DAN WILDER, Grand Guide, WM WIKLE, Grand Inside Monkey, PETE ZEMET, Grand Outside Monkey, Two years ago Mr. Harwood was a brakeman, promoted to conductor, then to auditor's office, and now Traffic Manager of our road. He is quite a young man, not yet 25. His friends predict a bright future for him. P. S.-While in Florida Brother Wikle and myself bought an option on a large tract of land, situated upon the beautiful Calloosahatchee River, with the intention of making a B. of L. E. colony, and as soon as plans are completed we will call attention to same through the advertising columns of the JOURNAL. Come down and see my orange grove near Punta Gorda, for which my wife and children deserve the credit of making. Fraternally yours, P. O. RICKMAN. Hours and Tonnage. KENOVA, W. Va., Sept. 19, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: The letter in the September JOURNAL by Bro. A. M. Cousins relative to "weak systems should attract attention from members generally, especially from members on systems where the moral, social and financial conditions of engineers are anything but satisfactory. It is palpable evidence of weakness upon any system where there is discord and dissatisfaction among engineers; and where practices are in effect created by agreement which have bred selfishness and self-interest among the men to such an extent that the obligation of the B. of L. E. has but little significance and power, and engineers work for personal gain and to gratify ambition and will do so at the expense of a Brother, forgetting sworn allegiance to the order. Systems that enforce long hours of duty, excessive tonnage, dilapitated engines, basing the rate of pay, regardless of service, upon the rate paid by competing lines, unjustifiable and unmerited discipline-all such conditions are evidence of weakness on the part of the engineers and can be attributed to one cause. Should there be any systems where above-mentioned conditions exist, have the General Chairmen of such sytems make an appeal to the Grand Chief to furnish an officer, arranging a schedule whereby the Grand Officer could meet with all the subordinate Divisions upon that system. If not, it would be a good idea for the Grand Chief to send his assistants to certain systems to investigate the conditions, visiting all Subdivisions on said system, recommending what is needed to strengthen the system and see that it is put into effect. I do not think it prudent for engineers to air their troubles and expose their weakness in the columns of the JOURNAL, but I can closely foresee what the order is coming to unless we enforce the methods that bring the engineers closer together, educating them to a standard that is essential to a full confidence in their ability and a full knowledge of their rights. Yours fraternally, A. L. JACKSON, Div. 511. Not So Bad as Painted. ARGENTA, ARK., Sept. 17, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: Vindicatory of the B. of L. E. by Bro. John Tracey, member of A. M. Machin Div. 585, McGehee, Ark. (Now, laugh if you want to), in answer to the roasts of Bro. J. F. Williams, Div. 366, and Bro. J. W. Reading, Div. 286, in the August and September JOURNALS. to In regard to courtesies shown members of the B. of L. E. while traveling, I wish say I have just returned from a ninetyday trip, traveling from Little Rock, Ark., to the Pacific Coast, returning by a different route, traveling through seventeen states, including 1,500 miles through Canada on my return, making a grand total of 7,000 miles, and in no in. stance did I meet with conditions referred to by above complaining Brothers; but in my entire trip I used good judgment in giving my Brother plug-pullers ample time to comply with my request. Iu some instances I found them underneath their engines. I did not expect them to immediately get out and probably cause an engine failure on my account; and I think if traveling Brothers would give due consideration to the existing circumstances I see no reason why they should have to ask the fireman for these favors. If the traveling Brother is up in the work as per Division's instructions, and for the good of the order I would like to hear other Brothers' opinions on this subject, and I am sure the members of the B. of L. E. will do all in their power to assist a traveling Brother when necessary. Yours fraternally, JOHN TRACEY. Space Used to Good Advantage. HATTIESBURG. MISS., Sept. 25, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: I have read September number with much interest, and the space used for Division addresses is well filled with good reading matter, and I do not see any good reason for Brothers to make any complaint about it. On page 806 correct my statement so as to make it read rods or wires boxed up, keep out snow, ice, dust and rain, and should read 1,000 feet from the station connected to a semaphore, with this correction it would make it read so engineers could do business. I was also very much pleased in reading Jason Kelley's letter to his old friend Dan, also J. F. Freenor on page 784. The plea that he is making for the future of our mutual insurance, also J. W. Reading on page 801, giving his experience with brick arches, and I could never see where the economy came in for the railroad company using them. The Pennsylvania R. R. Co., at Altoona, Pa., at one time used what was known as a water grate, which was discarded years ago because it was a continual source of trouble on account of leaking and collapsing, and making things very unpleasant for the engi neer and boilermaker. On page 774, M. E. Murray of 972 76th Place, Chicago, Ill., making a plea for the Disabled Railroad Men's Home, which is commendable, and in or der that this institution may live in the future it will be necessary for the Brotherhoods to take some definite action at the conventions that will insure a permanent income for some endowment plan, organize and own the home, and then with the gratuitous giving they would flourish. Fraternally yours, J. O. DETWEILER, Div. 336. Weekly Indemnity. LITTLE ROCK, ARK., Oct. 9. 