The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-17
The Wreckers
Francis LyRde
CONTINUED rrom Yesterday

CHAPTER XVII
The Man nj the Wintkr~v

Inc wan ~ tfF w uttkW
or course. the first thing 7 did.
the morning after that adventure In
the coal yard. was TO tell the boss
all about Il. and was Just foxy
enough 10 do IL when Mr.. Ripley
was present MFR. Norcross didn't
say much: and. for that matter,
neither did the lawyer, tho he did
ask the boss question or two
about the real facts In the Midland
right -of.way squahble.
But I noticed, after that that our
man Tarben was continually turning
up At all sorts OF times. and In all
sorts Of odd places. 40 took II that
Ripley had given him his tip. and
that he was sort OF Safeguarding
Mr.. Norcross on the quiet. tho l
am SURE the boss didn't know any
thing about that part OF it-he was
such a square fighter himself that
he probably wouldn't have stood for
n II he had.
Meanwhile. things grew warmer
making 10 pull the old Short Line
out OF the mud. warmer In a mum
Der OF ways. because. in addition 10
the fight for the public confidence,
We began Just then 20 have a per
feet epidemic OF wrecks.
The boss turned the material trou-
BILE over to Mr.. Van Britt and de-
voted himself pretty strictly 20 the
public side OF things. Everywhere.
and on every occasional dinners
at the different chambers OF com.
merce. and public hanquets given 10
this. that. or the other visiting big
wig--he was always ready 10 set on
his feet and tell the people that the
true prosperity OF the country car
ricd with q the prosperity OF the
railroads. that the two things were
one and inseparable. and that. when
l, came right down TO basic facts.
the railroads were really part OF
the progress machinery OF the coun'
try at large and should be regarded,
not as alien tax-coliectorH. but al
contributors to the general prosper
ity and welfare
went with him on q rood many
OF the trips he made 10 be among
those present" at these gatherings
and so. by the way. did Tarbeli--
and II was plain 20 be seen that the
new idea was gradually gathering a
little Roadway. by this time. also
Red Tower Consolidated was begin
ming to find out what u meant 10
have active competition. Tho &. =
a w. people were hammersng their
new plants into working shape. and
thw were getting the patronage
both Of the producers and eonsum
ers. hand over fist
Engineered BY Blloughby. the rail
road was simply playing the part o,
the good big brother 10 these new
middlemen- Track facilities and yard
service were granted freely: and
while no discrimination was per'
mitt@d as against the Red Tower
people. the friendly attitude Of the
road counted for something. as u
was bound to: hence. tho g. s. a
w. got the business right from tbs
jump. enlarring its field as II went
along. and gathering In all the htus
side rncuopones like the tee plants
and city lighting Installations. and
so on This. by the way. was in
limo with the new slogan put out BY
the boss and his boosters. Own
your own utilities
As to the political struggle which
was now ripping the state wide
open from end TO end. the boss VA,
steel and iron on the side OF non
interference. He never allowed him
self 10 say a public word on either
side: never spoke OF the campaign
lat All except TO assert everywhere
and at all times that the railroad
was not In politics. and never woult
be agalGn
This was the key.word given q
the different members OF the stat
70 be passed on down the line e
every official in authority. We ver'
TO be like Caesars wife--above sus
plcion. We were neither to mak'
nor NEEDLE In the campaign ant
any department head or other offl
Ger or cmploye caught trying e
swing the railroad vote would b
fired on the spot.
On one of our trips over In. roat
we had a call from Mr. Anson Bur
rell, the gubernatoriai candidate VIII
was making the race against th'
machine. He was n cattle magnati
OF the modern sort; n big. viking
looking man. with a Yale degree
land with a record as clean as I
hounds tooth when he came int
1.-The private car he seemed to I'm II
not only with his presence. but will
the fresh keen air OF the grazini
uplands.
I'm glad To have a chance q
meet you on your own ground. Mr.
Norcross, he said, giving the bos
a hand-grip that looked mighty
hearty and sincere. i've been wait
ing for an opportunity 10 tell yoV
how much we appreciate the stan'
you have taken For the first tint
lin It's history. the railroad Is keep
ling out Of the political fight; know
n. and the people are beginning Il
find it out too. You may not NEAR
IL that way. but IL is the stronges
| card you could play. You need Jus
Legislation, and there is no better
way to get it than by not trying Il
influence it."
The boss met him halfway or
that. OF course. and said what HI
ought to: and they talked along thai
line for the full half.hour that oui
special stopped in the town wher'
Mr.. BurreIl had caught us. In 9
way. II was sort OF temptation to
take sides. Mr.. Burrell made 4
pretty plain that II. the railroad con
tinued 10 behave Itself, and II th'
reform party got In. there would b.
easier legislation. and perhaps som'
Of the old hard-and fast intra>stat'
rate laws repealed. But the bosi
wasn't the man to drop his candy
1 In tho dirt and he kent right OF