Chapter VIII: Section 1: That where time is not allowed, the Master Mechanic (3)

The Chairman then introduced Bro. G. W. Hitchens, Chairman of the
G. G. Com., K. C., Ft. S. & G. R. R., who made a good speech,
encouraging the C., B. & Q. Bros. and saying that he was in favor
of the Boycott and Federation.

Bro. R. Powers, a member of the B. of R. B., was then introduced,
and spoke encouragingly to the C., B. & Q. Bros., telling them to
stand firm and they were sure to win.

Bro. F. P. Sargent, G. M. of the B. of L. F., was the next speaker.
He was in favor of Federation, but did not speak very encouragingly
to the C., B. & Q. Bros. in their struggle for Right and Justice.

Bro. Bailey, of the S. M. A. A., made an able address, which was
enthusiastically received.

Bro. L. W. Rodgers, of the B. of R. B., and a man who has traveled
over the C., B. & Q. R. R. several times, spoke and outlined the
condition of the C., B. & Q., and urged the the Bros. to stand firm
and they were sure of victory.

Speeches were made by Bro. Wm. McClain, of Quincy, and a member of
the G. G. Com. of the C., B. & Q.; Bro. Slattery, of Butte City, M.
T.; J. F. Bryan, of Creston, Iowa; and a great many other Bros. of
the different organizations, who nearly all spoke in favor of
Federation and said they would do all in their power to assist the
C., B. & Q. Bros. who are now battling for justice. And they all
told the Bros. to never declare the strike off but to fight it to
the bitter end.

On motion, a committee of nine was appointed to draw up resolutions
and adopt a line of action for this meeting.

The Chairman appointed the following Committee on Resolutions: W.
H. Young, of Div. 307; W. F. Gould, Div. 184; R. Lacy, 105, B. of
L. F.; T. J. Hayes, 44, B. of L. F.; L. W. Rodgers, B. of R. B.; T.
Slattery, 151, B. of R. B.; F. Wells, Grand Lodge. S. M. A. A.; and
T. C. Lyons, No. 9, S. M. A. A.

On motion adjourned until 9 o'clock, A. M., July 25, 1888.

_Second Day._

Meeting called to order by F. P. McDonald in the chair.

On motion resolutions were ordered read, and each article taken up
and adopted or rejected at one time.

The following resolutions were read and unanimously adopted, the
last article being debated freely:

_To the Engineers, Firemen, Switchmen and Brakemen, in Union
Meeting assembled_:

We, your Committee on Resolutions, beg leave to report the
following:

_Resolved_, That in regard to the alleged dynamite plot, we
denounce all unlawful acts; and that while we believe the accused
innocent until proven guilty, yet should any member of our
organization be proved guilty of the atrocities charged, we will
not only promptly expel them, but be the first to demand their
punishment.

_Resolved_, That we regard this as a conspiracy by the C., B. & Q.
Co. and the Pinkertons, to bring our Order into disrepute, and turn
public opinion and sympathy against us; and we ask the public to
withhold their decision until the case has been passed upon by a
fair and impartial jury.

_Resolved_, That we thank the managers of this meeting for their
vigilance in discovering the company's spy who had been secreted in
the opera house to report our proceedings, and that we denounce
such dishonorable methods of obtaining information.

_Resolved_, That we, the engineers, firemen, switchmen and brakemen
represented in this meeting, heartily endorse the plan of
federation, and ask our coming conventions to authorize immediate
action on this subject.

_Resolved_, That this meeting ask Bros. Hoge and Murphy, or the G.
G. Com. of the C., B. & Q., to place on the payroll the names of
the trainmen who struck April 1, 1888, and that they receive $40
per month for the time they have been out.

_Resolved_, That each and every delegate at this union meeting be
instructed to use every endeavor to have his subordinate Division
or Lodge, take such action as will guarantee financial support to
our brothers now struggling for their legitimate rights, until such
time as the several conventions shall convene, and shall
incorporate in their constitutions such laws as shall thoroughly
unite the several organizations.

_Resolved_, That we return to our respective Divisions and Lodges
and notify our constituents to prepare to place a boycott on C., B.
& Q. cars as soon as the Chairmen of the several Grievance
Committees think it practicable, and we earnestly ask the Chairmen
to institute this boycott as soon as in their judgment it can be
worked with advantage to our cause.

_Resolved_, That this meeting heartily endorse the action taken by
the C., B. & Q. Brothers, in refusing to declare the strike off.

All business pertaining to the purpose of the meeting being
accomplished, the meeting adjourned at 5:15 P. M., July 25.

At a special meeting of the engineers at St. Joe, a plan was formed to call together the Chairmen of all the Grievance Committees in the United States and Canada authorized by the chiefs of the Brotherhoods to meet in St. Louis August 9, 1888.

The previous meeting at Kansas City, New York and St. Joe were the results of local arrangements, and unauthorized by the chiefs of the Brotherhoods, and their actions were without proper authority, although giving expression to the general feelings of the men. A Committee was appointed to visit Chiefs Arthur and Sargent and request them to make an official call of all the Chairmen of Grievance Committees. This was done, and the meeting convened in St. Louis August 9.

SECRET MEETING AT ST. LOUIS.

