America 1881: They Call Me Legend

Chapter 219 It’s your fault for bragging.

If a person has land, a horse, a wife and children, it is best if he still owes a loan to the bank. If he can barely own all these if he works hard, then he will have many worries.

You can threaten him with firing him, lower his salary, and extend his working hours.

But if he has nothing but a job and only one arm of strength, then if you say the same thing to him again, it will be a big problem.

This group of workers who came from the small town were in such a state.

When Chen Jianqiu was selecting people to stay, he did not keep those who had families, those who missed their hometown, and those who were sensitive to race.

Chen Jianqiu told them that here, they can have a decent job and considerable income. They will have a place to live and food to eat. Although the conditions are difficult now, they will change soon.

Taverns, clinics...what other small towns in the American West have, they will have here; what other towns don't have, they will have here.

The most important thing is that no one looks down on anyone here. Everyone has to do the work, and there is no idle person.

Workers often see Danny, a member of Chen Jianqiu's core team, carrying wood on the construction site and adding bricks and tiles to the house;

The flying birds on Chen Jianqiu's left and right hands also take people hunting in the southern forest from time to time;

Their life is much better now than when they were soldiers. At least they don't have to worry about being scalped by Indians every day.

More importantly, they can save a lot of gold.

Chen Jianqiu told them that if they wanted to leave, they could leave at any time.

If the situation here really doesn't improve, I can use the accumulated gold to go to other places in the near future.

But now, someone actually wants to deprive them of this life with just a word.

They can endure it, but the wrench in their hand cannot.

One kilometer is not a very long distance, so a group of people quickly rushed in front of Peter and the others.

About twenty people surrounded them.

"You're going to take over this place and tell us all to get out, right?"

A bearded strong man put his hands on his hips and stared at the fat manager Pete with a straight look.

Manager Pete was experienced in dealing with workers. In the Standard Oil Company's factories, workers often caused trouble.

He changed his attitude from just vowing to meet Engineer Jackson in court, and said to the bearded man without blushing or heartbeat.

"We have never said anything like this. We are just here to evaluate the possibility of doing business here. We will also build a refinery here later. There has been no discussion about whether you will stay or leave."

"Don't believe this fat man, he just wants us to leave." Engineer Jackson loudly refuted Manager Pete.

"Let me make a promise to everyone, okay?" Manager Pete said confidently.

Anyway, it's a promise and it doesn't cost money. Now he is alone and defenseless.

Wait until the new workers and factory guards arrive to deal with you bunch of bastards.

The workers were a little hesitant. They looked at me and I looked at you.

"Everyone, please disperse now." Smith, who was holding engineer Jackson, waved to everyone. As a scholar, he opposed violent solutions to these problems.

Seeing that the workers' attitude had relaxed, Peter immediately grabbed the old man and several other experts who were still covering their chests, and while the workers were still stunned, he flew out of the crowd.

Chen Jianqiu on the side touched his chin.

It seems that this fat man still has some moral integrity.

In the next few days, Manager Pete and his experts stayed in seclusion and sneaked out to investigate the situation while the workers were away.

They found the accountant and went to the oil well personnel payroll.

Chen Jianqiu arranged a separate room for them in the new town, next to Sean.

Of course, this room is also chargeable.

Christmas is coming soon.

Although Chen Jianqiu himself was not very interested in this holiday, as the nominal "temporary mayor", he still held a party in the new town to celebrate the new town's first Christmas.

He brought some wine and fruit from the fortress's warehouse, as well as some sausages and cured meats.

These were transformed into delicacies under the hands of Smith's chef.

The workers were very happy, singing and dancing, and the young Chinese guys soon joined in.

Only Manager Pete and his evaluation team members huddled in their room.

Chen Jianqiu had someone bring them wine and food, and said that because it was Christmas, these things were free.

Soon, the lights in that room also turned on, and cheerful laughter came from inside.

Chen Jianqiu walked to the south of the new town alone with a bottle of Erguotou, facing the south.

