The Iron Boys as Foremen; or, Heading the Diamond Drill Shift

by Mrs. Molesworth

  CHAPTER XVIII

  PROMOTED BY THE PRESIDENT

  AT midnight every mine on the range shut down.

  Ten thousand men were out for the time being. Not all of these were insympathy with the strike, of course. Many were loyal to their employers,and would have continued at their work, but the superintendents of thevarious shafts gave orders to shut down the mines until the followingday, when other plans would be made.

  At daylight on the following morning the private car of the president ofthe mining company entered the town. Mr. Carrhart and Mr. Penton were inconsultation in the latter's office half an hour later. The presidenthad been through strikes before. He knew what they meant, and his facewore a serious expression.

  "I don't care so much on our own account, Penton. We have a million tonsof ore on the dumps at the mines now, enough to keep us going untilnavigation on the lakes shuts down. I feel sorry for the men, and fortheir innocent families. Who is this man Cavard?"

  "I always have considered him a bright, capable man. He is an inspector,as you know. I never saw anything wrong about him until this matter cameup. But I believe he has been organizing the men for some time. Rushaccused the fellow, in my presence, of carrying this thing through fromdishonest motives."

  "Ah, Rush! What about these boys? Then they are not in sympathy with thestrikers?" questioned the president.

  "No. They both joined the union, not, I believe, because of any sympathythat they felt for the movement, but in the light of after events, it isplain to me that Rush saw what was coming, and thought he might be ableto stem the tide. It was too big a task for him. He did not fullyappreciate the magnitude of the task that he had set for himself."

  "They are splendid boys," continued Mr. Carrhart, the lines of his facesoftening perceptibly. "Splendid boys. Tell me about their part in thisaffair."

  Mr. Penton did so. He related to the president the incidents connectedwith the Iron Boys joining the union. Of their having pitted themselvesagainst the man Cavard, of Steve Rush's speeches and of the fight in themeeting on the previous night, when the boys had been handled soroughly.

  "The cowards!" exclaimed Mr. Carrhart, thumping the superintendent'sdesk with a powerful fist. "They deserve no sympathy, and----"

  "You mean the leaders deserve no sympathy?" corrected Mr. Penton.

  "Yes. Do you know how the boys are this morning--whether they wereseriously hurt or not?"

  "They went home after the meeting--after they had reentered the meetingroom and withdrawn from the organization. I have not heard from themthis morning, of course."

  "Please send over to their boarding place and find out as soon as youthink the people there are up. I should like to see the boys some timethis morning if they are able to get out. If not, we will go to them,"announced the president with emphasis. "How many of our men will standby us?"

  "I have no idea. Not very many."

  "While there is no necessity for our turning a wheel for the rest of theseason, we must do so for the moral effect it will have on the strikers.We must not give way for a moment. We already are paying our men betterwages than almost any other mine in the country. It is not the principleof this corporation to grind its men down, but to pay them all they canearn. Yet there is a limit beyond which we cannot go. Have you anysuggestions to make, Penton?"

  "Yes. I should notify the men that if they wish to declare the strikeoff and go to work within twenty-four hours, all will be taken backwithout prejudice and given work all winter. Otherwise the mines will bemanned by others when we get ready to work them. I should get intocommunication with our mine captains and find out if our engineers,pump-men, electricians and other practical men are to be depended upon."

  "It shall be done at once."

  "And we must not forget about our young friends, Rush and Jarvis,"continued Penton. "I fear we shall have violence before this strike isended. The union has plenty of money for a long fight, but I do notbelieve a large amount of it will get to the men themselves, from what Iknow about their leaders."

  "I should imagine not. I will go back to my car for breakfast and youcan make your reports to me there. That, perhaps, will be best. Betterhave your notices gotten out at once."

  "I will do so."

  When the miners went out on the street that morning they found the townplacarded with the notices, as directed by President Carrhart. Groupsquickly gathered about these notices, those who could read translatingthe notices to those of the foreigners whose knowledge of English waslimited.

  Soon these groups were engaged in excited discussions. The word went outthat a meeting of the union would be called for nine o'clock. Thismeeting was of the briefest nature, lasting not more than twentyminutes. A stirring address by Cavard was the final argument necessaryto clinch the matter. The strike was on, and the men were going to standfast until the bosses should yield, which the walking delegate assuredthe men the former would soon do. That owners could not afford to holdout for more than a month at the longest was the promise made to thestriking miners.

