A Promise for Tomorrow (47 page)
Soon Christmas passed and James wanted only to see the weather warm up and the tunnel progress. He had spoken to several of the supervisors, and all agreed that they needed to resume the work. Whether they shared James’ anxiety to see the project completed or worried about retaining control over the men, James couldn’t say. And at this point he wasn’t sure it mattered to him.
He couldn’t explain it, not even to Carolina, but there was a driving force within him that made it necessary to see the Kingwood Tunnel completed. It was almost too personal to put into words, but somehow James saw it as his own private hurdle. For reasons that were beyond him, James felt desperately in need of completing the work.
“We can’t put it off any longer,” he told Kiernan, his eyes never leaving the eastern portal.
“Nay, I suppose not.”
“It has to be completed. Ben is counting on me. The B&O is counting on me.”
Kiernan nodded. “We could set up fires at either end and haul water like ya suggested.”
James had shared many thoughts with Kiernan, including those ideas conveyed at his meeting with Red and the supervisors. Since that meeting, Red had stirred up a great deal of strife among the Connaughtmen. He was restless, as were they, to get back to the work at hand, and idleness only lent itself to arguments and fights. James also blamed Red’s irritation on a desperately low supply of whiskey, but said nothing on this matter to Kiernan. The boy was troubled enough about his brother. There was no sense in adding fuel to that fire. Kiernan held a desperate fear that Red would get himself dismissed from the job, but James assured the boy that he’d rather not see that happen. Of course, James’ reasons were entirely removed from Kiernan’s. James desired to keep Red where he could maintain an account of his actions. Then, too, he knew that if Red were fired, he’d most likely convince the other Connaughtmen to walk off the job with him. That would set the tunnel construction back, and time was critical. Red knew it, as did his men, and this left James in a very precarious position.
Riding slowly back to town, James had more on his mind than he wanted to consider. He’d not been much good to Carolina, nor had he been a very good father to his children. First it was his bout with cholera, but now his mind was consumed with the tunnel and the urgency to see it completed. There wasn’t that much left to do. The biggest task was to actually blast through to the other side. Workers had come from the western and eastern portals, and now there was estimated to be less than six feet of rock between them. One or two well-orchestrated blasts and they would be through. It was stimulating to imagine this happening. To complete the tunnel was everything!
As if reading his mind, Kiernan commented, “I’m supposin’ there’ll still be a great deal to do once we’ve blasted through.”
“Yes,” James said, nodding his head. His feet ached and his toes felt numb, but still he insisted on these daily rides. “We have to clear the tunnel out, support it with timbers, and eventually arch the weaker sections in brick. We can’t very well have rocks flying down on passing trains.”
Kiernan nodded. He appeared greatly consumed with his thoughts, and James wondered if something about the tunnel gave the younger man concern. When they were finally back in James’ barn, he decided to press the issue.
“You’ve seemed mighty quiet,” James began. “Not only on our rides, which we both know negates much in the way of conversation, but also here. You scarcely said two words at breakfast.”
Kiernan busied himself by taking the saddle from the back of his horse. “It’s nothin’ to worry over.”
James eyed him over the back of his own mount. “You’re a poor liar, Kiernan O’Connor. What is it that has you so concerned? Is it something about the tunnel? Something with your brother? If there’s something I should know, man, speak up.”
Kiernan shook his head. “No, there’s nothing. I mean, not in the sense that ya might suppose.” He pulled the bridle off and hung it on a nearby peg. Turning, he shrugged. “I’ve just been thinkin’ about what I’ll do once the tunnel is finished.”
Suddenly James realized the implication of such a matter. Once the Kingwood Tunnel was completed, the bulk of the men would either be let go or reassigned to other places on the line. Kiernan knew this would mean his own job, and the life he’d known in Greigsville would also come to an end.
