Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-03-03
CHAPTER Xv.-(Continued.)

You're all right, Tom Gordon-you
and your daddy. But you've hit us
plum 'twixt dinner and supper. II 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 kick
or two comm. Is this half-pay goln'
to be in orders on the company's
store?"
Il said cash." said Tom. briefly.
Good enough. But I spose we'd
have to spend it at the companys
store. jest the same, r get fired"
"No!"-emphaticall I'm not even
sure that we should reopen the store.
We shall not reopen it unless you men
want it. If you do want it, Wen 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
mighty col 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?"
VI course.
And what security do we have that
rother 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!"
Ihere 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-
cry, Boss Tom. W-ww- we-all boys
been wukkin' short ti-ti-t time. and m
m-makin' pig amt gwine give we-all
n-n-nuttin' ter do" Patty had a pain
rul impeachment in his speech, and the
strain or 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 have named"
Caleb Gordon closed his eyes and put
his face in his hands. For weeks be-
iore 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 1t, as the miners had.
"Pup-pup-put UP yo' hands, boys!"
said Patty, and again the ayes had it.
Tom looked vastly relieved.
wei, that was a short horse soon
curried," he said. bruskly. The power
goes on Tomorrow morning, and we'll
dow IN as soon as the furnaces are
refined. Ludlow, you come to the Of
nee 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. I 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
tne 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 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.
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 producti 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 a week."
wait" said Tom, still rumma eins
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',
let you install?"
Caleb found the blue prints, and his
hands were trembling. The invention
a pit machine process for molding and
casting water and gas-pipe at a cos
that would put all other makers of tbt
commodity out of the field, had bee,
wrought out and perfected in Tom,
second Boston year. It was Caleb,
one eve lamb, and he had nursed II h,
hand through a long preparation,
period.
Tom took the blue-prints and snreai
them on the desk. absorbing the detail
as his father leaned over him an,
pointed them out. He saw clearly tina
the invention would revolutionize nine
making. The accepted method was Il
cast each piece separately In a floo
flask made in two parts, rammed n,
hand, once for the drag and again 70
the cope, with reversings, crane hand
lings and all the manipulations neces
sary for the molding of any heavy cast
Ing. But the new process substitute
machinery. A cistern-like pit; 4 cir
cular table pivoted over 1t. witfra hun
dred or more iron TASKS suspended up
right from its edges; huge crane car
rying mechanical ram. these wer
the main points of the machine which
with a small gang of men, would d
the work of an entire foundry floor
It's greati" said Tom, enthusiast
caily. IT got your idea pretty we
from your istters- but you've a--.rsv.
Ia