The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • 11

JER EDITORIAL SECTION PAGES 13-24 DES MOINES IOWA, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 9, 1900 TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. rim ibi JL JtLJtLi MOINES EA1 HISTORY OF BROTHERHOOD BEN PRAY TELLS A STORY men was organized for fraternal and charitable purposes, but no beneficiary department at first existed. At the first convention there was organized the "Firemen's Life Insurance association." Membership inr this was restricted to the brotherhood, but was not obligatory on them. Little progress waa made In the way of a beneficiary department until the fourth convention, when insurance was made compulsory for all members and the old association ceased to exist. The plan adopted was as follows: "In case of a death of a brother, one-half of monthly which is 50 cents, shall be used as a death fund and sent to the eecretary of the insurance department within thirty days." This plan waa not satisfactory and after some changes prior thereto, the eighth convention completely revised the beneficiary laws.

After January 1, 1SS2, instead of paying an amount of insurance States on the subject of Improving the conditions of locomotive firemen. A grievance committee was named and industrial matters were discussed freely. At the third convention, Grand Secretary and Treasurer Sayre and Richie were given a vote of thanks for bringing about an Increase of wages on the I. B. W.

road. These efforts marked the beginning of the work of the brotherhood to better the conditions of Its members along industrial lines. Through these efforts in the course of the pasj century, the wages and material welfare of the firemen have been greatly enhanced. At first, efforts in this direction brought only persecution from railroad officials. Today, there Is no organization more highly respected by the railroads of America than the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.

Ia the great strike of 1877, many to visit the Brotherhood of Locomotive Kngineers' convention to seek recognition, but not annexation. An Organizer Choaen. Buffalo, N. waa the city selected for the fifth convention, held in 187S. The brotherhood had lost both In members and lodges, on account of the violent opposition of railway officials, and the Impecunious condition of the members.

Thirty-eight delegates represented fifty-one lodges. Six death claims unpaid and several lodges delinquent were the conditions that confronted these delegates. It was considered expedient to place an organizer In the field, who was to earn his ealary from charter fees of the new lodges be was supposed to organize. The sixth convention was held in Chicago in 1879, and the financial affaire of the brotherhood had gone from) bad to worse. The members had not yet learned that It required money to general work reported the condition of the order more prosperous than ever before.

The financial condition of the organization, however, was worse than at any preceding convention. The members had not raid for the magazine, five death claims remained unsettled and was due on the grand organizer's ealary. With a shortage in accounts, the aggregate indebtedness waa $6,090.75, with only $973.9:5 in the treasury. In view of the conditions, it waa decided to take measures for raising revenue. The committee on general work Int submitting its report, Included recommendations that made important changes in the future of the brotherhood.

All assessment on death claims were required to be paid in thirty days, the grand secretary and treasurer was placed under bond, and the trustees were elected to examine his books. Subscription blanks were sent to each lodge and donations called had called the grand master to the. grand office to assist in conducting the organization. After this the grand master was placed on a salary and assigned to regular duty. Of the vice grand masters, there were H.

W. Plummer, of Lodge No. 2, Hor-rellvllle, N. who as elected in 1S74; H. H.

Clapp, of Lodge No. 20, Gales-burg, 111., in 1S75; J. Brodrkk, of Lodge No. 2, in 1S76. In 1877 Brodrkk filled the grand master's station, because of the latter's absence.

He was reelected, but resigned immediately and was succeeded by W. T. Goundie, of Lodge No. 75, Philadelphia, Pa. J.

M. Dodge, of Lodge No. 47, Chicago, 111., was elected in 1873; J. ISriggs, of Lodge No. 30, Waterloo, Iowa, in 1879; C.

Pope, of Lodge, No. 67. Toronto, Ont, in 1880; W. Burns, of Lodge No. 47, Chicago, 111., tn IShl.

The latter held the position until 1873, when F. P. Sargent of Tucson, waa elected. There were no other changes in this position until 1SS5. The position of grand organizer and instructor was created at the fifth convention in 1878, S.

