The Spirit of '61's primary photo
  • The Spirit of '61 (1916)
  • Short | Short, Drama
The Spirit of '61 (1916)
Short | Short, Drama
The men of Rhyolite mine struck, not for more wages, but against the ill treatment accorded them by an arrogant superintendent. They learned that their places were to be filled by strikebreakers, and reluctantly but firmly they took up the...See moreThe men of Rhyolite mine struck, not for more wages, but against the ill treatment accorded them by an arrogant superintendent. They learned that their places were to be filled by strikebreakers, and reluctantly but firmly they took up the gage of battle against the incoming strikebreakers. The old grocer tried pacific words; they were unheeded; then he sent a message to the owner of the mine, a man with whom he had fought side by side at Casper's Ferry, and begged him for the sake of the old days, to keep the strikebreakers away from the camp and come himself instead and save the situation. At this juncture the lawless element of the camp seized a car of explosives belonging to the mine, and this car they designed to run down the grade onto the main line and wreck the train bearing the strikebreakers when it arrived at the station. Their plans were well laid, and, but for the accident of a riderless horse attracting the notice of the old grocer, would undoubtedly have succeeded. When nearly time for the train to arrive, the old grocer determined to go alone to the station and do his best on the side of law and order. He took from his old war chest an old-fashioned pistol. Then he donned the coat of his beloved uniform. Then he kissed his granddaughter and silenced her importunity, and started out for the scene of the coming battle. Just outside the door of his store the old grocer saw the riderless horse of the carrier of the mail, the youthful wooer of his granddaughter. Imagining, and rightly, that some harm had come to the young man the grocer mounted the animal and did some rapid fire investigating. He discovered the youth had been injured by the plotters, and thus he learned for the first time of the plot. Horrified, he dashed to the siding where the dynamite car was lying, and got there just in time to prevent its being sent rolling down into the train just coming in on the main line. While the old grocer held the gang from their purpose, the train came unharmed into the station. To the surprise of the assembled miners no strikebreakers alighted from it. Only one man disembarked, the owner of the mine. The owner was greeted by his men, a few words of explanation were exchanged. Then to the station came the grocer, panting from his strenuous occupation of the past few minutes. The big man of mining interests advanced and respectfully saluted the humble grocer. The miners stared open-mouthed, but the astonishment was allayed when the mine owner explained that the despised grocer was the man responsible for the saving of the day. The men were also informed that the objectionable super was their superintendent no longer, and that his place was now offered to the man who had saved the town, the grocer of Rhyolite. Then romance had its inning. The youthful lover, battered, yet still in the lists, renewed his suit of the old man's granddaughter, and the grocer whimsically ordered the girl to accept, in the hope that they would establish a home where he could go and find a haven in the days to come when he had "grown old." Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Fred Kelsey
Writer
Emmett Mixx (scenario)
Producer
Edwin Thanhouser
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Status
Edit Released
Updated May 4, 1916
Release date
May 4, 1916 (United States)

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Cast

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5 cast members
Name Known for
J.H. Gilmour's primary photo
J.H. Gilmour
The Grocer The Grocer   See fewer
The Unfortunate Marriage (1917)
Grace DeCarlton's primary photo
Grace DeCarlton
The Grocer's Granddaughter The Grocer's Granddaughter   See fewer
Betrayed (1916)
George Marlo's primary photo
George Marlo
The Mail Carrier The Mail Carrier   See fewer
The Mill on the Floss (1915)
Samuel N. Niblack's primary photo
Samuel N. Niblack
The Gang Leader The Gang Leader   See fewer
Kidnapped (II) (1917)
Charles Turner's primary photo
Charles Turner
The Mine Owner The Mine Owner   See fewer
The Burglars' Picnic (1916)
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