grand, and as I went through this valley, seeing the fine homes and orange groves, I have wondered if there was anything lacking in that valley to make man's happiness complete.

While in Los Angeles, I had the pleasure of meeting with some of the members of 97 whom I initiated several years ago, and who now hold prominent places in their lodge. Bro. Doyle, the master of 97, is one of the brothers I initiated some years ago, and he is now quite prominent in the work of the order.

Our brothers on the Coast Division of the Santa Fe are a happy and prosperous lot of boys and, while they are somewhat scattered and can not attend lodge meetings as regular as they would like, they have a good lodge just the same, in Lodge 566, located at East Yard, Cal.

While in Winslow, Ariz., I held two good meetings, and can say the same thing for all lodges that I visited along the Santa Fe line. Never in the history of the order was the Brotherhood in better shape shape than now in the West, especially on the Santa Fe.

While in San Francisco I had the pleasure of meeting with Golden Gate Lodge 91, and saw several candidates initiated into the mysteries of the order. Lodge 91 is coming on fine now and has the largest membership it has had at any time since the trouble of 1894. I thought several times in 1895 and 1896 that 91 would surely go to the wall, but she has weathered the storm all right, and is now having smooth sailing, with a splendid outlook for the future.

To say that I was agreeably surprised

at the growth in membership in Lodge 143 would be putting it mildly. It took several years of hard work to bring this lodge back again to what it was before the trouble of 1894. Now that the lodge is prospering again, I hope our members in Oakland will steer clear of any more disastrous experiments, such as that of 1894, which brought almost destruction to the order over the entire Western country.

By the time this letter is read by the members, if nothing happens, several new lodges will be organized at different places on the continent. I expect to organize lodges at Grand Junction, Col., Milan, Mo., Sherman, Texas, and Mer Rouge, La., and probably at Shawnee, O. T. That we will reach six hundred lodges* by July 1st is not doubted now, and I hope we will go into convention with 44,400 members. Let us wait and see if my expectations are realized.

In conclusion I wish to say that the trip to the Pacific Coast in company with Bros. Burke, Cleveland and Henley was one of the best it has been my pleasure to and it was with many regrets that I had make since I have engaged in this work, to part company with them. I wish to state further that I have only the kindest feelings for our members at each place I ceived at their hands, all of which I feel grateful for and will not soon forget. In my next I will have more to say in regard to lodges organized and meetings held during March, 1902.

visited, for the courteous treatment re

CHAS. W. MAIER. Lodge 601 has applied for charter.-ED.

or brother, was laid away in his last resting place, it was at the dead of night when all the world was hushed in slumber. A few silent men carried his poor remains to the grave. There was no funeral train; no brothers marching two-by-two behind the hearse;

no sprig of evergreen as a tribute to the dead; no floral offerings to show the respect and love we had for him. But, Oh! there were sad hearts and tearful eyes that night, as with subdued and faltering voices, the residents of Hallstead spoke of his many good qualities, and discussed the distressing circumstances attending his death and burial. "Dick" was past master of the lodge for many years, and was a member of the local branch K. of C. He was one of the veteran members of Lackawanna Lodge 283 and was delegate to the conventions several times. He was secretary of 283 at the time of his death. He leaves an aged mother, and several sisters and brothers to mourn his early death.

FROM 397: ("Pat," Hoisington, Kan.) On Friday evening, February 21st, as Bro. J. A. White, who had been at Great Bend on business, was returning

to the Missouri Pacific depot to catch the train for home, he fell, when passing over the track on which the train was being

made up, and a wheel of a box car passed over both limbs, necessitating amputation of both legs below the knees. Bro. White had transferred from 408 to 397, January 1, 1902, coming to us from Springfield, Ill., to grow up with the West. He had just got his family settled in their new Kansas home when the sad accident occurred. This will be a day long to be remembered by the brothers and sisters, as on that day we held a joint meeting, the Ladies' Society taking in three new members, including Mrs. J. A. White. The meeting concluded with a social. There is no need of saying that a good time was had, for the ladies of Cheyenne Lake Lodge 106 L. S., never do things by halves, but the news of Bro. White's accident, coming at the close of

the social, made it an event that will long

be in our minds.

