All the same I
was glad I went back to the office that morning, because I had satisfied
myself that I had not committed an unpardonable error at the outset of
my career.
_In case of doubt always take the safe side._
CHAPTER XVI
A GENERAL STRIKE--A LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER FOR A DAY
During the ensuing spring, one of those spasmodic waves of strikes
passed over the country. Some northern road that wasn't earning enough
money to pay the interest on its bonds, cut down the salaries of some of
its employees, and they went out. Then the "sympathy" idea was worked to
the full limit, and gradually other roads were tied up. We had hopes it
would escape us, but one fine day we awoke to find our road tied up good
and hard. The conductors and brakemen went first, and a few days later
they were followed by the engineers and firemen. That completed the
business and we were up against it tighter than a brick. Our men hadn't
the shadow of a grievance against the company, and were not in full
sympathy with the strike, but their obligation to their unions was too
strong for them to resist.
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