  The meeting ended amid wild enthusiasm, after which the men strolledabout the streets, well satisfied with themselves and thoroughlyenjoying the liberty and freedom of their new situation.

  No overtures were made to the mine owners by the leaders of the strikethat day. Cavard proceeded exactly as if the mine officials did notexist. Word of what had been done at the morning meeting had beenquickly carried to Mr. Carrhart. The president smiled grimly.

  The latter had just finished his breakfast when Steve Rush and BobJarvis presented themselves at the private car and were quicklyadmitted. Mr. Carrhart greeted them warmly, bidding them be seated.

  "I will talk with you while I look over my mail and telegrams. Rush, youlook as if you had been pretty roughly handled."

  Rush colored.

  "I guess I must have been."

  "But we gave them something to remember us by," retorted Jarvis. "Thereare some sore heads in that crowd to-day. I saw a few of them on our wayhere this morning."

  "Rush, I want to thank you for your efforts in our behalf. It was abrave thing to do, in the face of the excitement of the men. The companywill not forget what both of you have done. It is unnecessary for me toask whether you two are going to stand by the company."

  "No, sir; it should not be necessary for you to ask. There never was amoment when there was any doubt about it. Are you going to operate themines just the same, if I may ask?"

  "Yes," answered Mr. Carrhart, after brief reflection. "Of course weshall not be able to get out much ore, but we shall do the best we canto show the men that we are independent."

  "When do you wish us to go to work?"

  "Probably at one this afternoon, though this depends upon whether thesuperintendent is able to operate the machinery. I hear you have doubtsof the honesty of the man Cavard. What do you know about him?"

  "Not very much, sir. I know that he did a very crooked thing in mailingmost of his notifications for a meeting after the meeting had takenplace. Evidently he had privately notified those whom he wished to bepresent."

  "Hm-m-m! What was Cavard's motive?"

  "I do not know, but I do know that I consider him a dangerous man. Hehas a remarkable influence over the men. He can lead them into anythinghe wishes. Is there no way that he could be arrested and checked?"

  Mr. Carrhart laughed.

  "That would be making a martyr of the man. No; we cannot have himarrested until he has done something that makes him liable to arrest.Even then it would not do unless the men could be convinced that he wasworking solely for his own selfish interests and against theirs."

  "Then we'll prove it," announced Steve Rush with emphasis.

  "Yes, we will!" agreed Jarvis.

  Mr. Carrhart gazed at them quizzically.

  "You boys almost make me believe that you will do what you say. I amhalf inclined to believe you will prove it, if you say so. Rush, I amgoing to give you Cavard's
position. I am going to make you a generalinspector in the mines. It is a sort of roving commission, but it willgive you authority to do pretty much what you like, of course actingunder the instructions of the superintendent."

  "What do you wish me to do especially?"

  "Keep the mines going, or help to do so. See to it, so far as possible,that the company's property is protected. I do not apprehend anyviolence just yet, but it will come unless we are able to break thebackbone of the strike before cold weather sets in. Do not beheadstrong, but work with caution. You will be in danger before we havedone this. I hope you will both be careful, for we can't afford to loseyou boys just yet, and now we need the services of every loyal man inour employ. Report to Mr. Penton when you leave here, and he will giveyou your directions for the work of the day. You will act as inspectorfor both the Cousin Jack and the Red Rock Mines. And, Jarvis, I think Iwill have you act as assistant to the mining captain of the Red Rock.Curb your temper and keep your head level."

  "Yes, sir; I'll try," answered Bob, smiling happily. He was delighted athis promotion.

  The interview being ended, the boys bade the president good morning andhastened to the office of the superintendent. Angry looks were directedat them as they passed along the street, but the Iron Boys gave no heed.They went on about their business as usual.

  Mr. Penton was not in when they arrived. He came in soon after, and thelads told him what Mr. Carrhart had said.

  "That's good," said Mr. Penton, rubbing his palms together. "I havearranged to have the machinery working at one o'clock to-day. All theengineers are loyal and I have assurance that quite a number of the menare willing to stand by us. We shall have quite a respectable force atwork this afternoon."

  "Then we will go over now and start in," said Steve.

  The boys found fully a hundred men about the shafts of the two mines.When the strikers saw that the boys were going down into the mine theyset up an angry shout. Jeers filled the air.

  "Scab! Scab! Scab!" howled a hundred voices. But the Iron Boys heldthemselves steady, and, entering the cage, were shot down into the mine.