Chiefs Arthur and Sargent were present. The entire Grievance Committee of the Burlington and the Chairmen of all the other Committees composed the assembly. All work was done in secret session. Nothing whatever was given to the public. The strike was the only question dealt with at this meeting. Many of the men favored an immediate boycott of "Q" cars and "Q" freight. After two days of discussion, it was agreed that the time and conditions were not such as to warrant a boycott; it was believed that the road had no business of consequence to be injured. This matter was then laid aside to be taken up in October. Another Committee was appointed to confer with the "Q" officials. This Committee was composed of Chairmen of roads not on strike.

The meeting adjourned Saturday, August 11. On Monday, August 13, Alexander Sullivan, Chairman Vrooman of the Union Pacific and his committee had an interview with Vice President Peasley and General Superintendent Besler.

The meeting was an informal one. The proposition presented by the Committee was a demand that all the men be taken back in a body; that the former proposition of Mr. Stone, to pay as good wages as his neighbors, be accepted by the Brotherhood. Mr. Peasley stated that he had no power to act in the absence of Manager Stone and President Perkins, but that he would submit the proposition to these officials on their return from the East. He also said that the company desired peace with the Brotherhoods.

No action was taken by Messrs. Stone and Perkins; the only result of the meeting was to strengthen them in their determination to fight the Brotherhoods to the end.

All efforts to produce a boycott had failed. The only result of the union meetings held at various points was to convince the strikers that the boycott was not necessary, in fact that they had already won the strike. They continued their meetings, and were just as much out of the way of the company as though they had been locked up for months. In the meantime, and in fact from the beginning of the strike, the company had been moving heaven and earth in their efforts to bring victory out of what seemed hopeless defeat. Starting with an inferior grade of men, they have been constantly weeding out the poorer ones as fast as a more competent man appeared who was willing to work for them. A very great number of those originally hired have disappeared and better men have taken their places. Many competent men, who had been driven out of the Brotherhoods for dissolute habits, or from prejudice, and who had at first stood aloof from the trouble, had now come forward and entered the service.

Beginning on the 27th of February with their business almost wholly destroyed, they have used every means in their power, and have left no stone unturned that promised to increase their traffic. In this they have not been unsuccessful, and their business is today probably as good as any other Western road. In their relation to the strikers, they have outwitted them at every point, and have used with fatal effect every weapon that came to their hand. The truth is that the old employes never had a leader, from the 27th of February until the present day; they have been under the orders and at the beck and call of this committee and that committee, and have trusted to this chairman and that chief until they were bewildered, and finally lost. The "Ides of March" was as fatal to them as to Cæsar. When the first boycott was lifted, their defeat was absolute and certain; as an evidence of that the action of the self-constituted Advisory Board, in sending road engineers into the yards in Chicago to take the switch engines given up by their brothers at the second boycott, the last of March, should have been deemed ample and sufficient.

Any strike, by any body of men, conducted as this one was, would have the same ignominious ending. When a class of men are forced into a strike, and their places are filled by men who are allowed to retain them; when the business interests, interrupted by the strike, are permitted to be resumed, does not such a condition plainly indicate failure? There should be no more great railroad strikes until men, other than those immediately interested, are ready and willing to win them.

AT THE CONVENTIONS.

At the Firemen's Convention, the promised plan of federation was put forward. Before the firemen adjourned, the switchmen had met in Convention. They received and endorsed the plan outlined by the firemen, and appointed a committee of the Grand Officers to act with the engineers and firemen in putting it into execution. Contrary to the expectations of the firemen and switchmen, the engineers at their Convention failed to ratify the move toward federation, and had nothing ready to offer in its stead. They did, however, pass a resolution favoring "some means of bringing the organizations closer together." This action of the engineers was generally understood as a desire upon their part to drop the federation scheme entirely, and much ill feeling has in consequence resulted. The striking switchmen naturally felt that the sacrifice made by them had failed to bear fruit, and that the Brotherhood had not redeemed their pledges--nay, more, that they had fallen back into their old position of "refraining from all entangling alliances" and ignoring the other organizations.

Affairs remained in this unsatisfactory condition until the latter part of November. In the meantime, many of the strikers, engineers, firemen and switchmen sought and obtained work on other roads, the Chicago, Santa Fe & California gaining the most of them.

ANOTHER COMMITTEE.

At the Engineers' Convention, a committee of nine had been appointed, with A. R. Cavener as chairman, to handle the remains of the "Q" strike. Hoge was retired, or rather had resigned, and the payments to the men were now made through the local divisions of the Brotherhood. Up to November 25, nothing had been heard of the committee of nine, and it was not known that they were making any efforts to assist the strikers. It was understood that this committee had been given all the power in the Brotherhood, even to the boycott, if necessary to win the strike.

CUTTING OFF THE SWITCHMEN.

November 25, letters were received by the chairman of each local body of strikers, from Cleveland, signed by P. M. Arthur and the Finance Committee of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

These letters were to the effect, that after the October payment had been made, the switchmen were to be stricken from the payrolls; that the late Convention had made no provision for the further payment of these men.

It will be remembered that prior to the switchmen engaging in this strike, an agreement had been made with them that as long as the strike lasted they were to be paid the same wages that were paid to the engineers. A written contract was entered into, a copy of which is now in possession of James L. Monoghan. During the different phases of the strike this agreement was frequently mentioned by prominent members of the Brotherhoods, and acknowledged by the Chiefs.