M. Stevens of lodge No. 57, Boston, was elected and re-elected to this position until 1885. The financial condition the organization in 1885 was excellent, as indeed, it always had been since the first year of Debs' term of office. During the preceding year the total receipts had amounted to leaving a balance on hand August 31, 1885.

of $25,662.44. Forty-nine new lodges had been instituted and the organization J. A. KEITH, Chairman of Joint Entertainment Committee of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Order of Railway Conductors. Tm E.

EL DOER, Chairman ot Commercial Exchange and Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen Joint Committee. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF FIREMEN'S ORGANIZATION. Founded In 1873, It Ha Endured Many Viciultude and Is Now on the High Koad of W. Arnold tba Fint Grand Mater, The Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire-men, which will open Its seventh biennial convention In Des Moines tlhls week, had Its beginning December 1, 1873, when eleven firemen of the old Erie road Instituted Lodge No. 1 of the order and pludged themselves to a mutual, enduring friendship, at I'ort Jervig, N.

Y. A year later the first etate convention of the Brotherhood was held at Horneilsvllle, N. twelve lodges being: represented. In this small gathering was the foundation of an organization that has extended Its ramifications to all parts of the United 6tates, Canada and Mexico, and that is now able to muster a membership Of 37,000 men. Joshua F.

Leach Is recognized and venerated by firemen as the founder of the organization. It was he who Instituted the twelve lodges represented In the first convention at Horneilsvllle. The business of the first convention, as gleaned from the records, ehow that the meeting elected officers and organised a life insurance association. A vote of tihanks was tendered the Brotherhood of Locomotive Kngl-neers for the kind and courteous manner In which the firemen had been received. The good feeling existing between the two brotherhoods has endured and after the lapse of more than a quarter of a century, is In no way weakened or destroyed.

The second convention of tlhe brother-hoood was held in Indianapolis, Ind. The substantial growth of the order was evidenced by the presence of.forty-nlx delegates, representing twenty-nine lodges. A membership of 800 was reported. The protective features-of the organization were first developed- at this time. In September, 1876, the third conven tlon of the brotherhood was (held at St.

Louis, Mo. Here forty-one dele gates represented fifty lodges. The adoption of an official organ was agitated at this meeting, was referred to popular vote, of the members and was approved by them. The grand secretary and treasurer and tht grievance committee at this meeting were complimented for securing an increase of wages on the I. B.

W. road. This 9 the first one of the many wage benefits to the firemen resulting from the efforts of tlhe Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. Headquarter! Moved to Indlanapollf. Before the next convention the headquarters of the brotherhood had been removed from Galion, Ohio, the former tiome of the grand secretary and treasurer, to Indianapolis, Ind.

The fourth convention was held at Indianapolis In September, 1877. At this period the organization was pursuing a troubled path. The order had not Increased In membership, and but forty-njne delegates were reported. Delegates were cautioned against spies and Becret emmisBaries of the railroads. The recent strikes had thrown many members out of employment, -fcnd caused them to be blacklisted.

Lodges Iiad yielded to the opposition' of railway officials and broken up. Disruption was threatened, but by heroic efforts the tide wat turned. Tlhe International Firemen's union, which was organized several years prior to the brotherhood, was unlike the brother-hood, In that It had little or no frater- 'CHARLES A. WILSON, Bec'difld Vice Grand Master, Brotherhood Locomotive Firemen. rial or Insurance features.

At the fourth convention a movement toward consolidation of the two organizations was begun, and a resolution waa adopted inviting local branches of the International Firemen's union to become branches of the brotherhood without Incurring the expenses of Initiation. A short time previous to the strike Of 1877 some members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers had advocated the institution of an annex or iecond degree to their organization to be composed of firemen. This question was discussed at tlhe fourth convention end it was decided that no amalgamation was desired, but the Brotherhood 6t Locomotive Firemen were willing to co-operate with the Brotherhood of Engineers. A committee was appointed wmm HOW HUNT AND HIS TRAIN CREW LOST THEIR JOBS. Cnt an Iowa Central Train tn Two at Gif-ford and Could Not Make SatUfac-tory Explanation Incident oa Northwestern Yean Ago.

