The small port of Port-Vendres, rich of 280 municipal employees, is shaken by a rumor: the mayor, with the help of his head of department, enarque and Parisian, have a black design to reduce the number.
Auguste Lumière directs four workers in the demolition of an old wall at the Lumière factory. One worker is pressing the wall inwards with a jackscrew, while another is pushing it with a pick. When the wall hits the ground, a cloud of white dust whirls up. Three workers continue the demolition of the wall with picks.