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: I am willing to admit that primarily the main reason for the existence of the B. of L. E. is for the purpose of maintaining fair wages and just conditions of employment; but at the same time I believe there are other functions that the order can assume looking to the general welfare of the membership, that in the end will revert to the solidity and wellbeing of the organization as a whole. It must be remembered that we are liv ing in an age of co-operation, which, from past experience of those who have prac ticed it, proves that the principle is sound, and leaving out all love of altruism, which is a good thing in itself, enlightened selfishness would dictate that at the next convention we make an effort along the above lines. I believe the order stands in need of a weekly indemnity insurance against personal injury done, some organized effort of the five orders for the maintenance of an Old Men's Home and, lastly, a pension fund. The latter never suggested itself to my mind until at Riviere du Loup at the Canadian Union Meeting in June. I heard Bro. Stone say in his address, "Yes, and if the membership desires it, we can have our own pension fund also." But for the present I believe the indemnity insurance is the most important of the three propositions, for the simple reason that it would prove a revenue producer and money is what we need. There is no doubt that each insured member in a company run at cost by the order could save twenty dollars per year on what is now being paid the commer For the Good of the Order. DETROIT, MICH., Oct. 7, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: Why do men join labor organizations? It is certainly not for their health, but for the purpose of bettering themselves financially, and their conditions generally. That being the fact, it suggests itself to me that anything an organization of this kind can do to strengthen itself, and make it more independent of capital, should have been done for a long time back. There has been, and it appears as strong as ever today, a feeling of antagonism between the members of the B. of L. E. and the B. of L. F. It matters not how, or by whom engendered, it is there, and should not exist, and so long as it does exist just so long will the interest of the men on both sides of the locomotive be injured by it to a greater or less extent. There are no classes of labor today who should be more closely bound by the feeling of good fellowship and friendship, than the engineer and fireman, nor men who should be more loyal or more in sympathy, working as they do in the close confines of a locomotive cab day and night, sharing hard knocks, bad weather, poor power, as well as some of the good things that come their way, occasionally each depending upon the other to a great extent for his success. Why, then, should this feeling exist, and what remedy shall we apply to overcome it? The fireman of today will, in a few weeks, months or years, as his term of service entitles him, and business demands, be the engineer of tomorrow. He is the man who will fill our places, as we did the places of those who have gone. He is the man whom we expect, and rightfully, too, after he is promoted, to join the ranks and strengthen our order and be a good Brother. Would it not be a better plan to make a Brother of him to a certain extent, from the beginning of his career? Would it not be a good idea and a great help toward strengthening the order if at the next convention the Constitution and By-Laws of the order would be changed, making it an order of two degrees, the first for the man who had fired a locomotive for a given length of time, and second for the man who was promoted and had run a given length of time, or had been a member a certain number of years. One is not obliged to give it much thought to realize the benefits of the increased membership. We would have the strongest labor order in existence, expense for the maintenance of the order would be decreased per member, as well as the expenses of insurance, and everything would be peaceful and harmonious, as it should be. As to the B. of L. F., I know nothing personally, the B. of L. E. being the only labor order of which I was ever a member and have been in its ranks for 18 years. My ideas may be wrong, they are merely suggested for the "Good of the Order." Would like the expression of others on the subject. FAIR PLAY. [The engineers and firemen have been in one order in England for about 40 years and they have accomplished nothing. They say themselves that they work for the same pay they did 40 years ago, though the work is much harder, and as for peace they have no more of it than we do.-EDITOR.] Defective Ties Won Case. DETROIT, MICH., Oct. 1, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: Inclosed please find Supreme Court decision in my case. (See Legal Department this issue.) It is a little late, but it may be of benefit to some Brother or some Brother's widow. There have been a good many derailments, rails spreading, and engineers getting killed, and I know that there is a liability on the part of the railroad companies for those who get killed in that way if the proper evidence is produced in court. I looked up all the evidence in my own case. I was an engineer on the Michigan Central Railroad for 28 years. November 9, 1899, my engine and train suddenly left the track, running about 55 miles an hour. My fireman and I were thrown from the engine and I was seriously injured. The Michigan Central Railroad Company claimed that the wreck was caused by trainwreckers, and I proved