Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-03-02
CHAPTER XIV.

day Waterman at the iron works, had
opened the great yard gates and the
men began to gather by twos anu
threes and in little caucusing knots On
the sand floor of the huge, iron -rooreu
foundry building. Some of the more
heedful sat to work making seats OF
the wooden flask frames and bottom
boards; and in the pouring space 'front.'
ing one of the cupolas they built
rough and-ready platform out OF the
same materials.
AS the numbers increased the men
fell into groups, dividing first on the
color-line, and then by trades, with the
white miners in the majority and DOING
most of the talking.
whats all this buzzin' about youns
Tom" queried one of the men in the
miners caucus. Might nigh every
other word with old Caleb was, Toni
my son, Tom Why, l ricollect him
when he wasn't no more'n knee-hlgh
to a hop-toad!"
We'll, you bet your life he's heap
highen'n that now" said another VINO
had CHANGED to be at the station when
the Gordons, father and son, left the
train together He's a half a head
taller than the old man, an built ike
one O. Maize Dabney's thoroughbreds
But l reckon he amt nothin' but
school boy, for all O. that"
"Gar-r-ri" spat a third. We've had
one kid too many in this outfit, all
along"
Yes, chimed in fourth, "huckle-
berry" miner from the Bald Mountain
district II don't believe the old man
knows, himself. He fit around and III
around, talkin' to me, and never SAID
nothin' more'n that there was goin 10
be a meetin' here at o'clock, and Tom
his son Tom-was goin to speak TO
| it."
Tom and his father entered the
building from the cupola side, and rom
| mounted the fiask-built platform whl'e
| the men were scattering to find SEATS
| He made a goodly figure of young
manhood, standing at ease on the pie
| of frames until quiet should prevail
and the chances flung up from the
| throng of workmen were friendly rath-
| err than critical. When the time came
he began to speak quietly, but with
certain masterful quality in his voice
| that Enthusiastically constrained atten-
| ton.
| It suppose you have all been told
| why the works are shut down-why
| YOU are out of a job in the middle OF
| summer: and 1 understand you are not
fully satisfied with the reason that was
| giyen-hard times. You have been say
| ing among yourselves that if the presi-
| dent and the treasurer could go OH on
| a holiday trip to Europe, the situation
| couldn't be so very desperate. Ism
that SOP"
That's So you've hit it in the head
| first crack out o. the box" was the
swift reply from a score of the men.
Good; then Wen settle that point
before we go any further. 1 want to
tell YOU men that the hard times are
here. sure enough. We are all hoping
that they won't last very long; but the
fact remains that the wheels have
stopped Let me tell you: I've just
come down from the North, and the
streets of the cities up there are full OF
idle men. All the way down here
didn't see a single ron-furnace in
blast, and those of you who have beer
over to South Tredegar know what the
conditions are there. Mr.. Farley has
gone to Europe because he believes
there is nothing to be done here, ant
the facts are on his side. For anybody
with money enough to live on, this is d
mighty good time to take a vacation
There was a murmur of protest
voicing itself generally in denial .
the possibility for men who wrough
with their hands and ate in the swea
of their brows.
II know that" was Toms rejoinder
Some of us can't afford to take a lay
off; can't for one. And that's VIII!
we are here this afternoon. Chiawas
see can blow in again and stay in bias
if we've all got nerve enough to ham
on. If we start up and go on making
pig. it'll be on a dead market and wei
have to sell it at a loss or stack it il
the yards. We can't do the first, an
needn't tell you that it is going t
take mighty long purse to do tn
stacking. 1t will be all outgo and Ii
income. If"
+ Spit it out" called Ludlow, from tn
forefront of the miners division.
: reckon we all know what's comm"
ITS a case of half a loaf or no brea,
If Chiawassee blows in again, it wi
be on borrowed money. If you me
will take half-pay in cash and half !
! promises, the promised half to be PAL
when we can sell the stacked pig, W
I go on. If not we don't Talk it owe
f among yourselves and let us have you
: decision"
= There was hot caucusing and a ia
j imitation of pandemonium on the four
; dry floor following this bomb-hurlinj
S and Tom sat down on the edge of til
platform to give the men time. Gale
n Gordon sat within arms reach, nursln
5 his knee, diligently saying nothing.
r was Tom, undoubtedly, but Tom WI
Il had become a citizen of another worl