some new work with YOU
Anybody else got anything to say? If
not, We'll 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 Won
know you can't do the first one O. these
things you've been PROMISING"
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 tall timber.
Rllf don't Un
ing to do therl-all of them"
But. Buddy. you can't sell a found
of foundry product! We may be able
to make pig cheaper than some 9TH
ers. but when it comes to the foundry
floor, South Tredegar can choke us off
In less'n a week."
Wait" said Tom, still runma1 ,ro
There Is one thing we can make-and
SELL"
I'D like tolerable well to know u,hat
1t Is" was the hopeless rejoinder
You ought to know, better than arv
one else. It's cast-iron pipe-water-
pipe. Where are the plans OF thar 4.
vention OF yours that Farley wouldn,t
let you install?"
Caleb found the BLUEPRINT. as
hands were trembling. The invert.,.n'
a pit machine process for mold,r- -.
casting water and gas-pipe at : 80,
that would put all other makers a. -.
commodity out Of the field. had 49,.
wrought out and perfected IN 49,.
second Boston year. It was r.Ian,
one eve lamb. and he had nurses = -,
hand through a long prana - -. -
period.
Tom took the blue prints ana 49,
them on the desk. absorbing the 49,.
as his father leaned over hin,
pointed them out. He saw clearly ~,
the invention would revolutioniza lie ..'A
making. The accepted method va. :,
cast each piece separately in q A.,
flask made in two parts. rammed -,
hand. once for the drag and again -,
the cope, with reversings. anezhanS.
lings and all the manipulations neca.
sary for the molding Of any heavy cast
Ing But the new process substitute,
machinery. A cistern-like pit; a cir
cular table pivoted over 1t, with a hun
dred or more iron TASKS suspended up
To- ~ $780, Gk--~