that the wreck was caused by a defective condition of the ties or track, and beat the M. C. R. R. Co. in all the courts of Michigan. You may publish this decision in the ENGINEERS' JOURNAL, Legal News, if you think best. amount of my judgment was $5,560. Fraternally yours, WM. T. HAMILTON, Div. 1. Pronounced Color-Blind. The INDIANAPOLIS, IND., Oct. 6, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: As it has been some time since I wrote anything for the JOURNAL, I will try my hand once more. I wrote under the nom de plume of “Cincinnati," but as I wish to gain a little benefit for myself now, I will sign my name when I get through. Now, don't look what it is until you read this. I have talked air brake, hammer, block, lead and lap, until it would make you dizzy, but the Big Four Railroad Company judged me color-blind (or their expert did) in 1896, and I have run steam shovels, worked on traction lines, and done anything I could get since then. As that is not losing a leg, arm or eye, I have still got to work or go to the poorhouse, although I have been running an engine since 1872, or I mean that is when I was promoted, and have been a member of the B. of L. E. since 1873. I am now a member of Div. 121, Brightwood, Ind., in good standing, and carrying $3,000 insurance; and say, did you ever stop to think? After making $100 a month and then come down to $50, it is kind of hard; but I have a salve I would like to get introduced among the members of the B. of L. E., or anyone else that wants it. A sure oure for carbuncles or boils, or any old sore. I will send to anyone on receipt of 35 cents a two ounce box. I gave the medicine to Bro. H. E. Whiting, 24 West Main street, Peru, Ind., when he was not able to be up, and he can tell you what it did for him. If any of the Brothers throughout the country know of any company wanting a first-class steam shovel engineer; one who can take care of his own shovel and overhaul her and her engines when necessary, either friction or engine swing, it will be a favor to me if they will let me know. J. H. BROWN, 3426 East 25th St., Indianapolis, Ind. The Cause of Increase of Drink. MEMPHIS, TENN., Oct. 2, 1905. EDITOR JOURNAL: I remember when our G. C. E. was in Memphis he spoke of hearing complaints from different managements of the constant increase of the drinking habit among the engineers. Since then I have seen several Brothers lose their jobs, not directly because they drank, but the drink was really the cause behind, and in such cases it is hopeless to try to do anything for either re-employ ment or reinstatement. I heard the superintendent of motive power say, "One of our engineers may burn an engine and I'll take care of him; but if he gets drunk, I'll have no more to do with him." It is so serious and still we do not take heed. I would utterly fail if I should attempt to give the reason why some start to drink, but I do believe and I can prove that some of our railroad officials drive some of us to drink. They in their mad rush for great results totally forget the men who have been placed in their charge; for instance, we have a crew that has been out with a drag for twenty-four hours. About 40 miles from terminal they get an order to do local work from there in. Could anyone in the world that knows how that crew feels blame them for feeling sore and going and filling up right there or the nearest place where they may get the stuff? Such happens daily. That something must be done to stop drinking we all admit. To overcome an evil one must first find the cause and then the remedy. Simply to discharge the poor drunkard will never stop the balance of them, nor will the discharged reform. We must adopt other measures. Each of us knows the promise he gave. Those who do not drink and those who lead a moral life should on every occasion when it comes to their knowledge and at the proper time, get the Brother up in the Division room and caution him in such a manner as would best suit the condition and temperament of the offending one. By such kindly action, before it is too late, many Brothers may be saved. Pulling up and preferring charges against them when they have been discharged, is like pouring oil on fire, to me. It also appears to me that if we would approach our officials on this subject in a proper manner, they could in a great measure help to overcome the drinking habit; for instance, Brother So and So is drinking, but only when off duty. We believe that if the management would give him a kindly admonition and advice, he would stop. There is always someone among the engineers on a system who is almost perfection. Those men can approach any reasonable official on such delicate affairs. Our internal and moral affairs in our order have been to a great extent neglected. We need to strengthen ourselves from the very foundation that we may accomplish betterment even for our souls. We know those that drink, and those that drink only in a moderate form-those "moderate" fellows hate to say yes or no. Well, the snake has not crept out yet and the "moderate" fellow keeps on until at last the stuff has got him, but he is like he was at first, "nobody knows I drink," and right then he is drunk. Some of us have seen him for a couple of years, maybe, going down. Did one of us take him aside at any time? No, no! The next morning at the corner or at the roundhouse you meet someone. 'Say, Bill, did you know Brown got fired for being drunk?" "No! Well, I expected that," and you know the rest. SIDETRACK, Div. 23. .......$23 67 92 00 169 00 37 00 150 25 .............. 233 00 88 00 76 50 32.00 I 00 ... I 00 9.00 SUMMARY. O. R. C. Divisions....... L. A. to B. of R. T. Lodge.. L. of A. C. Divisions.... L. S. to B. of L. F. Lodges.... W. H. Gerry, of Div. 1, O. R. C Total. Respectfully submitted, 26.73 130 00 $1069 15 JOHN O'KEEFE, Sec. & Treas. |