Because of a set Intention to reform and that it may be as little bruited about as possible, Ben Pray, who about the rooms of the supreme court at the state house, seldom makes it known to other than intimate friends that away bark two do-cades ago he was a "cornfield sailor" in the train service of the Northwestern. Occasionally Ben drops Into a reminiscent moood and grows confidential. At such a time he lifts the veil that hides the past In a dim haze and lives over again the exhilarating life incident to service on the rail. One day last week, after he had sagely passed Judgment upon an important brief, before the solemn wisdom of which the united court would stand with heads uncovered In a sort of professional awe, Ben grew meditative, as he abstractedly knocked the ashes out of his pipe, and as his mind wandered back into tne days when he rod the decks of freight trains and stayed out on top because iie refused to crack coal for the fireman, he grew quietly communicative: "Away back In the early 80's," said he, his eyes by their far-away expression, betraying the stretch of time over which he was mentally gazing in retrospect, "there was an engineer named Lee Hunt engaged in running an engine on the northern Iowa division of the Northwestern. Hunt was penhaps one of the most peculiar men ever connected with the operating department ot any railroad on this round earth.

He waa a big blonde, and as full of dry humor as any man who ever straddled a reverse lever. He would lie awaka nights thinking up jobs on his comrades and he generally made them count at the most favorable time. Many of. the old-timers on the Northwestern will recall 'Five Foot "Flat 'Few Clothes' and others who received queer nicknames from Hunt. Well, his career came to an untimely end in a manner as peculiar as the resc of his singular history.

He was pulling Three-Fingered Jack' on the nighc run between Tama and Eagle Grove. I should have said his career as an engineer on the old Northwestern came to an untimely end. The night In question, the train got out of Tama on time. It was a full train of through! freight, and having not even a pin; to pull or any switching to do, tha crew had little else on hand than to, ktll time and make meeting points They Jogged along comfortably until the train arrived, at Gilford, where the Northwestern track crosses that of the Iowa Central. Unfortunately they tried" to make the crossing at the same time a Central tratn coming down from the north oocupied It Of course they met with a 'circumstance' that is, tJie engine poked its nose into the ribs of a Central box car, broke the Central train in two, and plastered the right of way with time freight, dismantled trucks and profanity.

Put Hunt in Sweatbox, They were summoned on the carpet of the division superintendent for a general rubbing down. I blew in from a run out on the west end and found an earnest request for my presence. I sneaked up the rear stairs, expecting to find Ed Austin, the trainmaster's clerk and learn from him what E. E. REHMS, Delegate from Confidence Lodge, No 102, of Des Moines, to Grand Lodge oj Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, high crime I stood charged with.

But the room was filled with Hunt and the train crew implicated in the wreck. Hunt was in the 'sweat Superintendent Burt, now president of thur Union Pacific and Trainmaster Ma-hanna were bombarding him with questions and hauling him over the coal until I thought he would scorch. They desired to know how fast he was run-, nlng when he passed Whitten, the last station before arriving at the Centrai crossing. replied Hunt, shutting- his eyes as though making a close calcu- latlon, 'I guess I was jogging aions about ten or twelve miles an 'Were you working steam at tha queried Mr. Burt.

'Yes, 'Now, Mr. Hunt, where do you strike the top ot the hill there?" 'Just about at the switch, warily replied Hunt, suspecting he was being tolled Into deep water. 'Where did you ahut off? continued the superintendent, edging his chair a little closer to Hunt, and looking him straight in the eye. 'About a train length east of the 'How fast were you moving at that "'Well, they were coming right along." 'About how fast, Mr. Hunt?" 'I should say fifteen or eighteen miles an 'Did you feel the brakes at this 'No, sir; nor at any other time." 'How fast were you going when you got to the curve near the foot of tlhe hill don't know, Mr.