At the same time the switchmen were cut off from assistance, the pay of the engineers was raised from $40 to $50 per month. This increase of $10 would have been ample to pay the switchmen.

Protests were sent to Cleveland from all over the "Q" system. The following is the text in full of the Chicago letter, together with the signatures of engineers, firemen and switchmen:

CHICAGO, ILL., NOV. 24, 1888.

HEADQUARTERS C., B. & Q. STRIKERS.--CURRAN'S HALL.

_To Messrs. P. M. Arthur, T. S. Ingraham, H. C. Hayes_:

DEAR SIRS: In receipt of yours of the 22d, we must say that a more
sad turn or blow has not struck this body since the beginning of
the strike as the decision of that letter. Have we solicited the
friendly hand of our fellow switchmen the past eight months, have
we sustained brotherly feeling and fought the common enemy all
summer hand in hand, only to throw our participants broadcast over
the land after proving themselves loyal to us and men of their
word? Do we have to bring disgrace upon ourselves, by being
connected with such unmanly actions, and involve thereby bitter
antagonistic feelings in the future? We engineers went out with
grievances, where the switchmen had none, but sympathy only; would
it not be more justice to cut us off and pay these men for their
manly actions?

After the return of the regular delegates from the Convention,
information was communicated to us of their firm understanding that
the treatment of the engineers and switchmen would be the same in
the future as in the past.

In regard to dividing our $40 per month with the switchmen in the
future, we can only refer to figures; about thirty to thirty-one
engineers against sixty-five switchmen [in Chicago--AUTHOR], both
parties in debt more or less for the necessaries of life for the
eight months, winter at hand, and our men badly in need. Some
provision must be made! How in the name of God can we share with
others, having scarcely enough for ourselves?

The future prosperity of our Order undoubtedly depends upon the
just action taken in this C., B. & Q. struggle. How can we expect
to gain and retain the kindly feeling of members of other
organizations relative to us in railway service by practicing acts
of injustice and partiality in our own midst? Look at the switchmen
at this point. When employed, their salary ranges from $75 to $90
per month. They have stepped down for principle's sake, and not
for the $40 per month, barely sufficient at this point to keep soul
and body together. Now, at this great Convention it has been
overlooked to provide for these men who fought the battle according
to instructions.

Only a portion of the men being thought of, and the balance of
them--those who sacrificed all for principle and friendship--have
been thrown out into the world without any previous notice
whatever. Here we are today to fight our own battle. Rather than
being sacrificed and deserted in this style, we will accept
previous favorable offers at Chicago, saving at least this point,
although at the sad experience of broken promises.

Indeed, sad it is for men to fight honorably, and with whole soul,
only to find out, after losing all, that they are cut off from
ammunition! Now then, left without ammunition, what is left for the
soldier to do--surrender or be cut down?

Our course in this depends on speedy action, and we therefore
demand immediate answer from your Grand Lodge, stating decidedly
the future treatment. Shall it continue as before, or shall it be
cut off? As our men are radical, we ask you to answer by telegraph,
up to 2 P. M., Monday, November 26, "Yes" or "No." If no answer is
received up to this time it will be considered by this body a
negative answer, and copies of this will be sent to all subordinate
divisions and lodges of the Big Four organizations. Yours
fraternally,

[Signed] T. J. TIERNEY,
M. T. MAHONEY,
J. RYAN,
Engineers.

M. SHIELDS,
JOHN A. HIENISH,
DAVID BAIN,
Switchmen.

The answer came by mail, and reads as follows:

OFFICE OF THE GRAND DIVISION
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEERS,
CLEVELAND, NOV. 26, 1888.

_M. T. Mahoney_:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Yours of the 24th at hand, and in reply
thereto we sent a check Saturday, to pay the engineers and
switchmen alike for October. After that time we can pay nothing for
the switchmen. You seem to think that the power is vested in the
Grand Officers to levy assessments for the support of the
switchmen; but such is not the case. We can only act as directed
by the Convention. The Convention directed that an assessment be
levied for the support of the engineers at $50 per month, and that
is as far as we can act.

Yours fraternally,
[Signed] T. S. INGRAHAM, F. G. A. E.

Previous to these letters, the Chairman of the switchmen had written to Cleveland to make inquiry about the October pay. The answer to his letter is also herewith given:

CLEVELAND, O., NOV., 22, 1888.

_J. A. Hienish, Esq._:

In reply to yours of 18th, I can only say that, although the Grand
Chief was particular to call attention to the fact that no
provision was made for October payroll, no steps were taken to
supply that want, and all that we can do is to forward the amounts
as fast as money comes in on donations, which is very slow, and
with October payroll all payments to switchmen and brakemen will
cease, as the further assessment was levied to pay engineers only.
We have, however, advised the engineers to share what they receive
with the switchmen.

Whether or not they will do it, they can answer. We shall send a
draft today to pay the men at Chicago, both engineers and switchmen
for October, and to other points as fast as we can get the money,
which is the best we can do.

Yours truly,
[Signed] T. S. INGRAHAM, F. G. A. E.

Letters were sent by the strikers to all the Brotherhood Divisions throughout the western country, notifying them of the arbitrary action of the officers and telling them the condition of the men.