FROM 310-(“Chestnut Ridge," Derry Station, Pa.) As each day and month goes by, and I receive my MAGAZINE and read the letters from our brothers in the North, East, South and West, but very few from the East, I wonder why our lodge is never represented in the columns of the MAGAZINE. Our meetings are held in the little town of Derry and, although very few members show up on meeting days, we still manage to hold our little gatherings. We are situated in the heart

of the Chestnut Ridge Mountains, from which the lodge receives its name. We are 46 miles from Pittsburg, and 70 miles from Altoona, on the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. We have a membership of 85 and are still keeping the goat busy every meeting day. If everything goes "O. K." it will not be long before we will have all the nonBrotherhood firemen who are firing here in our little band, which will be as soon as they have fired the required length of time, and give the goat a chance to do its part of the work.

There are about fifty-five crews on this division, at this place, and some of the largest engines that are built are here. we have some very heavy grades to climb, that require a great deal of shoveling of coal. Our "battle-ships," as they call them, have 232x28-in. cylinders, weigh 196,500 pounds, and carry 205 and 220 pounds of steam. Our heaviest grades

are between Altoona and Gallitzen, and Conemaugh and Gallitzen. It is 100 feet to the mile from Altoona to Gallitzen, and 100 feet to the mile for 26 miles. With the other grade ranges from 75 feet to grades, big engines, and everything else, there has been quite a number of our brothers promoted to the right hand side of the cab, and we all join in wishing them success in their new field of labor, for it is that place we are all working for.

Our worthy master, Bro. D. M. Gipson, cab, is a hustler, but a little bouncing who occupies the right hand side of the baby that came to help brighten his home keeps him away from our meetings quite often, but he will soon be able to be around again. Then, our efficient collector, Bro. G. W. Wilt, who is also on that side of the engine, and our worthy vice master, Bro. Clyde Forsha, who will reach that side by another year, are both hustlers, and are helping to keep the goat going. Then comes our honorable past master, Bro. James Mowry, who has quit the business of heaving coal into a "cruiser," and has joined the grocers' band, keeping all kinds of Brotherhood goods on hand for his fellow brothers. We are all trying to make it a success for him, and join in three hearty cheers for "Jim." Luck to you, Jim.

As our lodge is flourishing now quite a number of our brothers have taken the matrimonial step, among whom are Bros. Thos. Kearns, James A. Gettys, and

others. At this rate we will soon have enough ladies with us to start a Ladies' Society, which would be a great help to this lodge. It is a help which every lodge should have, when possible. Last month we were called upon to mourn the death of our beloved brother, William Paul, who was killed in a collision at Ninevah, about seven miles from Conemaugh. Bro. Paul leaves a wife, mother and brother to mourn his death, along with a host of friends. Our charter is draped in mourning for our brother, and we extend to the bereaved ones our heartfelt sympathy. Bro. Paul was buried from this place, and quite a number of the brothers attended the funeral, escorting the remains to the place of interment.

FROM 493:-(A. G. Merrett, Danbury, Conn.) It is with profound sorrow and regret that we learn of the sad death of the son of Alfred Nickerson, one of our esteemed members whose boy met his death, skating on the ice near his home. The members of 493 extend to the heartbroken father and mother their heartfelt sympathy for their loved one who was torn away from them. Called away as he was in his early life by the summons of the Most High, he left this world with but a glimpse of the sorrows and cares of life, and while we are in the midst of happiness we must suffer the departure of our dearest friends.

