The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-07-22
CHAPTER XVII
The Beginning Of the End


regarding the change of ownership
and policies in the Storage & Ware
house reorganization, the prompt an
nouncement Of a general strike of the
employees was enough to make every
newspaper in the state sit up and take
notice.
We had the Mountaineer at the
breakfast-table in the club grill-roOm
on the morning of the day when the
strike was advertised to 60 into effect.
There was a news story, with big
headlines in red ink, and also an
editorial. Cantrell didn't say anything
against the railroad company. His
comments were those of an observer
who wished to be straightforward and
fair to all concerned, but his edi-
torial did not spare the silly local
stockholders whose swapping and SELL
ing had made the coup possible.
Cantrell, himself, mild-eyed and look
ing as if he'd got out of bed about
three hours too early, drifted into the
grill-room and took seat at our table
before we were through. -. .-.e
II wanted to be decent about it,
Norcross," he said, forestailing any
thing that the boss might be going to
.say about the editorial in the Noun
taineer. "Fm trying to believe that
the men higher up in your railroad
councils haven't fathered this Hatch
scheme of consolidation-which is
more than some of the other pencil
pushers will do for you, I'm afraid.
Thanks to your publicity measures,
everybody believes that you still hold
the whip-hand over the combination
with your ground leases. I'm not ask
ing what you propose to do; am
merely taking it for granted that you
are going to stick to your policy, and
hoping that you will come and tell me
about it when you are ready to talk"
81 shall do just that" the boss prom
Used; and guess he would have been
glad to let the matter drop at this.
only Cantrell wouldn't.
II lost three good hours sleep this
morning on the chance of catching you,
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 you,
Norcross?"
mot a bit in the world. Why?"
"There is some little excitement,
with the public taking hand in it.
There were indignation meetings held
last night in 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 senti-
ment would be with the G. S. & w.
employees if they are forced to carry
out their threat of striking at noon
today. The whisper that 1 spoke Of
intimated that the protest might ex-
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 G. S. & w. employees
belong to any of the labor unions"
"a strike on the railroad would hit
you pretty hard just now. wouldn't
it" 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 ex-
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 as
you might" was the little millionaire's
comment when the boss walked in and
opened up his desk. 1--WE been wait
ing nearly half-hour for you to show
up. Seen the papers?"
The boss nodded.
II don't mean the strike business;
l mean the market quotations"
No; didn't look at them"
"They are interesting. p. s. L.
Common went up another three points
yesterday. 1t closed at 38 and frac-
ton. You know what that means,
Graham. It means that Uncle Brock
enridge and his crowd are already
joyfully discounting your coming resig-
nation. Somebody has given them a
wire tip that you are as good as down
and out, and unless a miracle Of some
sort can be pulled off, guess the tip
is a straight one. Strong as he is,
Chadwick can't carry you alone"
Drop it," snapped the boss irritably.
And then: Have you come to tell
me that you have reconsidered that
fool letter you wrote me last nightF'
"Not in million years." returned the
escaped captive airily. II am here
this morning as a paying patron Of
the Pioneer Short Line. / want to
hire special train to go-well. any
where please on your jerkwater rail-
road The Eight-Fifteen will do, with
Buck Chandler to run It,"
"PShawt take yOur own car and any