Chapter 65 – Arrival of Injured from Rock Creek

Lee halted the wagons and nodded to Charlotte to whistle. Once he had everyone's attention, he spoke.

"We are taking the injured men to the tents by the schoolhouse." Lee said. "After they have been unloaded. I want all the horses cared for, then you can get a bite to eat. I want my men to report back to the mill and check in with Hickum in no more than two hours. Anyone who doesn't check in will have to deal with me. There is plenty of work to do. Let's go!"

Men quickly did what they were told. Four of the wagons moved toward the schoolhouse and the tents that had been set up. As women started coming into town, Abigail directed them to the tents and to check in with Faith. That was when she noticed the fifth wagon was still by the saloon. Both Wynn and Abigail walked over to see what was going on. That was when they saw the injured woman and six children. Wynn turned to Andy who was watching in disbelief.

"Andy." Wynn yelled. "I need a hand."

Andy jogged over and saw the children.

"Help me get her inside." Wynn said.

Together they were able to pick up the blanket that she was on and carry her into the saloon. Sam immediately directed them to a cot. Abigail and a couple of the other mothers helped lift the children down. The girls were crying and clung to Alec. He tried to encourage them to go with the women, but they refused. Charlotte walked over and they clung to her. Mona Weaver took the baby and the rest of the children into the saloon to get them settled. Charlotte helped the girls inside and got them each settled with a cookie and some water. She asked them to stay with Alec and that she would be back. They just looked at her, but Alec said he had them. He encouraged them to eat their cookies and told he bet he could find them another one if they finished. Charlotte turned and walked out of the saloon. Wynn and Andy were right behind her.

"Where is Bill?" Wynn asked when they were outside.

"Lee sent Floyd Conklin and Jesse Flynn with him to look for anyone else that might have survived the flash flood." Charlotte said. "Best we can tell the five little ones were in a tree playing when the flash flood hit. We found them crying when we went to check on the settlement. The oldest had been at the mine to take his father lunch when the slide happened. He was the one that went to town to send for help. He then went back to the mine and sat there waiting. He has been helping with the younger ones."

"How many are missing?" Wynn asked.

"After talking to Alec, the oldest child and some of the men." Charlotte said. "We think that there are fifteen women and twelve children missing presumed dead at this point. I don't think that anyone could have survived the flash flood and a night out in the elements if they were injured."

"Is there a list?" Andy asked.

Charlotte just glared at the man before her since she didn't know him. She was hungry, tired and sore, the last thing that she wanted was to deal with a nosy busybody. Wynn caught the look, but dismissed it for a moment. She turned to Wynn.

"I think Lee has a list of dead, injured and missing." Charlotte said.

"Where are the dead?" Andy asked.

Charlotte glared at the man again.

"Charlotte, it is okay." Wynn said. "He is the owner of Rock Creek and Silverton mines."

"The five dead men were left at the mine with a Mr Annesley." Charlotte said. "There were ten miners not in the mine when the slide happened. Mr Annesley is going to have them bury the men and continue cleaning up. That is all I know. I am exhausted. I was up with the children during the night. The girls are twins, their mother is missing and their father is injured, bad. They don't understand. Alec is apparently their cousin, he has been trying to help, but they want their mommy."

"We will handle it." Abigail said. "Go get some sleep."

"I can't leave the children." Charlotte said.

"Charlotte Ann Thornton, go!" Wynn said. "That is an order! Go to the row house and take Jack and Elizabeth's room. I am sure they wouldn't mind. You are no good to anyone in this state. Don't make me arrest you because you won't listen. You need to take care of yourself."

"Alright." Charlotte said. "Come get me in a few hours."

"I will." Abigail said.

With that Charlotte walked toward the row house. Wynn waited until he knew she was out of earshot and then he turned to Abigail.

"Don't you dare wake her." Wynn said in a low steely tone.

"Okay." Abigail said.

The fifteen men were put into three of the tents that had been set up. Faith quickly looked around. She saw Cat Montgomery and Melissa Price and waved them over.

