As taxpayers, voters, and members of an
organization potentially effective in politics,

they approached the mayor and the department
heads concerned. They pointed out--
what was true--that the city's negligence in
prospecting and charting the course of the
tunnel was partly responsible for the contractor's
failure. They pleaded that the city
should make allowances rather than interrupt
their employment, and that the delay in the
work would counterbalance any advantage
contingent on forfeiture. They promised also
that if three additional months were given the
contractor, they would _*do all in their power to
push construction_.

The mayor yielded; the extension was
granted. And the men made their promise
good literally, waiving jealously guarded rights
and sparing no effort to forward the undertaking.
The miners, masons, carpenters, and
specialists in other lines in which additional
skilled men could not be secured labored frequently
in twelve-hour shifts and accepted
only the regular hourly rate for the overtime.
With such zeal animating them, only one conclusion
was possible. The tunnel was entirely

completed before the ninety days of grace had