The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-11-12

<rG earlier
and legitimate emplc ,s,a,,, oaas Nv,
had provided the r .<eqa,a,v c,or,s
carpenters, etc.
inc Is OF Por,al rubbed ,no,,
eyes ava took Second look whom
'"ey eehold tha .;ark-skinn,, orm,
TscTding dpcn them at davbreak
lNe promoter, who had arrived late
the nisht before in sr.eciaI car. had
a'reddy bound the Purchase bargain
WIN the owner of the land by the
payment 81 $500. No explanations
were OF erod, but the word went forth
that 90 teams could be used at 81
nc" day tor teams and driver. Farm
work ceased FOR miles around, and
The desired number Of nondescript
wagons appeared before night. Like
wise did there rise, apparently out
of the earth, long, low building
of Jared paper and "a large store
hoise in which, ere the setting of
th' sun "i that first day, a dozen
clerks were busy doing out the ne
cessities of life In exchange for cash
That night another thousand men
arrived, and the next and the next.
Soon the multitude increased until
the milewide plain was dotted with
shacks and scenes of never-ceasing
activity. Four thousand men were
Camped there, each of whom had
parted with $40 for the privilege of
joining the workers. The month
that followed has never been dupli-
Gated in the industrial annals of New
Jersey. Gaping holes were carved
out of the hillsides, wagon load after
wagon load of stones descended into
the valley, where scores of dark
skinned workmen bounced upon
them and built the rocks into n wall
that will live long after the story of
its creation is forgotten.
No one knew what all the mighty
activity meant. for still no informa-
ton was given out. The story of
the ancient iron manufacturer was
renewed, and IL was finally settled
upon by the countryside that a vast
iron furnace was to turn their peace
full village into throbbing metrop-
oils. All wage arrangements were
made on a basis of 80 days credit.
Payday was understood to be the / 3
of each month. and the private car
that stood on the siding and housed
the now bediamonded buccaneers
was supposed to contain the treasure
that would pour forth on the event
full day.
hours OF June Is. 1891, an engine
coupled onto the private car, and
while the rising sun was gliding the
skyline about Portals hills the same
day two gentlemen with much bag
gage were stepping aboard a steam
or bound for Cuba. They carried
with them well over $25. 900 in cash
Tasks at the works" were start
ed with enthusiasm that morning,
and IL was an hour before anyone
missed the car. Even then the work
went on, with no thought of the ter
rible disappointment in store. Some
cf the wiser forem en-, seeming trouble
slipped away on the eastbOund train
during the meal hour, and with only
to direct their efforts the
Italians allowed the loads of stone |
to accumulate and spent their time |
in expressing grave forebodings to |
each other. At 4 o'clock 500 men |
In body called on a foreman for |
their pay. He could only assure !
them that everything would he all
right" At 6 o'clock the plain was
a bedlam, the clerks in the store lock- |
ed up and deserted the depleted |
stock. Half an hour later the place !
was raided and the last article of |
value seized by the now infuriated /
mob. One station agent telephoned |
for the sheriff. and both notified their
respective chiefs of the situation.
A barrel of whiskey was found un-
der the floor of the store, and this
was soon emptied. Fights broke out.
Some one touched "A match to the /
storehouse and in 10 minutes il was |
I mass of flames. The shacks soon
Jared the same fate. At midnight
he sheriff and his deputies arrived,
but they were powerless against the
1 900 madmen.
Exhaustion drove the crazed crowd
o sleep, and the next day the Lehigh
Valley and the Central of New Jer-
;ey railroads provided free trains
or the transportation of the mob
,ack to New York. The perpetra-
.ors of the fraud were never appre-
tended, but Portal gained a mile
ong wall and some valuable exper-