“I can always use a good assistant,” James told him, hoping the words would somehow comfort the young man. “I don’t know what my own responsibilities will be after the tunnel is finished, but there is plenty left to be done. Why, they are still struggling to complete Section 77 just five miles to the east of us. That’s some of the most glorious country you would ever want to see, but it has proven an infuriating nightmare to complete. Before the cholera put me down, Latrobe had me ride over to the site and give him a firsthand account of what seemed to be the problem.”
“And what did ya find?”
“Steep ravines, razor-sharp cliffs, and, of course, the Cheat River,” James answered. “Add to this that the five-mile stretch between there and this place climbs some four hundred and fifty feet with numerous ravines to be crossed, which, of course, will require bridges. The work is coming right along, but there will be work on this section for years to come. Even after the line is in place, I know Latrobe plans to change out any masonry and timber bridges for iron. I may well stay on to do whatever I can. I suppose it will depend on where they can best use me.”
“Aye.”
“Latrobe has talked of having me go west to Fairmont. They are working hard to negotiate the Monongahela River, and the bridge Latrobe proposes there will be the largest iron bridge in America. It might be interesting to find myself involved,” James said absentmindedly. He knew that such an endeavor would send him away from his family. It would be unlikely that he would move them the forty miles just to be with them every night. Such a move would slow things down, and the Baltimore and Ohio was only now starting to speed up its production. Once the weather warmed, and the rains replenished the water levels, James knew it would be just a year or so before the line was completed.
No, Carolina might not like him taking on a project that sent him away from her, but once he pointed out that it was only for a short time, surely she’d share his enthusiasm. Surely she’d sense the importance and stand beside him in his decision.
January 16, 1852, showed no signs of warming, and James Baldwin found the entire matter infuriating. He had put the men back to work at the first of the year, but still they struggled to accomplish their main objective—that of blasting through to open the tunnel.
“It’s me own thought that we be done with it already,” Red told James. “Me men are half frozen. Better to keep them busy workin’ than send them back to their cold, drafty houses. Haulin’ rock and pickin’ through limestone will get their blood up.”
“We still can’t be sure about the gas,” James countered.
“And for sure we’d be worryin’ about that,” Red replied, “but not so much that the work wouldn’t get done.”
Kiernan stood not a foot away from James, but Red refused to even acknowledge his presence. When James turned to Kiernan, he saw the pained expression in the younger man’s eyes. Having been an only child, James could barely imagine the anguish in having a brother reject you. Seeing the misery caused his young friend, he found himself almost grateful to have never known brothers or sisters.
“What do you think, Kiernan?” James asked. He knew it would infuriate Red, but he didn’t care. He wanted to reassure Kiernan that his position was important. The entire island of Ireland might snub him, but James wanted him convinced that here in America he had a place to belong.
“I suppose me brother knows his own mind on the matter,” Kiernan replied. “We’ve been haulin’ rock by hand ever since the winches went down. I’m doubting it would hurt anythin’.”
Red waited impatiently, and James could hear a low, almost inaudible growl coming from the man. He turned back to face Red. “Kiernan thinks it would be worth a try. I suppose if the men are willing to take the risk,” James said thoughtfully, “we could move ahead.”
“The men will do what they’re told to do,” Red replied, appearing even more hostile. James could only presume it was from his further loss of power. With James suggesting the men be given a choice, Red would find himself very nearly out of the picture altogether. Not an acceptable means for a bully whose self-appointed power fed on the fears of others.
“I don’t want any man to feel forced,” James answered. “While you speak to your men, I’ll travel over to the other side to see what’s going on there. When I get back, we’ll know better what to do.”
Red, obviously annoyed, said nothing as he stormed off in the direction of the Connaughtmen. Kiernan watched him, and James could see only too well the misery the younger man felt.
“I’m sorry, Kiernan,” James said sympathetically. “Why don’t you come with me?”
Kiernan nodded, his eyes ever on the back of his burly brother. “I suppose it might keep me out of trouble.”
James spoke quickly with two of the eastern portal supervisors. He told them of his thoughts to get the tunnel blasted through, and each man agreed it would be better to push forward than to wait, frustrated and idle.
“Better bundle up,” James told Kiernan and handed him an extra wool scarf. “The winds will bite right through us up there.”
