The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-02-28
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde


friends you've got" said. 'IIe
thought you needed this strike. and
he wanted TO so out among the nay.
ron men and sort OF help It along.
He couldn't do thing like that
while he was an officer OF the com.
pany and drawing his pay like the
rest OF us"
Il might have known-he as good
as told me-" was the reply. made
kind OF half-ahsently; and then. short
and quick ''Iiow's tho stock mar.
keti Have you seen a paperg''
had seen both papers. at break.
fast time. but OF course they had
nothing startling IN them except n
lastminute account Of the wreck at
Timber mountain -Y," grabbed of
Just before they went 60 press They
couldn't have anything later from
New York than the day before. but
rNrcd May had tipped me off when
he came up 20 tell mo about the
Major Kcndrfek special. The news.
paper offices were putting out bullo.
tins by that timo
told Mr.. Norcross about the
bulletins and was hrash enough 10
add: Were headed for the receiver.
ship All right. guess: our stock has
tumhled TO 20. and there's a regular
dog.fight going on over Il at the
railroad post In the Exchange. Wall
Streets afiro and burning up. 80 they
say
The chief hadn't eaten enough 10
keep n cat alive. but at that he
pushed his chair back and reached
for his hat
Come on. Jimmie he snapped.
We've got 10 get busy. And there
isn't going to lie any rrcciverahip.-
We reached the railroad headauar.
ters--which were as dead and quiet
as a gravcyard--a little before MIR.
Ripley and Mr. Bllloughhy got down.
But MIR. Editor Cantrcn was there.
waiting 20 shoot an anxious question
at the boss.
well Norcroxs are you ready TO
talk nowg-
"Not Just yet. tomorrow. maybe. .
was the good-naturcd rcjolnder.
IAN right: then perhaps you WIN
tell me this DO you. yourself. be-
licve that four or five thousand rail-
road men have gone on strike out
OF sheer sympathy for a few hun
drcd c. s. q w. employees mos; OF
whom arr merely common laborersT'
The boss SPREAD hts hands. "You
have all the facts that anybody has
Cantreli."
-Can you look me IN ehs eye and
ten me that you haven't fomentei
this eruption on the quic, 70 get the
better OF the Red Tower crowd In
some way-' demanded the editor.
Il can. indeed was tie smiling
answer.
Cantr-ri hooked an II be dsdnr more
than half believe T.
being . newspapee man. Tn
naturally ni-picious.- he put IN.
There are big dolnSs down under.
meath all this that I can smell. but
can't dig up. Everything about this
strike Is too blamed rood-natured.
I've talked with half doxen Of tho
leaders, and with any number Of the
rank and file. They all gin and give
me the wink. a. n II wer. the best
joke that was ever pulled OFF,
Again Mr.. Norrross smiled hard.
somely. "If you push me 10 II. Can
trcri. I may say tina. this Is exactly
their attitude toward me-
We'll" said the editor. getting up
10 70; -it's doing one thing 20 you.
good and proper. Your railroad
stock II ,umbling downstairs 30 fas,
that u can't keep up with itself"
Il hope II will tumble stiIl nor-. ="
said the boss. pleasantly. with an
other sort Of eniErna,ic smile: and
with that Mr.. Cantrcll had TO be con.
tent.
As the editor went out. F-~d May
brought in the bunch Of forenoon
kilograms and laid them on the desk.
They were quickly glanced at ard
were read. Most Of them were plant.
i've little yips from a strike-strickcn
10, OF people along the Short Line
who seemed To think that the world
had come 20 an end. but there were
three bearing the New York date
line and signed 'Dunton.- The ear.
Hest had been sent shortly after the
opening OF the Stock Exchange. and
IL ran thus.
Morning papers announce strike
and complete tie-up on y. g. T.. Why
no report from you OF labor troubles
threatening, Compromise at any
cos. and wire emphatic denial OF
strike. Answer quick
The second Of the series had b~en
filed for transmission an hour later
and IL was stiil more saw.toothed.
later reports confirm newspa per
story. Your failure 10 compromise
instantly with employees win break
stock market and subject you to in.
vestlgation for criminal incompe.
tency. Answer"
The third message had been sent
stil later
Your continued silence insxrus.
able. II no favorable report from
you by o'clock you may consider
yourself discharged from the com
pany's service and criminal proceed
ings on charge OF conspiracy viii be
Instituted at once"
There was no mention Of Col1ing.
wood. and ! could only imagine that
Major Hendricks telegram had not
yet reached the president. 7 thought
things were beginning 10 look pretty
serious for rs II Mr. Dunton was go
ing 20 try 10 drug MS into the courts.
but Mr.. Norcross was stiil smiling
when he handed me the last and lat
est telegram in the bunch that May
had brought In. ~ was from Mr..
Chadwick, and was good-naturedly
lacOnic.
ITO G.. Norcross e.. NJ,