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 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.