America 1881: Legend of the West

Billy O'Neal seems to be a loyal and honest man.

At least during the time Holly spent with him, he had always left this impression on Holly.

No matter what happens, I either don't express an opinion, and even if I express an opinion, it's "Yeah, okay, okay, okay."

This left the blond boy a little confused.

If that's true, then why does Big Beard keep staring at him like he's in danger?

This is their second week in Stone Spring.

The situation was more complicated than Holly had previously imagined.

The Knights of Labor had no chapter in Wyoming and had only a simple liaison organization in Stone Springs to develop membership in the coal mines.

In addition, there is a local white group in Stone Spring Town that is rooted in extreme anti-Chinese ideals, called the "Rock Springs White Mutual Aid Association."

Strictly speaking, the organization is a branch of the Ku Klux Klan.

The members of this group overlap with the miners of the Knights of Labor, and some are members of surrounding gangs with unknown origins.

Their leader is named Marvin Hayden.

The bell of the Knights of Labor church at the entrance of the town rang again.

This is a meeting to call a strike.

Holly walked out from where he lived.

A group of workers rushed toward the town entrance from the direction of Well No. 6, while another wave of workers came out of Well No. 3.

These people passed by the edge of the Chinese district, crossed the wooden bridge over the river, and headed towards the entrance of the town.

By the time Holly and the crowd arrived at the Knights of Labor Hall, the place was packed inside and out.

"I'd like to lend you some light, please."

He turned sideways and squeezed in through the gap between the people.

Several stools formed a circle, and a few people who could speak sat facing each other on the stools, while others stood behind them.

O'Neal saw Holly, smiled and waved to him, pointing to an empty stool next to him.

"The strike is inevitable and we are all ready."

A miner with a gray beard was speaking.

He was the temporary leader of the Knights of Labor in Rock Springs, and his name was Thomas Hanks.

He looked at O'Neill:

"I don't know when the preparations at the headquarters will start."

"Any time," O'Neill said, with a polite smile on his face.

"Hey, no, a strike is only effective if it forms a linkage. Unity is our weapon." Hanks was a little anxious.

"Well, yes, not bad."

O'Neal nodded, supporting Hanks' statement.

"You also know that unity and collaboration are effective, right?"

A strong man sitting on the stool next to him suddenly spoke.

This strong man has blond shawl curly hair, but because it is stained with soot, the color of his hair looks more brown.

He folded his hands on his chest and looked at Hanks coldly.

The white miners in Stone Spring are mainly of Irish and Swedish descent.

This is the Swedish worker leader, Larsson.

"What's the point of just going on strike? Others will just hire those Chinese workers, who are cheap and obedient."

He said slyly.

O'Neill turned to look at him and nodded:

"Yes, Not Bad."

"Then what can we do? The government's order has been issued, but they are unwilling to leave. How about I ask them if they are willing to go on strike together?"

Hanks spread his hands.

"Although they don't like to talk, they are not bad people. We have been working together in the same mine for a long time."

"Hmph, if you ask me, just tell them to get out! I've had enough of these scabs!" Larson said angrily.

"But there are more of them than us, how can we let them go? Are they going to start a gang fight?" Hanks argued.

While the two were still arguing, O'Neal had already looked at Marvin Hayden sitting aside.

The man was picking his nose and seemed uninterested in the discussion between the two union members.

"What do you think? Mr. Hayden?" O'Neill asked with a smile.

Hayden rolled the dirt he picked out from his nostril into a ball and flicked it out.

He stood up lazily:

"Let me tell you, you are all weaklings."

"What did you say?"

"Can you say that again!"

Hayden's words caused quite a stir in the lobby. Everyone was angered by his provocation and yelled at him one after another.

"I say! You! You are all! Cowards!" Hayden glanced at Hanks contemptuously, "Are you actually afraid of these Chinese?"

"So what if there are more people?"

He lifted up his coat, revealing the revolver at his waist, with a proud look on his face.

"You guys with guns are actually afraid of those unarmed yellow-skinned mules? Huh?"

Hayden's little finger that was picking at his nostrils is now picking out his ear piercings.

"Those people, when they hear the sound of gunshots, run faster than rabbits."

