438 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the citizens of Pittsburgh had restored order by organizing a force 

 armed with base-ball bats. In San Francisco the pick-handle was 

 chosen instead, and for some days a large number of men so armed 

 perambulated the streets. Space will not permit, nor is it necessary, 

 to tell the story of this "battle of the kegs." Ridiculous in some 

 of its aspects, it was serious in others. There was not the slightest 

 necessity for this extra-legal organization and parade ; but, while San 

 Francisco was represented to the world as a city on the verge of riot 

 and anarchy, a strong feeling of class irritation was engendered. 



Among those who carried a pick-handle in this " pick-handle bri- 

 gade," as it was christened, was an Irish drayman, who has since 

 become famous. Dennis Kearney, a man of strict temperance in all 

 except speech, had built up a good business in draying for mercantile 

 houses, and accumulated, besides his horses and drays, a comfortable 

 little property. Up to this time he had taken no part in politics, except 

 to parade in torchlight processions as a " Hayes Invincible," but for 

 some two years had been a constant attendant at a sort of free debat- 

 ing club, held on Sunday afternoons, and styled the Lyceum of Self- 

 Culture, where he had gradually learned to speak in public, though the 

 temperance which he practiced and preached as to liquor and tobacco 

 did not extend to opinions or their expression. He was noticeable not 

 merely for the bitter vulgarity of his attacks upon all forms of religion, 

 especially that in which he had been reared, the Catholic, but for the 

 venom with which he abused the working classes, and took on every 

 occasion what passed for the capitalistic side. "With all the vehemence 

 with which he has since inveighed against "thieving capitalists" and 

 " lecherous bondholders," he denounced the laziness and extravagance 

 of workingmen, declared that wages were far too high, and defended 

 Chinese immigration. Whether, with the suddenness not unnatural 

 to such extremists, Kearney really changed his opinions while carrying 

 his pick-handle, the change being hastened by some recent losses in 

 stocks, or whether he merely realized what political possibilities lay in 

 the general feeling of discontent and irritation, and how easily in times. 

 of excitement men may be organized, makes little difference. He laid 

 down his pick-handle, to put his drays in charge of a brother, and go 

 into politics. 



His first appearance in his new vocation attracted no attention. 

 The Safety Committee excitement passed immediately into the excite- 

 ment of the impending legislative and municipal election. Besides 

 the regular parties, a number of independent organizations or " side- 

 shows " were in the fi^ld, many of them consisting only of a high- 

 sounding name and an Executive Committee, who found their account 

 in nominating candidates from the principal tickets and assessing them 

 for election expenses, candidates who were spending money heavily, 

 preferring to pay something to get on even the most insignificant 

 ticket rather than risk the loss of the few votes that might determine 