No word had been received from Chairman Cavener or his committee of nine until after the 9th of December, when the switchmen of Chicago declared the strike off, as far as concerned themselves. This action was taken with the consent and advice of the Grand Master of the Association, and letters were sent to the switchmen along the line of road, advising them to take the same action and make any terms that they were able to make with the company.

The striking engineers and firemen at Chicago also advised this course and even offered to unite with the switchmen in following it out.

The switchmen along the line, acting on the advice of the Brotherhood men, refused to recognize the strike as off, and remained with the engineers, but without aid from the Brotherhood, as seen from the letters herewith given.

December 11, Mr. Cavener arrived in Chicago, and on the 28th of December representatives of the Brotherhood from west of the Missouri river assembled in Chicago to the number of two hundred. They were called together by Mr. Cavener to take final action on the strike.

From the 28th day of December to the 4th day of January, the daily papers were full of sensational rumors of boycotts, but no such action was contemplated by the Brotherhoods.

Below is given the full report of the settlement, issued from the Grand Lodge of the Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association.

OFFICE OF THE GRAND LODGE, SWITCHMEN'S MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION OF
NORTH AMERICA.

CHICAGO, ILL., Jan. 10, 1889.

_To All Subordinate Lodges_:

SIRS AND BROTHERS: At the late Convention of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers, held at Richmond, Va., a Committee of nine
was appointed to examine into the condition of the strike on the
C., B. & Q. Railroad, and devise ways and means whereby it might be
brought to a close. The Committee was composed of the following
named gentlemen: A. R. Cavener, A. W. Perley, T. Hollinrake, Thos.
Humphreys, A. Le May, A. W. Logan, Edward Kent, Wm. C. Hayes and T.
P. Bellows. After the Committee had made a thorough investigation,
they requested the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen to appoint a
Committee to act in conjunction with them, and Grand Master Sargent
appointed L. Mooney and S. W. Dixon as such Committee. This Joint
Committee, in their report to the two Brotherhoods, say: An
interview with the officials of the C., B. & Q. company was
solicited and granted. Other interviews followed, in which the
strike, in all its details was discussed, with a thorough
appreciation of the gravity and importance of the situation. The
Committee sought by all the means at its command to secure a
settlement that would be of the largest possible advantage to the
strikers. Every point was brought out and thoroughly discussed, and
after a careful, patient and exhaustive review of the situation, a
settlement was effected which met with the unanimous approval of
the Joint Committee.

Preliminary to our report of the settlement, we desire to introduce
the following documents, which are self-explanatory:

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 1889.

_Mr. E. P. Ripley, General Manager, Chicago_:

DEAR SIR: The enclosed is a copy of the communication which I was
directed to give to the Committee of the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers and Firemen, who have been in conference with us today,
which was accepted by them, and they have declared the strike
settled.

It is important that no question should arise as to the good faith
of the company, and it is our desire and intention that there
should be no opportunity for such question.

As to the meaning of the word "available," I desire to say that
when it becomes necessary to employ men outside of those now in the
service, care must be taken to consider all the qualifications that
go to make up availability, including experience and familiarity
with our surroundings and rules. In short, that the very best men
are to be selected, regardless of personal relations or prejudices
for or against any men or class of men.

It should be further fully understood that the company does not
desire to pursue those who have been guilty of improper conduct
during the late strike, and while such men cannot be re-employed,
and while we cannot give letters to them, no officer or employe
should continue the animosities of the conflict after it is over,
or interfere to prevent the employment of such men elsewhere. Yours
truly,

HENRY B. STONE.

Similar letters will be sent to all the officers in charge of our
different properties, and by them transmitted to their operating
officers.

H. B. STONE.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

BOSTON, Jan. 3, 1889.

_To Henry B. Stone, Vice President C., B. & Q. Ry., Chicago_:

I did not telegraph yesterday, as you requested, because it seemed
important under the circumstances, and since we have been asked by
the engineers to say what our position is, that it should be done
with the authority of the whole Executive Committee. The Committee
is now in session, and I am authorized and instructed to send you
the following:

"The company will not follow up, black list, or in any manner
attempt to proscribe those who were concerned in the strike, but,
on the contrary, will cheerfully give to all who have not been
guilty of violence, or other improper conduct, letters of
introduction, showing their record in our service, and will, in all
proper ways, assist them in finding employment.

"The first duty of the management is to those who are in the
company's employ, and we must remember, and protect their interests
by promotions, and by every other means in our power. Beyond this,
if it should become necessary to go outside of the service for men
in any capacity, it is our intention to select the best men
available, and in making selections, not to exclude those who were
engaged in the strike of February 27, if they are the best men
available, and provided they have not since been guilty of violence
and other improper conduct."

You are authorized to give a copy of this message to the engineers
who called upon you.

[Signed] C. E. PERKINS.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 1889.

_Mr. A. R. Cavener, Chairman Committee Brotherhood Locomotive
Engineers_:

DEAR SIR: The above is a copy of a telegram received yesterday from
Mr. Perkins, our President, and which, in accordance with his
instructions, I have submitted to you, and which has been fully
discussed with you and your Committee.

Yours truly, HENRY B. STONE.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4, 1889.