Burt, but wa were burning a large hole In the at-, inosphete and incidentally scorching the 'Now, Mr. Hunt, how fast wera you going when you struck the Iowa river 'Well, I should not say the speed had slackened "'Did you feel any retarding influence exerted on the train by th mus- ay that again, solemnly requested Wit y'' mV lor maintain an organization of this character. Notwithstanding the depleted treasury, the brotherhood had taken on a new growth. Shortly after the fifth convention the local divisions of the International Firemen's union had cast their lot with the brotherhood; besides, the grand organizer and several active members had been in the field. Seventy-six lodges were reported, sixty-five of which were represented.

The opposition of railway officials was causing lodges to dieband and members to withdraw In some sections of the country. In order to have peace the protective features of the organization were eliminated and a resolution waa adopted ignoring strikes. Here la th beginning of another, epoch in the brotherhood's history. Mr. Leach'a Service.

The first grand master, Joshua A. Leach, remained at the head of the brotherhood until 'the third convention, when he declined to serve for another term. The ground for his refusal was that he had been promoted, and it was his belief a fireman should be at the head of the firemen's organization. He was succeeded by W. R.

Worth, of Lodge No. 44, of Brookfleld, Mo. Mr. Worth, on account of the severe illness of members of hia family, did not attend the fourth convention. F.

B. Alley, of Lodge No. 23, of Louisville, was chosen for the place in 1877. He waa succeeded In 1878 by W. T.

Goundie, of Lodge No. 75, of Philadelphia, Pa. At the sixth convention, F. W. Arnold, of Lodge No.

9, Columbus, Ohio, was placed at the nominal head of the brotherhood. Shortly before the next convention It became necessary for the grand master to remove the grand secretary and treasurer from office because of dissipation. The officer removed was W. N. Sayre, who filled the office or grand secretary and treasurer from 1874 to 1880.

He had served the organization with great zeal and fidelity, and had gained the confidence and affection of the entire membership. He had piloted the brotherhood successfully through the years from 1873 to 1877, when the great strike broke out. It is said he was harrassed by the brotherhood's creditors and discouraged by the outcome of the great strike. Losing confidence In the future of the organization, he was probably driven to drink. It was not a secret that he was dissipating when the fifth convention, was held, but the delegates esteemed" him so highly he was re-elected, and charges were preferred against the delegate who dared Jo tell the facts.

But prior to the a convention, the grand master teit himself obliged to remove Sayre from office. Debs Succeed Sayre. The seventh convention waa held in Chicago in 1880. The grand lodge had been removed shortly before this to Terre Haute, Ind. E.

V. Debs was appointed by the grand master to succeed Sayre until the vacancy should be filled by election. At the seventh convention Mr. Debs was unanimously chosen grand secretary and treasurer. The brotherhood had made great progress the preceding year.

There were only fifty-eight delegates at the convention of 1880, but the committee on for with which to pay off the brotherhood's indebtedness. Freed From Debt. The eighth convention was held in Boston -in 1881. Fifty-one lodges were represented, but an increase of eighteen was shown by the reports. The membership was reported as 2,998.

The total remittances to the grand lodge had been $21,346.85. This left the organization for the first time in its history, entirely free from debt. Terre Haute, was the place of holding the ninth convention, in 1882. Ninety-four lodges were represented, with a membership ol 5,125. The total recipts of the grand office had increased to $43,681.25 for the preceding year.

A net gain of twenty-three lodges was Denver, was the location of the tenth convention. The number of lodges represented was 130; membership, total receipts, $76,916.07. The eleventh convention was held In 1884 at Toronto, Ont. The number of lodges represented was 116; number of members, total receipts, It was at this convention that the question of classification of wages was discussed and a movement started, which in the end resulted in the brotherhood again becoming a labor organization in the true sense. Up to this time the word "white" had not been Incorporated in the qualifications of membership, but now this became a part of the law.

The twelfth convention met in Philadelphia in 1S85, and here began the third epoch of the brotherhood's history. After six years of "ignoring" strikes, it returned to the original policy and became a "labor" organization. That this pronounced reversal of principal came from below, from the rank and file, and In direct opposition to the officers, the proceedings of the conventions give ample proof. Greeting was sent to organized labor, and the assertion was publicly made that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen would henceforth be counted with those who demanded justice and were willing to fight for it if need be. It will be noticed that no personal mention has been made of other officers than grand secretary and treasurer.

