means, in accordance with their principles, and then stopped the trains at such hours as to cause as little inconvenience as practicable to the travelling and business public. The Brotherhood was generally successful in securing a compliance with their requests without much delay. Sometimes the struggle was more protracted, the officials refusing at first to even recognize the Brotherhood, or Chief Arthur as its representative. But they were eventually compelled so to do. In a few instances the strikes were unsuccessful, owing usually to the assistance rendered by other companies. The companies. always paid much more, in the long run, to fight the Brotherhood than it would have cost to have acceded to its requests. In commenting on the result of one strike, which cost the company at least half a million dollars, Chief Arthur said:

It is not the money that has been paid the engineers that has bankrupted so many railroads. It is the peculation, fraud, and mismanagement of those high in authority. If all the legitimate earnings of the railroad companies found its way into their treasury, they could afford to pay their employees liberal wages and declare a fair dividend to their stockholders.

About 1879, the question of color-blindness became prominent, and had reached such importance by the time of the annual convention in 1881, that Chief Arthur gave considerable space to it in his annual address. He referred to the discharge of experienced engineers, especially in Massachusetts, for this cause. He charged the examining board of that State with seeking more to enrich themselves than to promote the safety of the travelling public, and urged that common sense would show that self-interest would cause the companies to employ only men who would not cause them serious loss by mistaking the color of signals. He urged the Brotherhood to use its influence to prevent similar legislation in other States to that of Massachusetts and Connecticut on this subject.

In the tenth annual address of Chief Arthur, he dwelt at length upon the labor problem, and some of his most striking ideas are quoted, as follows:

Labor needs unity in its ranks, honesty and intelligence in its leaders, and wisdom in its councils. * * * * Employers should rise above their nar

*

rowness, and endeavor to work, as far as possible, to the interest of their workmen, and create more kindly relations. If this were done, there would be fewer strikes, and capital would be benefited in a corresponding degree. * The great mistake some employers make is in refusing to recognize the committees sent to them by their workmen to present their grievances. It was the refusal to receive our committees that led to all the trouble we have had as an organization. The best method to settle the difficulties that arise between employer and employee is for the representatives of both sides to come together and talk them over in a friendly spirit, each one making concessions whenever the nature of the case would seem to warrant it. * There is no occasion for this constant warfare between capital and labor; both have rights that each other are bound to respect; their interests are identical; the one is indispensable to the success of the other; and the sooner men realize that fact the better it will be for the whole country.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN.

This brotherhood was founded December 1, 1873, by nine locomotive firemen. They met in an old car-shed at Port Jervis, N. Y., on that day, and organized Deer Park Lodge, No. 1, of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. The purposes of the Order, as stated in the preamble to its constitution, are for effecting a unity of the locomotive firemen of North America, and elevating them to a higher social, moral, and intellectual standard; for the promotion of their general welfare and the protection of their families, and for bringing into perfect harmony the firemen and their employers, since their interests are identical, and for aiding the families of its members.

The first Grand Master chosen was J. A. Leach, and he held that office until September, 1876. The first Grand Secretary and Treasurer was G. S. Murray. So zealously did the founders of the Brotherhood labor, that twelve subordinate lodges were the fruit of the first year's work. These lodges sent two delegates each to the first annual convention, at Hornellsville, N. Y., December 15, 1874. At this convention, H. W. Plummer was chosen Vice-Grand Master, the first to hold that place. In December, 1875, the Second Annual Convention was held in Indianapolis, and it was then found that the Order had grown to 31 lodges, and over 600members. At this convention it was voted to issue the Fireman's Magazine, in the interests of the Brotherhood; and it

REMARKABLE GROWTH.

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has now become one of the finest journals of its class, with a very large circulation. The Annual Convention, in St. Louis, in September, 1876, showed 53 lodges and over 1500 members. The Convention of 1877, in Indianapolis, showed 78 lodges and 3,500 members.

In 1877 came the great railroad troubles of the country; and the Brotherhood, whose growth naturally depends upon a healthy state of railroad interests, felt a check in its growth, which continued even through 1880. But by the time of the Annual Convention of the latter year, which was held in Chicago, in September, it was evident that the Order was again advancing, for it reported 98 lodges and a membership of 4,500. The Convention of 1882, at Terre Haute, Ind., showed 124 lodges and 5,000 members, which were increased during the next year to 178 lodges and 7,337 members. This was the remarkable growth of only ten years, during three of which the Order was comparatively at a standstill. The Eleventh Convention was held in Toronto, Can., September 23, 1884, and by this time the lodges numbered 240, and the membership over 12,000. At the last Annual Convention, which was held in Philadelphia, September 21, 1885, the grand total of 290 lodges and 15,000 members had been reached. On January 9, 1886, at Saginaw City, Mich., was organized Harbor City Lodge, making a round 300 lodges and a membership of over 16,000. Thus is sketched the foundation and growth of one of the most successful fraternal organizations among railroad men.

This order is truly a "brotherhood" in all that the name implies. Its last report shows that it has paid out of its beneficiary fund $271,764, and to members who have been totally disabled $44,000 more, making a grand total of $315,764. This has gone to those whose extra hazardous calling does. not allow them the advantages of ordinary life and accident insurance; and yet these premiums have not cost the members over twelve dollars each per annum.

The Order is wholly fraternal and benevolent. It has an insurance system, under which it pays $1,500 to the family of a deceased member. In this way it has already paid out over