This struggle was a veritable gold mine for the Pinkerton Agency. Supt. J. C. Fraser of the Denver office personally conducted the strike in the interests of the railroad, and for over a year made his headquarters at the Paxton Hotel in Omaha. A corps of operatives were employed in the company's shops at Omaha, Neb.; North Platte, Neb.; Rawlins, Wyo.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Laramie, Wyo., and Denver, Col., for the alleged purpose of preventing the union mechanics from injuring or destroying company property. These operatives reported to Supt. Fraser at Omaha, and the latter consulted daily with President
i86 The Pinkerton Labor Spy.
Burt. The different offices of the Agency were also busy hiring non-union mechanics for the company.
After the strike had lasted for several months, both belligerents were in sore straits, and more than likely had someone brought the contending parties together, a speedy settlement would have resulted. But a settlement would have meant a loss to the Agency. Therefore, the Agency kept on advising President Burt to hold out; that he was bound to win in the end, and that with the help of their operatives the strike would fall of its own weight.
President Burt believed the assurances of the Agency, and would have nothing to say to his striking employees. The railroad company and the unions were losing millions SIMPLY BECAUSE THE PINKERTON AGENCY WANTED TO MAKE THOUSANDS. The reader will have a glimpse of the insatiable greed of the Agency when we state that it charged the railroad a rate of $6 per day and expenses for the services of Supt. Eraser's stenographer, whose regular salary was twelve dollars a week.
Thus the strike dragged on for many months, both sides being sick of the struggle and discouraged at the immense losses they had sustained, with