"I have put five men in each tent." Faith said. "The most severely injured are in one tent, but I need someone to check and clean the wounds of the other men. Can I put you each in charge of a tent."

"You heard that there was an injured woman and some children also brought in?" Cat asked.

"No, I hadn't." Faith said. "Where are they?"

"At the saloon as far as I can tell." Melissa said.

"Cat, can you handle them?" Faith asked.

"Sure." Cat said. "I will let you know if there is anything that you need to check."

"Melissa, you are in charge of the other two tents for now." Faith said.

"I will grab Alice Stonelake to help." Melissa said.

"Do what you have to." Faith said. "I want all the wounds cleaned and redressed. I know that the Mounties and men tried, but they didn't have the best of conditions. Also make sure those that are able, get something to eat. When you are done, get me a list of the injuries and what was done. Also get names if you can. It will help later."

"We got it, Faith." Cat said. "I will go check on the woman and make sure the children are okay. Do you want me to wire Union City for more help?"

"You can try." Faith said. "I don't know if they will send anyone, and if they do it will be tomorrow by the time they get here."

With that the three women all turned and headed to their assigned tasks. The first thing Melissa did was look for Alice. Cat headed back to town and Faith went into the tent. Everyone knew that it was going to be a long afternoon and evening. Cat knew that Faith was right, there was no point in wiring Union City, so Cat turned her focus to the woman and children at the saloon.

As Wynn, Abigail and Andy were standing there, horses and wagons headed to livery. One wagon headed back to Rock Creek. Dee and Lee walked back to Wynn and Abigail about the same time. Wynn was still looking around. He knew that there were things that he needed to talk to Lee about, there was a part of him that was glad that Bill was making sure that no one was left behind, but there was another part that wished all the Hope Valley residents had returned. Wynn really needed to talk to Bill about a few things.

"I will come fill you in, I need a little bit." Lee said. "I need to care for my horse."

"Here." Dee said. "I will, I also have Charlotte's horse. You tell them what you know. I will care for the horses and then be back. I have something that I want to check out."

"Okay." Lee said. "Thanks."

"You look exhausted." Abigail said. "Here, come have some coffee and talk in the office."

Lee, Abigail, Wynn and Andy all headed back to Abigail's office. When they got there, she poured Lee a cup of coffee and offered some to everyone. Wynn and Andy each took a cup. She then sat down.

"Lee." Abigail said. "Andy Yeager, owner of Silverton and Rock Creek mines. Andy, Lee Coulter, owner of Coulter Enterprises. Lee, here, was also at both rescue efforts."

"Thank you for taking care of my men." Andy said. "I hear you have a list."

Lee reached into his pocket, pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Andy.

"As you can see the five names at the top that are crossed out, are the men who died." Lee said. "We tried to put them in families. The circled are missing, as you can see there are fifteen missing women and twelve missing children. The ten, while eleven names at the bottom are the men that are still at Rock Creek. As you can see, two of them have missing family members. Mr. Annesley said that he would make sure that the men who died were buried. I asked him to hold off for a day until he heard from us. They don't have a regular pastor, so I was thinking of sending Frank."

"Since you were at both sights." Andy said. "Are either of them operational?"

"Silverton might be." Lee said. "But I think that it would take some work. We only moved enough mud to get the men out. Rock Creek, most of the mud was moved from the entrance. I think that in a day or two with some work that it could be operational."

"Are there men from Silverton that could be released to work?" Andy asked.

"I am not sure." Wynn said. "I think so, but it would be best to check with Nurse Carter."

"What about the families and widows?" Abigail asked.

"Do you have housing for them here?" Andy asked.

"Well." Abigail said. "Right now they are between the schoolhouse, the saloon and as you heard some tents."

"The Mounties brought four large tents." Lee said. "My men built platforms for them and they are set up in the field behind the schoolhouse."

"There are a few more tents coming." Wynn said. "We have also been working on some more permanent housing for some of the families, but we need to know what you are going to do."

