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 in
sympathy with the strike, of course. Many were loyal to their employers,
and would have continued at their work, but the superintendents of the
various shafts gave orders to shut down the mines until the following
day, when other plans would be made.
At daylight on the following morning the private car of the president of
the mining company entered the town. Mr. Carrhart and Mr. Penton were in
consultation in the latter's office half an hour later. The president
had been through strikes before. He knew what they meant, and his face
wore a serious expression.
"I don't care so much on our own account, Penton. We have a million tons
of ore on the dumps at the mines now, enough to keep us going until
navigation on the lakes shuts down. I feel sorry for the men, and for
their 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 came
up. But I believe he has been organizing the men for some time. Rush
accused the fellow, in my presence, of carrying this thing through from
dishonest motives."
"Ah, Rush! What about these boys? Then they are not in sympathy with the
strikers?" questioned the president.
"No. They both joined the union, not, I believe, because of any sympathy
that they felt for the movement, but in the light of after events, it is
plain to me that Rush saw what was coming, and thought he might be able
to stem the tide. It was too big a task for him. He did not fully
appreciate the magnitude of the task that he had set for himself."
"They are splendid boys," continued Mr. Carrhart, the lines of his face
softening perceptibly. "Splendid boys. Tell me about their part in this
affair."
Mr. Penton did so. He related to the president the incidents connected
with the Iron Boys joining the union. Of their having pitted themselves
against the man Cavard, of Steve Rush's speeches and of the fight in the
meeting on the previous night, when the boys had been handled so
roughly.
"The cowards!" exclaimed Mr. Carrhart, thumping the superintendent's
desk 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 were
seriously hurt or not?"
"They went home after the meeting--after they had reentered the meeting
room and withdrawn from the organization. I have not heard from them
this morning, of course."
"Please send over to their boarding place and find out as soon as you
think the people there are up. I should like to see the boys some time
this 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 stand
by us?"
"I have no idea. Not very many."
"While there is no necessity for our turning a wheel for the rest of the
season, 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 better
wages than almost any other mine in the country. It is not the principle
of this corporation to grind its men down, but to pay them all they can
earn. Yet there is a limit beyond which we cannot go. Have you any
suggestions to make, Penton?"
"Yes. I should notify the men that if they wish to declare the strike
off and go to work within twenty-four hours, all will be taken back
without prejudice and given work all winter. Otherwise the mines will be
manned by others when we get ready to work them. I should get into
communication 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 is
ended. The union has plenty of money for a long fight, but I do not
believe a large amount of it will get to the men themselves, from what I
know about their leaders."
"I should imagine not. I will go back to my car for breakfast and you
can make your reports to me there. That, perhaps, will be best. Better
have your notices gotten out at once."
"I will do so."
When the miners went out on the street that morning they found the town
placarded with the notices, as directed by President Carrhart. Groups
quickly gathered about these notices, those who could read translating
the notices to those of the foreigners whose knowledge of English was
limited.
Soon these groups were engaged in excited discussions. The word went out
that a meeting of the union would be called for nine o'clock. This
meeting was of the briefest nature, lasting not more than twenty
minutes. A stirring address by Cavard was the final argument necessary
to clinch the matter. The strike was on, and the men were going to stand
fast until the bosses should yield, which the walking delegate assured
the men the former would soon do. That owners could not afford to hold
out for more than a month at the longest was the promise made to the
striking miners.
The meeting ended amid wild enthusiasm, after which the men strolled
about the streets, well satisfied with themselves and thoroughly
enjoying the liberty and freedom of their new situation.
No overtures were made to the mine owners by the leaders of the strike
that day. Cavard proceeded exactly as if the mine officials did not
exist. Word of what had been done at the morning meeting had been
quickly carried to Mr. Carrhart. The president smiled grimly.
The latter had just finished his breakfast when Steve Rush and Bob
Jarvis presented themselves at the private car and were quickly
admitted. Mr. Carrhart greeted them warmly, bidding them be seated.
"I will talk with you while I look over my mail and telegrams. Rush, you
look 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. "There
are some sore heads in that crowd to-day. I saw a few of them on our way
here this morning."
"Rush, I want to thank you for your efforts in our behalf. It was a
brave thing to do, in the face of the excitement of the men. The company
will not forget what both of you have done. It is unnecessary for me to
ask whether you two are going to stand by the company."
"No, sir; it should not be necessary for you to ask. There never was a
moment when there was any doubt about it. Are you going to operate the
mines just the same, if I may ask?"
"Yes," answered Mr. Carrhart, after brief reflection. "Of course we
shall not be able to get out much ore, but we shall do the best we can
to 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 the
superintendent is able to operate the machinery. I hear you have doubts
of 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 mailing
most of his notifications for a meeting after the meeting had taken
place. Evidently he had privately notified those whom he wished to be
present."
"Hm-m-m! What was Cavard's motive?"
"I do not know, but I do know that I consider him a dangerous man. He
has a remarkable influence over the men. He can lead them into anything
he 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 him
arrested 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 was
working 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 am
half inclined to believe you will prove it, if you say so. Rush, I am
going to give you Cavard's position. I am going to make you a general
inspector in the mines. It is a sort of roving commission, but it will
give you authority to do pretty much what you like, of course acting
under 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 any
violence just yet, but it will come unless we are able to break the
backbone of the strike before cold weather sets in. Do not be
headstrong, but work with caution. You will be in danger before we have
done this. I hope you will both be careful, for we can't afford to lose
you boys just yet, and now we need the services of every loyal man in
our employ. Report to Mr. Penton when you leave here, and he will give
you your directions for the work of the day. You will act as inspector
for both the Cousin Jack and the Red Rock Mines. And, Jarvis, I think I
will 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 at
his promotion.
The interview being ended, the boys bade the president good morning and
hastened to the office of the superintendent. Angry looks were directed
at 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 the
lads told him what Mr. Carrhart had said.
"That's good," said Mr. Penton, rubbing his palms together. "I have
arranged to have the machinery working at one o'clock to-day. All the
engineers are loyal and I have assurance that quite a number of the men
are willing to stand by us. We shall have quite a respectable force at
work 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 they
set up an angry shout. Jeers filled the air.
"Scab! Scab! Scab!" howled a hundred voices. But the Iron Boys held
themselves steady, and, entering the cage, were shot down into the mine.