FROM 12:-(J. H. Kane, Buffalo, N. Y.) An incident of more than usual importance took place in this city on Saturday, March 1st, in which the members

of the B. of L. E., and the B. of L. F.,

together with the shop men and the roundhouse foreman of the motive power department of the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. took a great interest, and showed to their superior officers that when an official, who is accustomed to dealing squarely and fairly with them, is to be taken from amongst them and given a better position or transferred to another point on the system, they will not fail to make known to the public the fact of his generosity and square dealing with them. The incident to which I refer is one in which Mr. Chas. H. Hogan, our Division M. M., is to be transferred from Buffalo, to New Durham, N. J., where he is to have charge of the repair shops of New Durham, and the West Shore from Syracuse to Weehauken. The employes of the

FROM

Jersey

418:-("Roustabout," Shore, Pa.) We are still in the race, and, if everything goes as we expect, we will have two hundred members by the expiration of the terms of our present officers. Get in line, boys, and help a good thing along. We are endeavoring to arrange our lodge meetings so that the brothers located in the mountains can attend more regularly, that is, we expect to meet on a night about the middle of the week.

I would like to hear from some brother through the columns of the MAGAZINE as

to his opinion of the present law of the B. of L. E., which compels a man joining the B. of L. E., to withdraw from his old standby, the B. of L. F. I claim it is an outrage on the B. of L. F., and a detriment to the B. of L. E. Now, brothers, start the ball rolling; this is something that should be talked about, instead of so much "smokeless firing." I think it is very foolish for so noble an organization as the B. of L. E. to say what a man, especially a locomotive fireman, shall belong to.

I am glad to say that this law of the B. of L. E. is not doing us any harm, but am sorry to say that it is doing the B. of L. E. harm, as I think there would be a larger number of B. of L. E. men on this division than there is, only for the fact that they compel a man to drop his membership in the B. of L. F. Give this your attention, brothers, and see if we, as B. of L. F. men, can not have this matter reconsidered by the B. of L. E. members some time in the future. Where there is a will there is a way.

Mena,

FROM 529: - ("Committee," Ark.) Death has again visited our ranks and removed from our midst our beloved brother, G. W. Murphy, who died February 17th with typhoid pneumonia. Bro. Murphy leaves a wife and three small children to mourn his death. He was among a number of new members taken into 529 in the last three months. Although we are sad and sorrowful to have so good, bright and promising a life taken so suddenly from our midst, we think of him as one who has gone to receive his reward, and we must bow to Him who doeth all things well. His family has received resolutions of condolence from this lodge, and has the sympathy of all who knew him. His remains were laid to rest at Prescott, Ark., with the honors of the order.

man we were proud to call brother, and we feel that Guide Lodge has lost one of its most worthy members. He was twenty-six years old at the time of his death, and was to have been married to an estimable young lady of this place in a short time. Bro. Ogle was laid to rest in Riverside Cemetery, the B. of L. F. having charge of the funeral. We extend to the grief stricken parents our heartfelt sympathy, knowing that they have lost a dutiful son, whose first thoughts were always for the welfare of his friends.

FROM 273:-(T. V. W., Denver, Colo.) Hello! Yes, this is 273! How's that? Say, where have you been? Did we have a ball? Well I should say we did have a ball. And she was a hummer, too, I tell you! She held right up to the "popping point" from the time we "whistled off" with a waltz, till we got the "semaphores" at the other end of the run. It was the smoothest run you ever saw. Not a jar or a jolt all over the road, and when we pulled in at 3 a. m. everybody pronounced the fifth annual ball, February 24th, a grand success.

Now, that's a fine question to ask; was Bro. Slattery there? I guess Slattery

was there with both feet. You know Jim doesn't dance. He says he's too bashful and shy to learn. Unless appearances are deceiving, he's got the idea in his head and-if it will just work down to his feet-he will probably get over his bashfulness. As a floor manager, Jim is hard to beat.

Who else was there? Now ask me something easy? Everybody who could possibly come was with us. Bro. Daly and his bride were the recipients of many and hearty congratulations. We observed several of the dwellers in "single blessedness (?)" look long and dreamily at Jack and sigh. They were-but were not-mind readers.

But say! The way Bro. Berger presided over the cloak room and incidentally played "maid in waiting" to some of the young ladies would do your heart good. Al says he's often seen ladies put on their wraps; it was his "busy day." Please call again.

