The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-16
CHAPTER III.
Eyeryman's Share.

opens up a field that I've been
trying to get into for some little
time, Mac" the superintendent be-
gan. "Sit down and we'll thresh
1t out. Here are some figures
showing loss and expense in the
general maintenance account.
Look them over and tell me what
you think"
"Wastage, you mean?" queried
the trainmaster.
THAT is what / have been call
ing it; a reckless disregard for
the value of anything and every
thing that can be included. in a
requisition. The right-of-way is
Uttered from end to end with ma
terial thrown aside. But I'm
afraid that isn't the worst of 1t. :"
The trainmaster was nursing a
knee and screwing his face into
the reflective scheme of distortion.
"Those things are always hard to
prove. Short of a military guard,
for instance, you couldn't prevent
Angels from raiding the COM
pany's coalyard for its cook
stoves"
Lidgerwood swung his chair to
face McCloskey.
| Well pass up the petty thiev-
cries, for the present, and look a
little higher" he said gravely.
Have you found any trace of
those two carloads of company
lumber lost in transit between
here and Red Butte two weeks
ago."
Lidgerwood' swing-chair right
ed itself to the perpendicular with
snap.
Mac, it is an organized gang,
and it must have its members
pretty well scattered through the
departments-and have a good
many members, too. l believe
We'll get to the bottom of all this
footing on this switching-engine
business. They have overdone it
this time. You can't put loco
motive in your pocket and walk
off with it,"
The trainmaster shook his head
in bewilderment.
Some years ago there was
building and loan association
started here in Angels, the osten-
sible object being to help the rail-
road men to own their homes.
Ever hear of it," Lidgerwood
went on.
Yes, but it was dead and bu-
ried before my time"
Dead, but not buried" correct
ed Lidgerwood. CAS- l understand
it, the railroad company fathered
it, or at all events, some of the Of
fieials took stock in 1t. When 1t
died there was considerable def
icit, together with failure on the
part of the executive committee to
account for a pretty liberal cash
balance.
i've heard that much" said
the trainmaster.
Then we'll bring it down to
date" Lidgerwood resumed. ut
appears that there are twenty-five
or thirty of the losers still in the
employ of this company, and they
| have sent committee to me to
ask for an investigation, basing
the demand on the assertion that
they were coerced into giving up
their money to the building and
loan people,"
1--WE heard that, too" McClos-
key admitted. THE story goes
that the house-building scheme
was promoted by the old Red
Butte Western bosses, and If a
man didn't take stock he got him
self disliked. If he did take it,
the premiums were held out on
the pay-rolls."
| THE LOSERS" said the superin-
tendent. contend that somebody
ought to make good to them.
They also call attention to the
fact that the building and loan
treasurer, who was never able sat
isfactorily to explain the disap'
pearance of the cash balance, ID
still on the railroad company's
pay-rolls."
i McCloskey sat up and tilted this
derby to the back of his head
"Gridley?" he asked.
mo; for some reasons | wish i
} were Gridley. He is able to figh
! his own battles. 1t comes nearer
home, Mac. The treasurer wal
Hallock.
| By this time McCloskey had hi
hat tilted to the belligerent angle
I'm not a fair Witness" h
said. There's been gossip, ant
I've listened to it."
about this building and LOAF
mess?"
mo; about the wife. There ar
men here in Angels who hint tina
Hallock killed the woman am
sunk her body in the Timanyoni.
Heavens. exclaimed Lidger
wood, under his breath. II can
believe that, Mac"
81 don't know as l do, but I cal
tell you a thing that | do know
! Mr.. Lidgerwood: Hallock is
devil out of hell.
you haven't asked my advice
Mr.. Lidgerwood, but here it /
ANYWAY. Flemister, the owner o
the WRESTLER mine over In Tim
anyoni Park, was the president o
that building and loan outfit. H
and Hallock are at dagger
drawn, for some reason that Nv
never understood. II you coul
lget them together, perhaps the