Kiernan gazed upward to the mountaintop. “Too bad the train can’t run.”
James agreed. Tracks had been placed over the top for hauling supplies and transporting crew, but with the bitter cold and lack of water, the supply train was temporarily disabled. No doubt about it, the cold slowed their productivity even more than the drought of the previous summer or the cholera epidemic of the fall.
As they started up the inclined path, James heard the sound of arguments coming from the men below. Halting only momentarily to see what was happening, James worried about the men and what Red might do to them. Either he would work them into a fighting frenzy, or he would forcibly demand their allegiance and actions. Neither was acceptable to James. He was tired of Red O’Connor running the show. Every argument or delay usually found its conception in that man, and it was beginning to be more than James wanted to deal with. Over and over, Red had forced situations that James either had to accept or find a compromise for.
“He hasn’t always been like this,” Kiernan confided as if reading James’ mind.
James nodded and resumed their hike to the western portal. “No, I suppose not.”
“He once was a good and lovin’ man. He had a wife and child, but they both died before their first anniversary. Red came home to the family a broken man.”
“I can well imagine.”
“He was good to me family. Worked harder than any man ya’ll ever know. He even used to be a prayin’ man, but that ended with the death of his Kathleen.”
“How did she die?” James questioned.
“Childbirth. She struggled a long time and our mum tried hard to save her. She gave Red a son. He called him Brian. But the next day they both died. Her from bleedin’ to death and the boy from bein’ too small.”
“How awful for him,” James said, no longer feeling such frustration with Red. The man obviously carried a heavier load than even James had imagined.
“Aye,” Kiernan replied sadly.
James thought of how he would feel should Carolina die in such a manner. He would rather die himself than lose her. And yet, for all his occupation with the railroad, it might be hard just now to convince her of his loyalty to her. James instantly felt guilty for the long periods of time he’d spent away from his family. It wasn’t like he couldn’t have remained at home during the past few weeks, but the need to finish the tunnel had become almost an obsession. Maybe that was why he was eager to accept Red’s ideas on blasting through. It might not be safe, but then again, it might prove absolutely successful and James would be able to send word to Ben Latrobe that the tunnel had finally been completed. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true completion, but just opening it from end to end would offer James the success he was looking for.
Suddenly realizing that Kiernan had fallen in step behind him, James stopped and turned. “Why such a slow pace?” he asked with a grin. “Have you a hankering to freeze?”
Kiernan shook his head. “Nay. I’m just lost in me thoughts.”
“Care to talk?”
Kiernan shrugged. “I love your daughter.”
James laughed at this. “Yes, I know. But that hardly seems a reason for such a long face. After all, I’ve given you permission to court her, and even if it has been too cold to have socials and church services, the time will come when you two can walk about together.”
“Aye. I’ve no doubt of that. I suppose thinkin’ about Kathleen gave me reason to worry. I’m not sure I’d be able to live with meself if I caused Victoria to die.”
James sobered. “Life comes with no guarantees. We have no way of knowing who will live and who will die. My own sister-in-law lost a baby, and it gave Carolina a fearful time when she was carrying Nicholas. She kept wondering if she would fare any better than her sister. She prayed continuously and found it difficult to look forward to his birth with anything other than trepidation. But I told her there was simply nothing to be gained in worry. It wouldn’t stop whatever the good Lord had planned, and it certainly wouldn’t ease her fears. I suppose it would be much the same for you and Victoria. Perhaps that’s another reason you should give her time to grow up. She’s precious to me. As precious as if she were my own flesh and blood. I can’t deny that it tears at my heart when she looks at you the way she once looked at me.”
Kiernan lowered his gaze to the ground. “I’d not thought of it that way.”
“It’s the way of these things. The passing of daughters from fathers to husbands. Just remember, you may have her heart—but she has mine,” James said quite seriously. “I would be just as sorely grieved as you should anything ever happen to her.”
“I suppose it makes marriage a great risk,” Kiernan replied and looked up with tears in his eyes.