Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-03-09
CHAPTER xv.-(Continued.,

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"
we are the company. While Mr..
Farley is away we're the bosses; what
we say, goes"
"All right" Ludlow went on. That's
. little better. But we've got a 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 I s'pose we'd
have to spend 1t at the company's
store, jest the same. r get fired"
"Nol"-emphatically. I'm not even
sure that we should reopen the store.
We shall not reopen it unless you men
want 1t. II 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 col day In July When old man
Farley'd talk as straight as that"
"Ag'in." said Ludlow, whats this
half-pay to be figured on-the regular
soale?"
"Of course"
And hat security do we nave that
tother half II be paid. some timer"
MY fathers word, and NINE"
Ludlow turned to the miners. What
dye say. boys? Fish or cut bait7
Hands upl"
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 ain't said unttin' bout de foun-
dry, Boss Tom. W-w-w-w-we-all boys
been wukkin' short ti-ti-time, and m
m-makin' pig amt gwine Civ we-aIl
n-n-nuttin' ter do" Patty had a pain
ful impeachment In his speech, and tho
strain OF the public occasion doubled 1t.
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 ave 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
was no market for It's miscellaneous
output. Surely Tom must be losing
his mindl
But the negro foundrymen were ak
ing his word for 1t. as the miners had.
"Pup-pup-put up yo' hands. boys!"
said Patty, and again the ayes had 1t.
Tom looked vastly relieved.
We'll. that was a short horse soon
currsed." 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
nee at 8 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 ak overtsome 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's
ONCE 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 PROMISING"
Tom was already busy at the desk.
emptying the ~pigeonholes one after an
other and rapidly scanning their con-
ents.
IF I believed that. I'd be taking to
the high grass and the tall timber.
But don't you worry, pappy; we're 60
Ing to do them-all of them"
But. Buddy, you can't sell a found
of foundry product! We may be able
m n ola nto ohaaDar tLo~
ers, but when 1t comes to the foundry
floor, South Tredegar can choke us OF
IN less'n q week"
Wait" said Tom. still
There is one thing we can make-and
SELL"
I'D like tolerable well to know what
1t 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 his
hands were trembling. The invention
a pit machine process for moldine 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 Tom.
second Boston year.. 1t was Caleb.
one eve lamb, and he had nursed IL bv
hand through = long preparatory
period.
Tom took the blue-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
east Zach piece separately In . floor