The Harris-Ingram ExperimentBolton, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Science
The Harris-Ingram Experiment
Bolton, Charles E. (Charles Edward)
Science fiction, American
It was in August. The moon had set beyond the blue lake, and the myriad
lights of heaven were hung out, as George and Gertrude alighted from
their carriage in front of Colonel Harris's residence. They had been to
the Grand Opera House, where they had witnessed Shakespeare's "Midsummer
Night's Dream," beautifully played by Julia Marlowe and her company.
Between the acts, George and Gertrude talked much of the strike, of labor
troubles in general, and earnestly discussed the possible remedies.
Reuben Harris, who had awaited their return, hearing the carriage drive
up, extended a cordial welcome. His hand was on the knob of the front
door, which stood half open, when the sky above the steel mills suddenly
became illuminated and deafening reports of explosions followed. The
door, held by Harris, was slammed by the concussion against the wall, the
glass in the windows rattled on the floor, the ground trembled, Harris
seized George's arm for support, and Gertrude's face was blanched with
fear. Fire and smoke in great volumes were now seen rising above the
steel plant.
George ran to the telephone, but before he could shout "Exchange," a call
came for Colonel Harris from his night superintendent, who announced that
the engines and batteries of boilers had been blown up, and that all the
mills were on fire. The chief of police telephoned that he had sent one
hundred more police to the mills; the chief of the fire department
telephoned that ten steamers had been dispatched. George dropped the
telephone, kissed Gertrude, and on the back of her Kentucky saddle horse
flew into the darkness to direct matters at the mills as best he could.
The next morning's _Dispatch_ contained two full pages, headed,
"The Deadly Dynamite!
Frightful Loss of Life,
and
Destruction of Property
at
The Harrisville Iron & Steel Plant.
"One hundred employees were killed outright, and hundreds more were
wounded. All the mills were either burned or wrecked. Many women and
children were also injured. Five hundred tenement houses were damaged,
and the windows of most of the buildings within a half mile of the
mills were badly broken."
Next morning the citizens of Harrisville were wild with excitement.
Ringing editorials appeared in all the morning and evening journals
declaring that "Lawlessness is anarchy," and that "Law and order must
prevail."
CHAPTER XIII
TRIAL OF ANARCHY AND RESULTS
George Ingram had scarcely disappeared in the darkness, when Colonel
Harris fully comprehending the terrible situation at his works telephoned
the exchange to summon at once to his mills every physician and ambulance
in the city.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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