New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-18


Verely," want YOU 10 understand me- You
should know by this time that any breach
of discipline will not be tolerated
Doran nodded a remote agreement. He
was still thinking about the switch, and
nothing alloi the chief engineering ethics.
1--we been watching your work lately.
and I'm sorry 20 say its not al all salts
factory, continued the chief. you've got
20 brace up. You must be far more up 20
date and efficient.
Again D0ran assented vaguely. His
mind had wandered of % the north end Of
the Haven River Bridge.
And when ! give an order. threatened
the chief. 81 expect II carried ont with ready
compliance Otherwise only one thing can
happen. ! presume YOU understand"
Certainly, responded Doran, coming
back mentally 20 the actual scene of things.
Yes, guess ! can manage % put IN that
switch between the Express andthcLimltcd.
The chief engineer stared at Doran as II
agreement was the last turn he wished.
Which was fact; for he thought he had
driven Doran into a corner where his resig-
nation could be forced. But Doran had
concerned 10 what was intended 70 be an
impossible order Therefore, so lar from
being appeaSed by his assistants attitude,
the chief took Il as d reflection on his own
professional intelligence and liked Doran
none the more for II. He was still convinced
the thing could not be done, that Doran
would get into a tangle with a consequent
delay OF traffic, and-a summary discharge
would reasonably follow.
All right, he nodded. But mind can =
spare YOU extra men Tor the job, and-er-
YOU must remember YOU are not 20 Obstruct
the northbound track.
III remember, was Doran's simple re-
joinder.
FOR the greater part Of that night Doran
sat in his room figuring out how the
fixing Of the switch IN the gwen time could
be accomplished. As the hours succeeded
one another his table and The floor adjacent
became Uttered with pencil sketches Of the
scene. and mathematical calculations run
ming into long decimals and fractions. One
difficulty that he had 70 overcome was TO
avoid disturbing q deraI. This deral was
q device for throwing train Of the track
in any such desperate emergency as run
ming past signals and heading for the bridge
when open In that case the deliberate
wrecking Of q tiain would be q lesser disaster
than permitting II 20 plunge headlOng into
the riVcr with is human freight. Il was
worked by q lever in the approach 20 the
bridge signal tower which. IN turn, Oper-
ated an electric motor by the side Of the
track in lifting a heavy iron bar on 20 the
inner rail. To avoid using up time by inter
fering with the derail was al any rate eX-
haustive OF much Of Doran's gray matter.
So he toiled and worked until the pale light
Of dawn was framed in his window and stole
in 70 mingle with the white glare Of his cleo
tic lamp. At last ne flung himself on his
bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Il can't possibly get more than TWO min
utes 70 spare out OF il, he muttered 70 him
sell: though maybe another hali-minute
could be reckoned on. But guess not.
Two minutes are enough leeway, and that
that makes for the very deuce Of q record!
Wonder why the old chief was 50 set on the
iob2 Wasn't al al necessary. Wonder why
he's turned so cranky Of a sudden; Don
see I've done anything wrong.
Thus wondering, Doran closed MS eyes,
gave a huge gasp Of mental and physical
exhaustion, and dropped of TO sleep.
Doran's method Of tackling important
work was peculiar 20 himself, and contrary
to all the principles Of efficiency and dlscl-
pline laid down by his chief. There was no
mere parade Of fuss, hustle and jump about
him. Ten minutes before l. was 10 he
started an onlooker might have thought he
had nothing 10 DO with the business. lie