Chapter 35
Fick Dich
THE LINE FOR the coveted jobs on the bridge project went around the block. The attraction for most—wages of two dollars per day—much more than the typical pay for a laborer. The Bridge Company sought workers for three shifts to work inside the caisson and two shifts on top of the structure, building the tower. Members of the Velvet Caps worked the line to ensure the Irish from their neighborhood received as many spots as possible. Every Irishman who gained a spot on the line or who moved up in order understood they owed the Caps a favor, and those favors always had to be returned. Aengus McGreary paid Officer Ryan MacGregor for undisturbed access to the line, but MacGregor warned the Caps his pain-in-the-a*s partner would be back within the hour.
The Caps began thei