_Mr. Henry B. Stone, Second Vice President_:

DEAR SIR: We, the undersigned Committee, in behalf of our
respective organizations--Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen--and as representatives of the
ex-employes of the Burlington system, who left the services of said
company February 27, 1888, or later, on account of the strike,
approve of the foregoing agreement, and hereby declare the strike
of the said ex-employes as settled.

Yours truly,

ALEX. R. CAVENER,
A. W. PERLEY,
T. HOLLINRAKE,
THOS. HUMPHREYS,
A. LE MAY,
WM. C. HAYES,
A. W. LOGAN,
EDW. KENT,
T. P. BELLOWS,
S. W. DIXON,
L. MOONEY.

The Joint Committee submitted their report to the Grand Officers of
the B. of L. E. and B. of L. F., and the settlement "met with their
entire and unqualified approval." The Grand Officers, therefore,
issued a circular to their respective Divisions and Lodges, under
date of January 7, 1889, in which they say "The strike of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen on the C., B. & Q. railway system, inaugurated February 27,
1888, is hereby officially declared at an end, and the striking
employes are now at liberty to make applications for situations on
said system."

The purpose of this circular is to advise the striking switchmen
who desire to be re-employed, to file their applications at their
respective Division headquarters, on or before February 1, 1889.
This advice is given at the request of the officials of the
company. Applications filed after February 1 will not be
considered.

The settlement may not be all that might be expected or desired,
but it seems to be the best that could be secured under the
condition of things, and I hope it will be received in good faith,
and that all hostility will cease.

In closing, I urge upon switchmen, members of our Association, to
exert their influence in securing situations for the ex-employes of
the C., B. & Q. system.

Yours fraternally, FRANK SWEENEY,
Grand Master S. M. A. A. of N. A.

The letters herein printed are given without comment, further than to say that as they seem to have some bearing on the settlement, they were evidently intended for that purpose.

The business of the Burlington, as with the other western roads at this time, is but little over half its usual volume. No switchmen, engineers or firemen returned to the employ of that company during January. Advices from along the entire system indicate the same condition of affairs at the present date, February 8, 1889. The new men, laid off on account of dull business, still remain on hand, and as business increases they will return to work, and not until their ranks are exhausted will there be any vacancies for the old men. The probabilities are, that several months will elapse before any of the strikers will be needed by the Burlington road.

The following letters having been made public by the Grand Officers of the firemen, through the medium of their magazine, we violate no confidence in giving them publicity here. We particularly desire to print them, from the fact that they indicate a condition of affairs in relation to the settlement that should be made known to the general public. The letters and comments are from the February, 1889, number of the Firemen's Magazine.

"The B. of L. E., at its Richmond Convention, not only declined to repeal laws, the enactment of which was an indignity of such unquestioned insolence, that 'a wayfaring man though a fool' need not err in comprehending the outrage, but in its deliberations relating to ending the C., B. & Q. strike, it concluded to ignore the B. of L. F. entirely, as if the Order had no interests at stake and was unworthy of notice. In proof of this we introduce here an extract of a letter from P. M. Arthur, Grand Chief, dated November 5, 1888, which is conclusive:

"The Convention also decided to appoint a Committee of nine, with
Bro. Alex. Cavener as chairman, to determine when the strike _shall
end_ on the C., B. & Q. Bro. Cavener will first go over that
system, and see how the situation is, and address the men at the
different places on the line, in view of a _settlement_. After
which he will _convene his Committee_ and they are to _decide when
the trouble shall end_, and _no one but themselves is to know the
result until they report to the Grand Officers_.

"We have italicised certain expressions in Grand Chief Arthur's letter to Grand Master Sargent, to enable our readers to see how effectually the B. of L. F. was squelched, left out in the cold, disregarded and tabooed by the B. of L. E. in the 'settlement' of the strike.

"In reply to Grand Chief Arthur's letter of November 5, we here introduce extracts from Grand Master Sargent's letter of November 7:

_P. M. Arthur, Esq._:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: I am in receipt of your communication of
November 5, written by S. G. E. Bro. Everett, and I have noted its
contents carefully and I must acknowledge that I am disappointed in
the action taken at Richmond on the question of federation.

Referring to the strike, I had hoped that your Convention would end
it, believing as I do that it is a useless waste of time and money
to continue it any longer. We are already feeling the strain
ourselves; my mail is continually filled with communications coming
from the officers of the Subordinate Lodges, appealing to me in
behalf of their members to excuse them from paying the heavy
assessments which we have been compelled to levy. Others are
prepared to surrender their charters, and the situation is anything
but agreeable to me. There can be no change, however, until such
time as the strike is declared off. And we will be compelled to
contribute to the support of these men for a long time after, as
many of them will be without situations. Whatever may be the
decision of the Committee which you have appointed, I hope that
they will bear in mind that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
are just as much interested in this strike as is the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers and that they will also consider this claim,
that the members of the Brotherhood of Firemen are not all wealthy
men.

"In reply to Grand Master Sargent's letter of the 7th, Grand Chief Arthur writes as follows, under date of November 9:

In regard to the strike we are deeply sensible of the circumstances
by which you are surrounded, and nothing could have been further
from our thought than to ignore you or your Brotherhood, but in
view of the fact that your Convention adjourned without action
touching that matter, and as you had expressed a hope that our
Convention should declare it off, it was deemed wise to take steps
to fix a time to end it without giving any aid or comfort to the
company.

