The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-01-21
The Wreckers
Francis Lynde

(Continuoi rrum Yesterday
CHAPTER NIX
The lioodoo

~ was WIN w WV N"+AR
breakfast the next morning In tho
nuilard oate--the boss and THAT
we got our first news q the retro
lite wreck. The story was red lined
In the Morning Herald-thc Hatch
owned papcr-and besides being
played up good and strong In the
news columns. there was an editor
ial 10 back the front page scream.
Al ? o'clock In the morning fast
wosthound freight had left tho track
in pctrolite canyon, and before they
could get the flagmsn out a de
layed eastbound passenger train had
collided with the ruins There were
no lives lost. but "a number OF pee
Pile. including the enElneman. the
postal clerks and tho basgagcman
on the passenger. were injured.
The editorial. commenting on the
wire stuff. was sharply critical OF
the Short Line management II
limited broadly that there had been
no such thing as discipline on The
road since MIR. Shaffcr had lcft "a,
that the rank and file was running
tfAtfkN IHNAhN AhAAi ~ - NfheHNHs
and with this there was a dig at gen
eral managers who let old and time
tried department heads go 20 make
room for their rich and incompetent
college friends--whleh was meant 60
be slap al Mr. Van Britt. our own
and only millionaire.
Unhappily. this fauit.flndlng had
"a good bit 90 build on. IN one way.
A have said. we were having
operating troubles 10 beat the band
With tho rank and file apparently
doing It's level best 20 help out IN
tho new public be. pleased" program.
10 seemed as IL We couldn't worry
thru n single week without smash.
ing something.
Iatterly. even the newspapers that
were friendly to tho Norcross man.
agrment were beginning 20 com.
ment on the epidemic Of disasters.
and nothing In the world but the
boss policy OF taking all tho edi'
tors into his confidence when they
wanted TO investigate kept the ris
ing storm of criticism somewhere
within bounds
Mr.. Norcross had read the paper
before he handed Il over 10 me. and
afierward he hurried his breakfast
n little. when he reached the office
Mr.. Van Britt was waiting for the
chief.
We've got II In the neck once
more" he grittcd. flashing up his
own copy OF the Herald. Did you
read that editorialF"
The boss nodded and said: TITS
inspired, Of course. everything you
see in that sheets takes It's color
from the Red Tower offices"
II know. but Il bites. Just the
same" was the brittle rcjoindcr
Never mind tho newspaper talk"
tho boss INTERCEPTED. How bad Il
the trouble this timer
Pretty bad. Nv, just had Brock
man on the wire from Alicante. The
freight Is practically a total loss. a
good half Of Il Is In the river. Kir.
gan says he can pick tho freight
engine up and rebuild ~: bu, the
passenger machine IL n wreck"
HOW ct1 IL happens
ITS like good many OF the
others. Nobody seems to know
Brockman put tho freight engine
crew on the rack. and they say
there was a small boulder on the
|track--that II rolled down the can
yon slope jus; ahead Of them as
they were turning a curve. They
struck II. and both men say that
the engine knocked Il off into the
river apparently without hurting
anything. But two seconds later the
entire train left the track and piled
up all over the right-of.way."
The engineer and fireman were
not hurty
NO. they both jumped on the
high side But. OF course. they were
pretty badly shaken up. Riggs. the
fireman. got out OF the rattle first
and tried 10 flag the passenger
train. but he was too late"
The boss was sitting back in his
chair and making little rings on the
desk blotter with the point OF his
letter-opener.
Upton. these knockouts have got
to be stopped"
Good Lofdr' exclaimed the little
millionaire. you don't have 10 tell
me that II we can't stop EN-
Uncle Dunton viii have plenty Of
good reasons for cleaning us all
out. lock. stock, and barrel, was
talking with Carter. in the claim
office. this morning. our loss and
damage account for the past month
Is something friShtfulr'
ut is" said the boss gravoiy And
then: Upton, we're not altogether
as bright as we might be. Has Il
never occurred to you that we are
having too much bad luck TO war
rant us in charging II all up to the
chapter OF accldents2"
Mr.. Van Britt blew his cheeks out
until the stubby. cropped mustachc
bristled like porcupine quilts
80 you've been getting your
pointer. too, have your" he threw in.
Mr.. Norcross didn't answer the
question directly.
Put Tarbeil on the job. and ~
he needs help, let him pick his own
men" he directed. we want TO
know why that boulder tumblcd
down ahead Of Number Seventeen.
and I want 10 see Tarbell's report
on e. Keep at II night and day,
Upton. The infection Is getting into
the rank and file and it's spreading
like a sickness. You've raiIroaded
long enough 10 know what that
means. II IL becomes psychological,
we shall have all the trouble we need"
II know" nodded the superintend.
kind on the Great Southwestern, one
winter II was horrible. Men who