The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-08
THE ACCIDENT
Workers on Job Revolt.
BY BILL COOPER

sixty frame of good steel put to-
gether with plenty of good sweat.
She'll be a big night and day sign
shining from the twelve roof top.
Now the whole gang is together
Jake, Charlie, and Mac are the fin
ishers, and the kids, Jimmie and I
are the helpers. Jimmie and I are
in our early twenties and more or less
BEGINNERS. We take orders and nasty
jobs from all the others, but this
time we don't mind. We climb gladly
to the very tops and nine stories and
sixty feet above the street we slap
on red lead or tighten the bolts. The
breeze brings up odors of the spring
from the parks around. We hook a
leg around an upright and work with
both hands. The breeze turns our
loose fitting overallS into ripping
banners. We forget about hard work
and small pay for a while. Jimmie
and I get the razzberry for trying to
harmonic some old songs. We re-
turn it to Jake and Charlie when
they swing off into some swell native
Hungarian folk songs. Mac is dis
gusted altogether. He swears he
would leave the job Immediately If
he didn't need the money in the
worst way.
Mac calls himself an American
and says he won't have anything to
do with us foreigners and Jews. He
is really the son of an Irish immi-
grant but draws the line for the son
of Jew. He is also a hot catholic
and tries to preach to us from time
to time. We can't discuss things with
him so when he gets on our nerves
too much we give him the Bronx
cheer"
Afternoon and the boss is up on
the roof. The job is coming along
fine but Ross isn't satisfied. He makes
us rush about and sweat and swear
and get nervous when we are up
and the song and spring die out OF
us. We drop things and cuss and get
cussed. We are no longer men but
automatons run by orders from Ross
We are short Of ropes and Ross
orders the safety ropes off from one
side. There is some protest from
Charlie. He doesn't want to go UP
without those ropes on. Ross makes ii
plain to him. Up or quit. Charlie
goes up, but he is angry and shaky
He jams his chest against the up
right and cusses everyone Ross bet
ter not get under him. We all want
to do something but we aren't sure
of each other. If Ross should leave
for few moments.
I am glad to get down to the root
to mix paint and sort bolts. After a
while hear a thud. I turn my head
to see what has been dropped and ]
scream. The frame has collapsed
blown over. rush past Ross who
stands dazed, munbling something,
and looks for mangled men. Charlie
and Jimmie crawl out from under
meath dazedly. Charlie is splitting out
blood and wiping some from the back
of his neck. Jake linps up behind us.
Where is Mac2 We hear him but we
can't see him. He is calling, groaning
and calling again. We are too excited
to follow his voice. There is on the
top, hugging twisted upright. His
hand is caught by the scissor action
Of a beam bolted to the upright. 1t
is cut off and hanging by piece
of skin and flesh.
Jake and I grab the end and try
to lift the beam. We struggle des-
perately and uselessly. Charlie does
the superhuman, he crouches under
the upright braces his shoulders I'M
der 1t, then rises slowly, vibrating
with effort to standing position.
I Jump down and jam a bar in near
the bolt, but 1t is almost useless.
The steel has bent above the hand
and lifted very little. I hang on
Ginning up on the bar not to lose
the quarter inch gain. The hand is
dripping blood, drop after drop 1t
passes my eyes. I shut them, I am
losing my nerve and I bite into my
arm to keep from screaming again.
There are footsteps around, more
men on the roof. A gang gets hold
and lifts again, the bolt snaps, my
bar drops and the beam lifts away.
We carry Mac downstairs and lay
him on table. The stump is bleed
ing furtously and we can't stop 1t.
A doctor comes in, makes a tourni-
quet, then gives Mac a shot. His face
Is CHASTITY as he looks at his mangle
Of flesh and bones. AS we wait for
the ambulance he begins to pray,
"Merciful Lord. who watcheth over
thy children :" I run out and
Jimmie follows.
On the roof we find Jake looking
sadly at the twisted wreck. We walk
to his side but can't say anything.
After while we hear an ambulance
downstairs and soon Charlie comes
up. He is looking for Ross. We tell
him Ross has run away. He puts a
heavy wrench into his pocket and
starts to go down again. We know
he is looking for Ross so we stop
him.