The grand masters have fceen but figure heads, whose sole duty was to "preside and preserve order" during the sessions of the delegates. It seems that the delegates to conventions were firmly impressed with the monarchial idea of one-man government. They had not reached tlhat stage in the knowledge of the science of government which made it possible for them to assign duties to each of their officers, so that one would not conflict with the other. Arnold as Grand Master. F.

W. Arnold served as grand master until the twelfth convention, a period of six years. For five years of this time his only pay was $200 to $300 annually, donated for expenses at the different conventions. He and his predecessors had worked for the organization from thoroughly unselfish motives. The business of the organization had Increased to such an extent during the year preceding the eleventh convention that the grand secretary and treasurer had members.

The election ot officers resulted as follows: Grand master, F. P. Sargent of lodge No. 94, Tusoon, Arizona; vice grand master, J. J.

Hannahan of lodge No. DO, Chicago, grand organizer and Instructor, J. J. Hannahan; grand secretary and treasurer, E. V.

Debs of Vigo lodge, No. 16; editor of magazine, E. V. Debs. A year later the thirteenth convention met in Minneapolis, wif 256 lodges represented out of a total 331.

There were reported 16,196 members. The annual report of Grand Master Sargent bears evidence of the great amount of work that had been assigned to tihat officer by the preceeding convention. For tlhe first time had the grand master, been the chief executive of the order. Heretofore the members had invested nearly all authority in the grand secretary and treasurer, and those who had filled the position of grand master before could not be held accountable for the administrations that they had not administered. Advances in wages and details of adjustment of grievances were interesting parts of the grand master's report at this, the brotherhood's first great "labor" convention.

The grand secretary and treasurer reported total receipts at this time of $288,820.88. A law was enacted requiring the Locomotive Firemen's Magazine to be sent free to each member. All officers were re-elected, and no changes were made until the third biennial convention, when Mr. Debs declined to serve" longer as grand secretary and treasurer. Fint Biennial Convention.

The thirteenth convention was the last annual one, and the first biennial convention was held at Atlanta, In 1888. In the next two years increased wages were secured in many instances. The Brooklyn Eleveated railroad strike was closely followed by the great strike of the Chicago, Burlington Quincy. In 890, the second biennial convention was held in San Francisco. The third was held at Cincinnati in.

1S92. At this time Eugene V. Debs refused to served longer as grand secretary and treasurer. Frank Arnold was elected to the position, and has since held it. Mr.

Debs agreed, at the request of the delegates, to act as editor of the magazine, but to have no other official connection with the organization. The fourth biennial convention was FRED L. BARNETT, Chairman of Committee on Arrangements for Brotherhood of Locortotive Firemen's Convention. held at Harrisburg, in 1894. The Pullman strike had injured the brotherhood.

Many members had been drawn Into the American Railway union strike and the brotherhood suffered a loss 25 per' cent of Its members. 'Mr. Debs resigned as editor and because of the demoralized condition of the Brotherhood throughout the central, southern and western parts of the country, two new offices were created, a second and a third vice grand master. The latter was to devote such of his time to the Brotherhood as deemed necessary by the grand master. The position of editor was separated from that of secretary and treasurer.

A resolution was adopted making ineligible to an official nosition in the grand lodge any member of any other labor organization. Instructions were given to remove the grand lodge from Terra Haute and it was transferred to Peoria. The election of officers resulted as follows: Grand master F. P. Sargent of lodge 94, Tucson, Ariz.

First vice grand master John J. Hannahan of lodge 50, Chicago. Second vice grand mastsr Chas. A. Wilson of lodge 13, Jersey City, N.

J. Third vice grand master Chns. W. Maier of lodge 24, Parsons, Kan. Grand secretary and treasurer Frank Vf.

Arnold of lodge 9, Columbus, O. Editor and manager of the Locomotive Firemen's Magazine William S. Carter of lodge 2k1, San Antonio, Texas. The fifth biennial convention was flield in Galveston, Texas, in 1896. The most important changes Irr the laws were the merging of the beneficiary and general funds, and the provision for the election of officers of local lodges hy popular vote of the membership.

