Arizona republican., 1911-04-17
THE LONG ARM
OF BOSS TANK
BY p. c. Macfarlane.
Copyright, 1909. by the Pearson Pub
fishing Company.

" will not pay you a cent for it-not
a cent" said Holman, detiantly.
You'll pay for it or you won't get
it," exclaimed Tank, sententiously.
g II you don't know who's runnin' this
town, darn you. I'll learn you"
Holman's face flusheds Then you
can begin your instructions" he
snapped, gaining the door with quick
stride An instant later it slammed
behind him, leaving Daniel Tank, boss.
gross of body and fiabby faced, sitting,
alone in the dingy private office over
the cigar store of Heck & Heck, from
which throne-room he ruled the city
like an Oriental despot. The boss
chewed the stump of his unlighted
cigar, meditatively. for a moment car
rying in his mind the picture of his,
recent visitor, William A. Holman,
warehouseman and teaming contractor.
tall. dark-visaged and somber-eyed,
stubborn, slow-learning type of man.
and wondered - wondered that he
should hope to get spur track permit
through the council, while refusing to
leave in the boss's hand the price cur
rent for such privilege.
The next morning Mickie Halloran
hurried into the presence Of his mas
ter.
What d'y' Think" he sputtered.
excitedly: "Bin Holman's gone ahead
and slapped down that spur track to
his new warehouse site without a per-
init "
He has," roared Tank, swinging
about IN his great Office chair, which
was built to cradle a rhinoceros.
That's what he done! " piped the
auburn stumbled lieutenant. a look Of
amazement and a sense of outraged
dignities mingling on his freCkled face.
well. I be damned, exclaimed the
boss. rising abruptly TO his feet.
guess | got to get that fellow Holman.
and get him good. l thought he was
lookin' for trouble when he come in
here, yesterday"
He took a few heavy strides across
the room and back to his desk.
Halloran," he ordered, get me a
list Of the people that's warehousin'
with Holman: and give me string or
his biggest teamin' customers. Quick,
now. you understand! And say! Send
for Dickie Dugan, too"
Dickie was the son of Policeman Du-
gan. He was an overgrown wharf-rat.
or an understood hoOdlum, whichever
you like, and headed a gang OF little
devils who hung about the streets and
wharves. and who in the course or
their enterprise found occasional need
for a friend at Police Court" Tank
had more than once been that friend,
and could command Dickie's allegiance
TO the last stubby red hair in his head.
Dickie came in fifteen minutes,
whistling, MS hat on one side, his
cigarette In the opposite corner Of his
lower lip to balance OF, and with min
Cling pride and terror in his heart.
He did not know whether the boss
summons BODIED veal or woe.
Dickie." said Tank. do you know
Bill Holman's wagons wien you see
'em?"
Do I know me mudder's old shoes
when I meet 'em in de garrett" coun-
tered Dickie, iippantly.
Then buy a half barrel Of monkey
wrenches and see II We can't make
some of Holman's wagons lose wheel
or two" commanded Tank, abruptly.
Dickie's face changed swiftly.
Am | awake?" he gaspe5. peering
earnestly into the face of the boss.
You better be-and git to work,
1uick," snapped the boss.
The light of pure JOY blazed on the
face Of Diclie Dugan. With gleeful
,huckle he dashed for the door.
This sort Of campaign. of course.
could not be kept up for long. Its pur-
pose was TO madden, as banderillas in
he shoulders of a bull TO keep his
man busy with small irritations while
the boss instituted campaign of real
proportions; and it served its purpose
admirably.
Within an hour a wheel fell from
Holman truck at the corner OF Jackson
and Drumm. 1t was a most unaccount-
able accident The truck was heavily
loaded with soap in cases and lurched
on to the street-car track. resulting IN
a collision and all manner of trouble:
Fifteen minutes later. wheel rolled
calmly off a Holman coal cart and went
r,lmbling down the water front for hall
a block; meantime a ton OF coal ana
cart with broken thilis were demand
ing attention of the driver and block
ing the line of carts behind. Just at
noon, a four-horse team OF Holman S
lost both hind wheels on the II Street
grade. A truck at Hill and Broadway.
that bore the Holman name, was also
in difficulties. Before night Mr.. Hol-
man was storming Police Headquar-
ters. He could not keep wheels on his
wagons. The street urchins had taken
some kind OF grudge against him and
were demoralizing his teaming busl-
ness. He was very angry.
al am surprised" said the chief o.
police soothingly. "Ill have the day
watch warned in the morning"
But by noon Of the morrow Mr.. Hol-
man was at Police Station again. He
was frantic with rage. There was an
organized movement to keep him from
doing business. 1t must be some
scheme of his competitors.
The chief did not know. but had his
suspicious. He slipped into the inner
Office and telephoned TO Daniel Tank.
Hes got fine spur track up to his
warehouse. What does he need OF
teams?" was the answer that came
back.
automatically, the chief of police
IA1