A dance would not be complete unless Bro. Brandt was mixed up in it. Uncle Joe was up to his neck, and says he never had a finer time. And the ladies.

Say! Wouldn't us old "stags" have a fine time without the help of the ladies? We couldn't sort of make the time.

Too much credit can't be given the committees for the successful outcome of the ball, especially the committee on arrangements, Bros. Lipperd, Brandt and Berger, who had everything arranged to perfection. And the lodge? You just ought to drop in some Friday night and see for yourself that we are neither dead nor sleeping. We have good meetings; everybody takes an interest in all that goes on, while the goat gets plenty of exercise to keep in good condition. If you are ever around this way drop in.

FROM 149:-(Geo. H. Peters, New York, N. Y.) We are still at the front with a membership of about 530, and steadily increasing. We gave our nineteenth annual ball February 1st, and we made a big success of it. It is an admitted fact that all the New York beauties were there. The decorations were the most elaborate ever seen in New York. It was the ball of the season.

We have a large percentage of the boys on the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and expect more.

FROM 28:-("A. B. Y.," North Platte, Neb.) We are once more compelled, by the "angel of death," to drape our charter in mourning, occasioned by the death of Bro. M. J. Cronen, who died February 10th. Bro. Cronen has been a member of 28 for twenty long years, and has ever been a loyal and faithful one. He leaves a wife and three children to mourn his death. Bro. Cronen's remains were laid

to rest in Grand Island Cemetery, ten of our brothers paying him their last respects by attending the funeral. We extend to the bereaved ones our heartfelt sympathy.

FROM 99:-(W. Frank Finch, Rochester, N. Y.) On the 11th of February, the members of 99 held a banquet at Odd Fellows' Hall in celebration of their twentieth anniversary. The affair was made unusually enjoyable, owing to the presence of Grand Master F. P. Sargent. A lodge session was held previous to the festivities, and was called to order by the master, Bro. E. E. Pruyn, who introduced the Grand Master and surrendered the gavel to him. There were fifteen candidates initiated, and the session was to have began at 7:30 p. m. and end at 8:15

p. m. It was 10:20 p. m., however, when the work was finished. The seventy-five members who were present at that meeting are still talking about it, and at least one of the candidates will think of the "ways of the transgressor" for some time to come.

Bro. Roberts, of Fellowship Lodge 121, was an interested and welcome visitor. The wives and relatives of members were entertained during the lodge session with vocal and instrumental music, elocution and monologue in the ball room. At 10:30 p. m. covers were laid for about two hundred and fifty people, and after the inner being was satisfied all repaired to the ball room, where addresses were made by Grand Master Sargent, City Engineer Fisher, Colonel Morley, of the Chamber of Commerce, William Relyea, of Division 18 B. of L. E., M. J. Lynn, of Division 35 B. of L. E., and Master E. E. Pruyn. Grand Master Sargent's remarks met with hearty applause and everyone wished he could be with us oftener.

The committee and members of 99 wish to tender their heartfelt thanks to the ladies of 58 L. S., who assisted in making the affair a success, and especially their committee, the Mesdames W. J. Van Dusen, Bark, Couch, Googherty, Dolanty and Hunter. "What would we have done

without them?" as Grand Master Sargent said in the course of his remarks, “When the ladies put their shoulder to the wheel something has got to go; God bless them." Boys, do not forget the ladies, but give

them a helping hand.

FROM 356: ("Member," Lorain, Ohio.) To say that our lodge is on a boom, is putting it very mildly. The membership of 356, the jurisdiction of which extends the length of the C. L. & W. Division of the B. & O. R. R., from Lorain, Ohio, to Wheeling, W. Va., has at present a membership of about .71, with a bunch of applications and entered apprentices in sight. A number of our brothers have in the past few months been promoted to the right hand side of the cab, and they are, I am pleased to say, getting along very well. Lodge 356 held a special meeting in their hall February 17, 1902, at which we took in five candidates. Our worthy First Vice Grand Master, Bro. J. J. Hannahan, was present and helped us through our work of initiation. The lessons learned, and the instructions given by our worthy Vice