Previous to this change all local elections had been controlled by those members who were in position to attend the meeting at which the election took place, but thereafter, each member was granted the right of expressing his choice for officers of subordinate lodges through a written ballot, the candidate for office receiving the highest number of ballotg by proxy nr. otherwise" to be elected. The sixth biennial, nineteenth convention of the was held at Toronto, Ontario, Irmeceas. ii I we, Hiipt BENEFICIARY which waa Socce. of the Rrothei frlou ternal LLnatl Beer.

It's The Brotherhood ofland pure' 'r'ha based on a per capita assessment of a specified amount, the insurance was fixed at $1,000. Not more than three policies were to be paid each month and the fund for their payment was created by an assessment of 50 cents per capita at each death. It was provided that when a member became disabled totally for life, he should receive the full amount of the insurance and also when he lost an arm or a leg. At the eleventh convention the amount of Insurance was raised to $1,500. The assessment was increased from 50 cents to $1.

Between this period and 1894 there were various changes in the beneficiary laws. Then another general revision was made. Three grades of insurance were established, $500, $1,000 and $1,500. The assessrmwits to be levied by the grand lodge to maintain the beneficiary fund were placed at 75 cents, $1.50 and $2 for the members carrying these various amounts of insurance. The quarterly dues of subordinate lodges were also graded for members in the several grades of insurance as follows: Those for $500, not less than for $1,000, not lees than for $1,500, not leas than $4.50.

As before, the quarterly dues made up the general fund of the subordinate lodge, from which money could be drawn by order of lodge at pleasure, without regard for a reserve to meet beneficiary assessments. It was presumed that the quarterly dues would create a fund sufficient to meet all requirements for three months, but nothing In the law prevented a subordinate lodge consuming the entire fund during the first month, thereby making no provision for subsequent beneficiary assessments during that quarter. The disability laws were also changed so that the full amount of the insurance was payable for the following disabilities: The loss of a hand at or above the wrist Joint, the loss of a foot at or above the ankle Joint, and total blindness, and "a beneficiary member in good standing, who shall be totally and permanently incapacitated from performing manual labor from consumption, Blight's disease of the kidneys, total and permanent paralysis, shall be entitled to the full amount of his beneficiary certificate." Claims arising under the latter clause were to be referred to the grand lodge for personal investigation. At the fifth biennial convention (1896) the beneficiary and the ganeral funds were merged into one fund, as follows: "The grand lodge shall establish and maintain a fund for the payment of all debts, to be known as the general fund. Into this fund all made to pay beneficiary certificates shall be paid." Provisions for the oolldction of "grand dues," amounting to $2 per capita per annum, were also made.

The grand dues were also to be placed in the general fund. To provide against the emergency of a deficiency, special assessments were to be levied when the occasion demanded it. For some years previous to this convention it was presumed to be compulsory on a subordinate lodge to defray the expenses of membership of all members who "through lack of employment, sickness or other disability, Bhall be unable to pay his dues or assessments," but now the law was changed so as to make the matter "optional" with subordinate lodges. The sixth biennial convention in 1898 prescribed relatives to whom insurance could he made payable and forbade payment to others. That the insurance feature of the brotherhood will always be popular there Is no doubt, and from time to time proposals have been advanced to enlarge upon them so as to include aid in case of accident or sickness, and also an out-of-work benefit, similar to that of other labor organizations.

Many members believe that it should be as much the duty of the brotherhood to extend ichnrity to the livins as to the dead, that is, a member as well as his heirs should receive insurance benefits. They believe that one's family may suffer greatly through Illness or lack of employment of the provider, and at such assistance should be rendered by the organization. AS A TRADE UNION. Progress of the Brotherhood In Securing Industrial UeneltU. The progress of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen as a trade union has been marked by many vicissitudes.