This is what was kept in view and the welfare of the firemen in it
was as much an object as was that of the engineers, and when the
Committee reports you will be fully informed of the course decided
upon.

"We are not disposed to indulge in severity of language in criticising Grand Chief Arthur's letter to Grand Master Sargent, of November 9. It is easily seen that Mr. Arthur was not only 'deeply sensible' of the circumstances which 'surrounded' the B. of L. F., but was quite as 'deeply sensible' that the circumstances 'which surrounded' the B. of L. E. were of character which he found it exceedingly difficult to explain. When the B. of L. E. deliberately 'ignored' the B. of L. F., giving it a direct slap in the face in a matter in which the interests of its members were vitally involved, the declarations of the Grand Chief 'that nothing could have been further from our thoughts than to ignore you or your Brotherhood,' the very climax of irony is reached. Look at it; here were two great Brotherhoods engaged in a life and death struggle with a powerful corporation. It had cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Firemen, with a fidelity born of heroism worthy of monuments of marble, had stood by the engineers until they were impoverished. At this supreme juncture, the B. of L. E. concludes to take steps to terminate the strike. Does it consider the interests, the rights, the sacrifices of the B. of L. F.? No, not in the least. There is no word, no sign of recognition. On the contrary the action of the B. of L. E. is that of the most offensive ostracism. There is not so much as a squint at co-operation or federation. The gush and slush about the 'twin Brotherhoods' disappears, and yet Grand Chief Arthur declares, as if he expected his assertion would be accepted as true, that in the appointment of a Committee of nine, clothed with full power to settle the strike, in which no reference was made to the B. of L. F. or to its interests, 'nothing could have been further from our thought than to ignore' the B. of L. F. It is sufficient to say that the declaration of Grand Chief Arthur was not accepted as conclusive. It is neither an apology nor an explanation. Indeed, it only serves to emphasize the fact that the B. of L. E. deliberately and purposely ignored the B. of L. F.

"Proceeding with the history, it will be seen that Mr. Alexander K. Cavener, Chairman of the Committee of nine engineers, proceeded to carry out his instructions. He went over the roads of the 'Q' system, he held meetings and obtained information. He assembled his Committee of engineers and made his reports. The conclusion was to declare the strike at an end. In all of this no fireman had been consulted--no attention paid to the B. of L. F. officers or men. There had been neither co-operation nor federation--no allusion to the 'twin (?) Brotherhoods.'

"At this juncture, Mr. Alexander K. Cavener, Chairman of the Committee of nine, bethought himself of the fact that there was such a Brotherhood as the B. of L. F. The B. of L. E. had not authorized him to indulge such a thought, but he did remember it and sent the following telegram:

CHICAGO, Dec. 27, 1888.

_Sargent and Debs_:

Can you select a Committee of your Order to act in conjunction with
our Committee? Meet us at Commercial Hotel morning of December 29.

[Signed] ALEX. R. CAVENER.

"This was the first intimation the B. of L. F. had that the B. of L. E., or the Committee of nine, recognized that the B. of L. F. had any interest whatever in the 'Q' strike, or in the settlement of the strike. Grand Master Sargent was not in Terre Haute when the message was received, and Grand Secretary and Treasurer Debs, of the B. of L. F., replied as follows:

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Dec. 27, 1888.

Grand Master Sargent is expected home from the East this evening,
and your message will be referred to him on his arrival. For
myself I do not favor the appointment of a Committee such as you
suggest at this time. The invitation for joint procedure comes too
late in the day. I have no doubt our regular Committee representing
the C., B. & Q., now at Chicago, will be amply able to look after
our interests.

E. V. DEBS.

"Upon the arrival of Grand Master Sargent the following message was sent to Chairman Cavener, at Chicago:

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Dec. 29, 1888.

_A. R. Cavener, Commercial Hotel, Chicago, Ill._:

Referring to your telegram we have to say, that in our opinion we
should have been given an opportunity of being represented in the
tour of inspection of the "Q" system. We are in the habit of acting
for ourselves in such matters, and hence we are not disposed at
this late hour to join in the "amen" to what has been done. If we
were not capable of doing our part from the beginning we are not
willing to join issues now. We respectfully decline to appoint any
Committee for the purpose suggested in your telegram.

[Signed] F. P. Sargent, Grand Master.
E. V. DEBS, Grand Sec. & Treas.

"The refusal of the B. of L. F. to appoint a Committee to act with the engineers' Committee was adversely criticised, and resulted in sending to Terre Haute a Committee of two, Bro. R. H. Lacy, Chairman of the C., B. & Q. Committee, having charge of strike affairs, and Bro. George Godding. These men visited Terre Haute, and, acting under advice, represented to Grand Master Sargent that it was important that a Committee should be appointed to represent the firemen on the Committee of engineers.

"Grand Master Sargent thereupon transmitted to Grand Chief Arthur the following message:

TERRE HAUTE, IND., Jan. 2, 1889.

_P. M. Arthur, Cleveland, Ohio_:

I have been requested by A. R. Cavener, Chairman of Committee at
Chicago, to appoint a Committee of firemen to act with them in the
matter now before them. Will you inform me if he has the authority
to do this, and if you approve of the same as the Executive of the
Order? Has this Committee full power to act regardless of you?
Answer at my expense.