"But they will still come back after running away." Hanks asked, "Pacific Company will also hire Chinese workers from other places."

"Then, kill them!"

"Burn their houses, make those Chinese workers homeless, let them bring fear to other people, and make this place a hell for Chinese workers."

O'Neill still had a smile on his face, but he said cruel words.

Holly never imagined that such words would come out of the seemingly harmless O'Neal's mouth.

"I don't know how many of you experienced the Negros Street incident in Los Angeles more than ten years ago and the San Francisco incident eight years ago."

O'Neill also stood up and looked around at everyone present.

"I've been through it."

"At that time, we faced the same threats that Stone Spring is facing now!"

"Those damn Chinese workers are colluding with their bosses to take our jobs!"

"We resisted! We succeeded!"

"It's useless no matter how many Chinese workers there are! They are silent, just like those herbivorous livestock. As soon as you shoot, 'bang'! They will panic and run around."

O'Neill twisted the corners of his mouth, which made the smile on his face look extremely ferocious.

"They are in disarray and there is nothing to fear."

"Brothers, pick up the guns in your hands! Kill them! Let them completely disappear from Shiquan Town. Only in this way can our strike be effective."

O'Neal waved his fist.

Larson and Hayden followed closely behind, raising their arms and shouting. The crowd in the Knights Hall was excited and whistled! There was a chorus of shouts.

Hanks opened his mouth, but still didn't say anything.

Holly looked at the people around him in a daze.

They all seemed crazy, as if they all had a sworn hatred against the Chinese workers.

Even in the morning, they worked together in the mine, pushing the mine cart out of the mine together.

Next, O'Neal began to arrange specific attack times and plans.

He was not at all worried about the Chinese workers across the river knowing about these things.

So what if you know?

Will anyone come to help them?

And on the other side of the river, Mine No. 3.

The wooden door of the coal mine manager's office was pushed open with a bang.

The supervisor of the mine broke in with a embarrassed look on his face:

"Manager, those white workers ran away again."

The manager was reading the newspaper. When he heard this, he immediately stood up from his chair.

"Run away? On strike?" He held his eyes and asked eagerly.

"I don't know. It seems that a group of people went to the entrance of the town for a meeting. Not only the people from Well No. 3, but also people from Well No. 6. If you don't believe it, look at it, manager!"

The overseer walked to the door and pointed in the direction of the town entrance.

The coal mine manager hurried out the door.

The small wooden house used as an office is on a hillside. From the door, you can clearly see the situation at the entrance of the town.

There, in the direction of the Knights of Labor Hall, a large number of people gathered inside and outside the house.

"Damn the union." The manager cursed with his hands on his hips, but there was nothing he could do.

"Riley, Mr. Riley, is it convenient to speak now?"

A sentence of not very standard English came from behind the manager.

The manager turned around and found a Chinese worker, standing there respectfully and hesitantly.

"Damn it, are you going to go on strike with them?" Riley pointed towards the entrance of the town and shouted sharply at the Chinese workers.

"Uh, no, sir, our workers are all at their posts." Hua Gong replied cautiously.

"Oh, tell me, what do you want from me?" The manager's tone became a little kinder.

"Riley, Mr. Riley, you know, these white workers must take some action against us." The Chinese worker looked at the manager helplessly, "My people and I are in a very dangerous situation."

Riley rolled his eyes, walked to Hua Gong's side, and put his hand on his shoulder:

"Liao, don't worry, the company will handle these matters." He comforted, "It will be fine. You can go back to your post as soon as possible."

The Chinese worker named Liao Dabai saw that Riley's tone was so determined, and he swallowed all the words he originally wanted to say.

"The manager said that the company will solve it, so the company will definitely solve it. Why are you still standing here?" The supervisor waved to him impatiently.

Liao Dabai had no choice but to turn around and walk down the hillside.

"What do we do now?"

The supervisor asked after Liao Dabai's figure disappeared.

"How the hell do I know what to do? Do you want to be beaten to death by those white workers?"

Riley gave the overseer an annoyed look.

He sighed.

"After the incident is over, we will find a way to report it to the headquarters and see what they can do."