In the beginning, -the purpose of the order was to maintain a fraternal relation between its members, relieve the sick and bury the dead, but it soon followed the example of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, which had acquired much benefit from its trade union. At the second convention, a committee of three was named to petition the several railway officials of th United members of the brothrehood became Involved. W. N. Sayre, the grand secretary and treasurer of the order, was imprisoned and then placed under a heavy bond to keep the peace by Judge Drummond, for merely persuading men to quit work.

The coercion of railway men throughout the country frightened many members of the brotherhood and they renounced allegiance to the cause of labor. For a time the brotherhood became merely a fraternal insurance association. Sayre was deeply discouraged by this state of things. Debs, who succeeded him, condemned strikes and urged arbitration, and ifrom 1880 to the twelfth convention in 1885, the firemen could not be classed in the list of labor unions. This change of policy relieved the brotherhood of the opposition of rail way officials and brought about an in creased membership.

This was not satisfactory to the rank and file. At tne eleventh convention in 1884, there were many complaints and at the convention in 1885, the rank and file, after a nara battle, won a victory. The brotherhood again became a trade union and taking advantage of the commercial prosperity, secured many advances in wages and contracts with the railway companies. During the period intervening between the twelfth annual convention of 1885 and the first biennial convention in 1888, it may be said that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen maintained an aggressive policy; that is, advantage was taktn of the prosperous period to Becure industrial benefits for Its members. The culmination of the aggressive policy was the B.

Q. strike. Classification of wages In its most objectionable form existed on that road, which worked a hardship on both engineers and firemen. The longer a man remained in the service of the company the higher his wages, and, therefore, the more expensive he became to the company. This led to the rapid discharge or promotion of firemen, and nearly equally as rapid discharge of those same promoted firemen as soon as they had run an engine a sufficient length of time to earn an engineer's wages.

By this process the firemen who were drawing full firemen's wages were promoted to the position of engineer; the fireman who took his place only received a little mare than half pay for a fireman, and the promoted fireman only received a little more than half pay for an engineer. Instead of reducing wages of old employe nearly 60 per cent, the same economic enxi was reached by the rapid substitution of new and cheap engineers and firemen for the older and experienced men. The strike cost the brotherhood nearly half a million dollars In assessments, and perhaps netted the membership $10,000,000 in increased wages, payment for overtime, lightening of labors, etc While the desired object was not accomplished on the B. the determined and united action of the two engineman's organizations proved to all other railway companies that they were ready and willing to fight, and fight hard against Injustice and for that which was Justly due them. In 1892, the second commercial panic In the history of the brotherhood began and In the following winter many western railway rnen were thrown out of employment, fly 1S93 armies of un.

employed men were tramping to the east. Wage reductions came rapidly and the brotherhood officials concluded ft the wiser policy to acoept these reduction, there being plenty of unemployed to take the place of every man that might strike. In the Pullman strike of 1894 thousands of members of the brotherhood) were drawn into the contest and between Mis strike and panic the organization lost between 7,000 and 8,000 members. Since that time, with the coming of bettsr times, wages have increased In a few Instances, the hours have been multiplied and In consequence the month's Income has been enhanced. Therofherhood.

as a protection in fu ture panics, is now building up a protective fund that- must prove of great benefit in case of a prolonged and general strike. Bon Riot. Detroit Journal: "Why is It," demanded the sultan, fretfully, "that you always blame my poor Kurds fur everything?" The ambassadors of the powers retired and prepared a Joint note. "Your majesty's wheys past finding out!" they protested, in this, humorously albeit something apocryphally. An accaslonal bon mot like the foregoing1 serves greatly to relieve the tedium of diplomatic negotiation.

Known by Hla Labor. Chicago Record: "That man next door must be a nieht watchman." "How do you know?" "He doesn't work in daytime, and he's home, In bed, every nitlst before 10 o'clock." YBUARE wo! iiffi MOTHS Hunt, 'afid say it AY 'Did you feel any application of brakes, then, 1 wid askr i I UdVC UU, ViUI XlUJlt. sloiv klI1 (Continued oa Face.