"Right now." Andy said. "I would like to get the men that are able and willing back to work. I think that I will move who I can up to Rock Creek and get that mine up and running. With the new capital, I planned on adding more workers. I ordered some large tents to be delivered to Rock Creek later this week. Lee, do you have the ability to hire workers on a temporary basis? Say for a specific project."

"I have in the past." Lee said. "I could, depending on what you were thinking. It might take a few days to get men here."

"Well." Andy said. "I know that we haven't talked about it, but I would like to buy the mine here in town and reopen it. I would also like for those with families to have housing, not in tents. I understand that some would need to be built, but even if this mine doesn't reopen, they could be used for the families of both Silverton and Rock Creek."

"Well." Lee said. "I could get workers in to cut the wood and build the houses, but if you are going to house workers for Rock Creek, I think that it would be better in the village of Rock Creek. They aren't as big as Hope Valley, but it is about a three to four hour ride in a wagon and at least a couple hours on horseback if they are in Hope Valley. At least from the village of Rock Creek it would be less than an hour to the mine walking. I think that the town would be willing to work with you. Charlotte talked to the mayor there. He seemed to be willing to help."

"You talked of row houses." Andy said. "I assume those are what Pacific had built at one time for company housing."

"Yes." Abigail said. "They are simple two story clapboard houses with two to three bedrooms in each house. Usually there are two upstairs, but there is a way to close off a portion of the downstairs and make a third bedroom."

"How many do you currently have?" Andy asked.

"Sixteen." Abigail said.

"Is there room to put more?" Andy asked.

"Sure." Abigail said. "The field was originally laid out to have three rows, with the outer two rows having sixteen and the middle row having twelve or thirteen. That way the pumps that were put in could be left for community use."

"So we could put in twenty-eight more houses." Andy said. "Who owns the land?"

"The town of Hope Valley." Abigail said. "The houses can be rented at the bank and the money comes back to the town. I would have to check if there are any available right now, but otherwise we could set it up the same way."

"I have one for now." Lee said. "They are nice houses. I have plans to build a large house for my fiancee at some point, probably next year."

"If I were to build the houses." Andy said. "Would I be able to get a portion of the rent each month until the cost of the houses were paid off and then I would give them to the town to rent as usual."

"I am sure we could work something out." Abigail said. "And if you didn't need all of the houses. Would we be able to, say, rent them to workers coming for the railroad?"

"Yes." Andy said. "But at first, I would get priority."

"What about the men and families that work in Rock Creek?" Wynn asked.

"Ideally." Andy said. "I would want most of the men that had families to work either in Hope Valley or at Silverton, because it would be closer. I can hire single men for Rock Creek and provide the tents like I have been. However, if they wanted to be in Rock Creek. I would do what I could to provide housing for them."

"Well." Lee said. "With the exception of the two men, all the others still in Rock Creek are single. Also there were twelve single men at Silverton. I don't know how many of them are ready to go back to work."

Everyone looked around the room. Wynn could tell that Abigail needed to think and Lee also needed some time. He hoped that they would take a moment and step back before making a choice, but then again, he knew them to be level headed.

"You have given us a lot of information." Wynn said. "I can't speak for the town, but here is what I propose. We talk to Nurse Carter and see who she can and will release. Take the single men first. Those with families have more to consider. Let's let Abigail here talk to the town council about reopening the mine. Either way, we are going to need housing. Whether for here and/or Silverton. So why don't you sit down with Lee and get plans made for say sixteen of the houses. Then we can go from there."

"That sounds good." Abigail said. "As long as Mr Mullins has nothing to do with the operation, then we might be able to strike a deal."

"Sounds good." Andy said. "Lee, do you have an office where we can talk about what you need?"

"Yes." Lee said. "Just across main street. My second in command, Hickum, should be there. I will be there in a few minutes."

"Sounds good." Andy said. "Take your time, I imagine you have had a rough few days."

Andy stood and walked out, pulling the door closed behind him.