The Dolores star., 1921-12-16
CHAPTER XVII
The Beginning Of the En-,


However much the Hatch
may nave wanted to avoid publIc,,.
regarding the change of owpers.,s
and policies In the Storage WI
house reorganization. the promnt ~
nouncement of general strike q, =.
employees was enough to mako au s
newspaper In the state sit up and s ,s,'
notice. ass
We had the Mountaineer n, ~.
breakfast-table In the club rrIll'roaN
on the morning of the day whom ~
strike was advertised to 20 into ana.
There was news story, with NJ.
headlines In red Ink. and .Iso s
editorial. Cantrell didn't say any,h,a A
against the railroad companv ny
comments were those of an observe.
who wished to be straightforward ,ns
fair to all concerned. but hi, aa,
torial did not spare the silly ,oo.,
stockholders whose swapping and so,,
ing had made the coup possible
Cantrell. himself. mild-eyed and loo.
Ing as if he'd got out of he'd ,ho..
three hours too early, drifted into ths
grill-room and took seat at our t,hl.
before we were through.
II wanted to be decent ahou, 4,
Norcross," he said. forestaIlinp an,'
thing that the boss might be going ;.
say about the editorial In the Mo,n
taineer. I'm trying to believe th,.
the men higher up In your railroad
councils haven't fathered this Hatch
scheme of cOnsOlidatlon-which 4,
more than some of the other nencn.
pushers VIII do for you, I'm afraid
Thanks to your publicity measure,
everybody believes that you still boS
the whip-hand over the combIna,Ion
with your ground leases. I'm nor ast.
Ing what you propose to do; I am
merely taking II for granted that Won
are going TO stick to your policy. and
hoping that you will come and tell ma
about II when you are ready TO tslk-
u shall do just that" the boSs prom.
ised: and ! guess he would have been
glad TO let the matter drop at this. !
only Cantrell wouldn't.
II lost three good hours sleep ,bI,
morning on the chance of catching Won
here at table" the editor went on
"A little whisper leaked In over the
wires last night. or. rather early this
morning. that set me to thinking You
haven't been having any trouble with
your own employees lately. have yon
Norcross?"
mot bit in the world. Whyr
There Is some little excitement.
with the public taking hand in II.
There were Indignation meetings held
last night In n number Of the towns
along your lines, and resolutions were
passed protesting against the action
OF the new combination In cutting
wages. and asserting that public sent.
ment would he with the c. S. & ".
employees II they are forced 10 carry
out their threat OF striking at noon
today. The whisper that spoke Of
intimated that the protest might eI.
tend TO the railroad employees"
There's nothing in It," said the boss
decisively. II suppose you mean In
the way Of sympathetic strike, and
that is entirely improbable. imagine
very few of the c. S. & W. employees
belong to any of the labor unions"
"A strike on the railroad would ht
you pretty hard just now, wouldn't
III" Cantrell asked.
Mr.. Norcross lodged the question.
"We're not going to have a strike"
he averred; and since we had finished
our breakfast. he made business eI'
cuse and we slid out.
When we reached the office we found
Mr.. Van Britt on hand. reading The
morning paper.
You don't get around as early %
you might" was the little millionalres
comment when the boss walked In and
opened up his desk. 1--WE been walt
ing nearly a half-hour for you 10 show
up. Seen the papers7
The boss nodded.
II don't mean the strike business'
l mean the market quotations.
mo: didn't look at them"
"They are interesting. T. s.
Common went up another three polnu
yesterday. It closed at 3S and nae
ton. You know what that means
Graham. It means that Uncle Bree!'
enridge and his crowd are alreaoy
joyfully discounting your comins reHt'
nation. Somebody has given them
wire tip that you are as good as doWn
and out, and unless a miracle OF som'
sort can be pulled of, ] guess the W
IL straight one. Strong as ne /"
Chadwick can't carry you alone
Drop It," snapped the boss irrl1ao.,,
And then: "Have you come 10 y.
me that you have reconsldered .a.s a~
fool letter you wrote me last nlgn,'
mot in a million years" returned ~
escaped captive airily. u am n'.s -
this morning as paying pa'ron :.
the Pioneer Short Line. ! wan'
hire special train to go-weii' auI .S.
where / please on your jerkwater unh .a1
road. The Elght-Fifteen will DO WIS
Buck Chandler to run It, -,