He uncorked Erguotou and dropped the wine in the bottle on the ground.

"He should live a good life in another world." Camilla's voice came from behind him.

"Probably." Chen Jianqiu raised the bottle and drank the remaining wine with a tilt of his neck.

"What's the matter, Sean?" Chen Jianqiu turned his head and looked behind him.

The black man was standing there holding a lantern.

He originally looked at Chen Jianqiu and Camilla at the entrance of the town and hesitated whether to come up.

"We've got it, boss, take a look."

He took out a few pieces of paper from his arms and came up with a lantern.

"Where are they?" Chen Jianqiu took the pieces of paper and read them under the light of the lantern.

"I'm so drunk that I sleep like a pig." Sean chuckled.

This is an evaluation report, written by Manager Pete. He still did not forget his responsibilities and wrote the report secretly in the room.

The report elaborates on the situation here from many aspects, demonstrates the possibility of building a factory, and puts forward corresponding rationalization suggestions.

The general meaning is that the conditions here are harsh, the folk customs are strong, the location is remote, the transportation cost is high, and the crude oil has high sulfur content, so it is recommended to give up directly.

If it is really going to be built, the railway investment company must be encouraged to build a railway closest to here, and then directly build a refinery to export refined oil.

In addition, the personnel left by the previous company were very unprofessional and had relatively high salaries. It is recommended to recruit new employees and hire armed factory guards as soon as possible.

For the existing staff, reduce their salaries first, and then let them go when the new staff are in place!

"This fat guy is quite professional." Chen Jianqiu expressed his opinion after reading the report.

He pulled out the pages about personnel and handed them to Sean: "After everyone goes to bed at night, post them on the notice board in the town square."

"Put away those people's guns and knives. It's best not to kill anyone." Chen Jianqiu curled his lips, "That fat man still owes me money."

The next morning, several people quickly gathered around the notice board in the town square.

"Do you understand what is written on this?"

"It seems to be saying that our salary is too high and asking us to get out."

"But didn't the fat manager say a few days ago that he would not consider personnel matters for the time being?"

"This seems to be a report."

"He's lying! This bastard! I didn't think he was a good person before!"

…

More and more people were watching in front of the notice board. Some people who had drunk too much last night were also dragged out of bed by their companions.

Everyone started talking about it, and then became filled with indignation and became more and more excited.

"That fat man lied to us. They treated us like fools. Brothers, follow me!" The bearded man from yesterday waved his fist.

He looked around and saw a sleepy black man standing at the door of a room. He pointed with his thumb to the room next to him.

The bearded man understood and strode towards the house.

Everyone followed him, just like they did at the oil well a few days ago.

The door to the house was kicked open.

The fat man was sleeping soundly, when suddenly the quilt covering him was lifted off.

A group of people rushed into the house.

The bearded man jumped on the bed, punched the fat man in the face, and then began to slap him in the face repeatedly.

The others crowded around the bed and punched him on all parts of his body that were within reach.

The fat man was beaten so hard that he hugged his head and tried to protect it.

Several other people were treated similarly to him and were beaten quite badly.

I don't know who shouted from behind: "The person behind can't be beaten, drag him outside the house!"

This sound alerted the people in front, who grabbed Peter by the hair and dragged him out of the house.

As a result, these people encountered a new round of baptism.

Because Schultz was an old man, his situation was slightly better; several others, because the workers were not familiar with them, were beaten for a while and then subsided.

Only Peter, as the instigator, was beaten the worst.

He paid the price for his previous commitment. A group of people gathered around and kicked him. When the person in front got tired of kicking, he would change to the person behind him.

"Open it all, open it all!"

Chen Jianqiu looked at it and asked Feiniao and the others to maintain order.

If the beating continued, Peter might be beaten to death.

In that case, no one would pay back the money, and no one would tell Rockefeller about the situation on his behalf.

He had the evaluation team brought into the house, which had been beaten and confused, and asked Teresa to help them treat their wounds.

Of course, medical expenses also have to be calculated.

First update, second update later

(End of chapter)