half past six
Its receipt and contents gave comfort to Gertrude . Colonel Harris left his breakfast table almost abruptly . One egg , a piece of toast , and a cup of coffee were all he ate . It was an earlier meal than usual which the Swiss cook had prepared , and by half past six Colonel Harris started from home to his office , Gertrude from her chamber window kissing her hand to him , saying , `` Keep cool , father ! '' By seven o'clock he and his capable manager were busily using the two office telephones . Before nine o'clock , all the teams of several lumber firms were engaged in hauling fence posts , two by four scantling , and sufficient sixteen foot boards to construct a fence eight feet high about the entire premises of the Harrisville Iron & Steel Co. 's plant . This early action of the company for a time confused the strike managers , as they could not divine whether Colonel Harris in a fit of despair planned to fence in and close down his mills , or , perhaps , once getting his plant enclosed , purposed to eject all members of labor organizations , and again as in a former strike , attempt to start his plant with non-union labor .