[Signed] F. P. SARGENT, Grand Master.

"In response to the foregoing, the following reply was received from Grand Chief Arthur:

CLEVELAND, O., Jan. 2, 1889.

_Frank P. Sargent_:

Would advise you to grant Cavener's request in the interest of
peace and harmony. He has not complied with my instructions, but I
waive all in favor of having an end put to the strike.

P. M. ARTHUR.

"Upon receipt of this message, Grand Master Sargent appointed Bros. S. W. Dixon, of Baraboo, Wis., and L. Mooney, of St. Joe, Mo., a Committee to represent the B. of L. F.'s interests, as set forth in the following communication addressed to Chairman Cavener of the B. of L. E. Committee under date of January 2:

GRAND LODGE }
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN. }
TERRE HAUTE, IND., Jan. 2, 1889. }

_A. R. Cavener, Esq., and members of the Committee representing the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and the interests of the C., B.
& Q. engineers engaged in the present strike_:

GENTLEMEN AND BROTHERS: It is not necessary for me to introduce
myself to you honorable gentlemen, as I am, no doubt, known to you
both officially and socially, and I will proceed to place before
you certain facts, and at the same time explain to you the reason
of my forwarding the message to Bro. Cavener, Chairman of your
Committee, signed jointly by Bro. Debs and myself, in reply to a
request made by Bro. Cavener for us to appoint a Committee
representing the firemen to go with you before the officials of the
Burlington system. I desire to trespass upon your valuable time
long enough to call your attention to the original compact entered
into between the engineers and firemen in the beginning of this
eventful strike. It was understood that in all our dealings both as
Committees and as executive officers among ourselves, or when
before the officers of the company, that we should act together. I
am not disposed at this time to pass any criticism whatever upon
the action of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers or upon any
of its executive officers; I simply wish to call attention to this
matter in a fair and unbiased light.

When our Convention convened at Atlanta, the situation of the
Brotherhood was not of an encouraging nature; we were incumbered
with debt; we knew that we could not as a body, take any action in
the matter of the strike, except to provide means for the
maintenance of the men engaged therein, until such time as the
Convention of your honorable body had convened and decided upon
what they believed to be the best course to pursue. We provided
means for the further sustenance of our men and awaited the action
of your body. Being honored with an invitation to be present in
Richmond as a guest of your Brotherhood, I was able to meet with
many of the prominent members, together with the Grand Officers,
and I presented, when the opportunity offered, my exact position as
an Executive Official, stating, that we, as an organization, were
willing, at all times to do anything that was honorable toward
bringing about a satisfactory settlement of the difficulty. I was
assured that some action would be taken whereby some means would be
devised which would lead to the ending of the strike. I returned
home, and shortly after the termination of your Convention, I
received an official communication from Grand Chief Arthur, in
which he informed me that a Committee of nine had been appointed
with Bro. Alex. R. Cavener as Chairman, to determine when the
strike should end on the C., B. & Q.; that Bro. Cavener should
first go over the system and see what the situation was, and
address the men at different places along the line in view of a
settlement; after which he would convene the Committee, and they
were to decide when the trouble should end, and no one but
themselves was to know the result until after reporting to the
Grand Office. I immediately wrote a letter to Grand Chief Arthur,
in which I expressed a feeling of dissatisfaction on account of the
firemen not being requested to appoint members of the organization
to represent them; I believed that if there was a representative of
the engineers organization going over the system that there should
also be a representative of the firemen accompanying him. I may
have been wrong in my view, still I have seen nothing yet to change
my opinion. In reply to my letter to Grand Chief Arthur, he stated
that it was not the intention to ignore us in any manner, but as I
had expressed the hope that his Convention would devise the means
of ending the strike, it was deemed wise to take steps and fix a
time to end it without giving any aid or comfort to the company. He
further stated that the firemen and their welfare were kept in
view, and that when the Committee made its report that I would be
fully informed of the course decided upon, no intimation being
made, however, that I was at liberty to appoint any firemen to go
in conjunction with the Committee of engineers. While the
communication did not just meet my views, I said to my associate,
"We will await the report of this Committee." A few days after I
visited Cleveland and had a conversation with Grand Chief Arthur,
in which I again broached this matter, and was again informed by
him that it was no intention on the part of the Convention to
ignore the firemen and that our interests were considered equally
with theirs. He furthermore informed me regarding the authority
delegated to the Committee, and led me to believe that all you
could do was simply to assemble, receive the report of Bro.
Cavener, and then recommend what further action should be taken by
the Grand Officers when we should convene as Grand Officers and
decide the issue. A few days after this I was present in the city
of St. Paul, and had a pleasant interview with Bro. Hayes, who is,
I believe, a member of your Committee. I expressed to Bro. Hayes my
opinion, and I desire to say I found him exceedingly courteous, and
he coincided with my views, saying it was all due to an oversight
and that he would communicate with Grand Chief Arthur on the
subject. I stated to Bro. Hayes that if Grand Chief Arthur
requested of me the appointment of a Committee, I would gladly do
so; nothing more was heard of the matter. I was receiving
communications daily from all sections of the country, asking why
the firemen were not represented on this Committee; such
communications I answered in as honorable a manner as I knew how,
placing no censure upon any one and saying nothing that would in
any manner, lead intelligent men to think we had any desire to
antagonize.

In my absence from the city Bro. Debs received a telegram from Bro.
Cavener, requesting us to appoint a committee. Bro. Debs answered
the message, expressing his sentiments, not for the purpose of
creating ill-feeling, but simply to place us and our Order before
the Committee in an honorable light. Upon my return the message was
submitted to me, and in view of the fact that throughout this
entire strike we have acted jointly, believing that we should have
been requested to make appointments on that Committee of engineers,
and in view of the further fact that at the time of learning
officially of the action of the Committee, I wrote to Grand Chief
Arthur, calling his attention to my feelings and afterward in my
conversation with Brother Hayes, in which I gave him to understand
that if Grand Chief Arthur would request of me the appointing of a
Committee that I would gladly do so. I believed, as did Bro. Debs,
that it was entirely wrong to ask us to send a Committee to go
before the officers of the company after the Committee's work in a
large measure had been accomplished. When I say "Committee's work"
I refer to the Chairman, who had been over the system interviewing
men and observing the situation while we were not represented nor
even requested to be; and for this reason our message was sent.
This morning a Committee of two of the General Committee
representing the firemen on the C., B. & Q. R. R. presented the
position you occupy and authority delegated to you by your Grand
Body. After a careful consideration of the matter and a desire to
bring about an amicable settlement of the present difficulty,
create harmony and good will between all labor organizations,
especially our co-workers, the engineers, we have wired the
following message to Grand Chief Arthur: "I have been requested by
A. R. Cavener, Chairman of Committee at Chicago, to appoint a
committee of firemen to act with others in the matter now before
them. Will you inform me if he has the authority to do this and if
you approve of the same as the Executive of the Order? Has this
Committee full power to act regardless of you? Answer at my
expense."

Considering the correspondence and conversation we have had on this
subject with Grand Chief Arthur, it is no more than right that he
should, as an executive of the organization he represents, endorse
the appointing of a Committee representing the firemen, to take
part in these deliberations. Upon receiving his reply, if he
endorses your request, I shall immediately instruct two members of
our Order, who are intelligent, capable and somewhat familiar with
the situation, to report to you at once. I can assure you that
whatever you decide upon doing, these representatives will
acquiesce in so long as it is to the interests of the organizations
involved.

I am sorry that there should be any misunderstanding on account of
this matter, but I think time will demonstrate to intelligent,
thinking minds that the position taken by the Grand Officers of the
B. of L. F. has been an honorable one, and all we ask is that
consideration which all honest men are entitled to. We may differ
in opinion, but that we have a right to do, and when it comes to a
matter of such grave importance as the one that now presents itself
for our consideration, we should set aside all personal feelings
and act to the best interests of those we represent.

I can assure you, gentlemen, that you have the best wishes of the
Grand Officers of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, and we
only trust that through your deliberations may come such good
results as will redound in honor to yourselves as well as to the
organization which you represent.

Yours fraternally,
F. P. SARGENT.

"In this connection it becomes necessary to state that among other things charged in support of the allegations that the B. of L. F. is responsible for the failure of the strike, is a letter written by Grand Master Sargent in reply to a letter received from Bro. J. E. Kline, of Plattsmouth, Neb. As special efforts have been made to misrepresent Grand Master Sargent in the matter, we here give the full text of the correspondence:

PLATTSMOUTH, NEB., Dec. 6, 1888.

_F. P. Sargent, Esq., Grand Master_:

DEAR SIR AND BROTHER: Yours of recent date to Bro. Zinn was
referred to me, and I was requested to ask for information. Since
you cannot assure us our support after November, can you give us
any encouragement in regard to the Committee of nine, with Cavener
at the head, which was appointed at the late Engineers' Convention?
We have been notified that they would put on the boycott, which I
think is the only means to win this fight. I am very much afraid
that this strike is lost, and that we (the men on the Q.) are
sacrificed. I have been a Brotherhood fireman about two years, and
have done everything in my power to promote the Order, and I have
always thought that nothing could break our organization, but I am
afraid if this strike is lost, that we fall beneath the heels of
capital; yet I am satisfied that some move can be made by our Order
to crush the C., B. & Q. into submission. Now, in regard to some of
the strikers refusing employment on other roads, preferring to lay
idle on the forty ($40) dollars paid us for so doing, I think is
false, and I am satisfied I can convince your informant. In the
first place, well do you know that there are many roads that want
men, but refuse to employ C., B. & Q. strikers, until the strike is
declared off. Furthermore, we have men working on all the roads in
the country that will employ strikers. I am sorry that those men
who are being expelled for non-payment, cannot see that it is to
their benefit to sacrifice a few dollars per month, while we who
are in the fight sacrifice on an average of thirty-five ($35)
dollars per month. I would to God that those men have their wages
cut down one-half in the next twenty-four hours. In conclusion, I
ask you your _candid opinion in regard to the boycott_. Please let
me hear from you at once.

Sincerely yours, JNO. E. KLINE.

GRAND LODGE }
BROTHERHOOD OF LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN, }
TERRE HAUTE, IND., Dec. 14, 1888. }