ganized. After that it was made so unpleasant for me that I quit and went to work on the Ft. Worth and Denver, and although I had done nothing to justify my being disciplined in any way I was discharged, and after that could not get a railroad job anywhere and have been working at something else for the past twenty-two years. In my opinion when a man has been a member for twenty-five years he should receive one-third of his insurance and be given a paid-up policy for the remainder. Old men who are out of railroad service cannot get a job on a railroad; they say old men are no good. During the C. B. and Q. strike assess ments were sometimes as high as $20.00 dred and sixty-five islands. Then there is Lake Champlain one hundred and fifteen miles long and from one-fourth mile to fourteen miles wide. The Delaware and Hudson Railroad runs along the west shore of this lake from Whitehall to Rouses Point. I cannot tell all I would like to about the beauties of these lakes as our Magazine is not large enough, so I will just refer to a short piece of the road between Willsborough and Port Kent, through what is known as the "rocks." The roadbed is cut in the side of the mountain which is solid rock. There are several places where the rock is perpendicular above the track to a height of one hundred and fifty feet, "MEETING OF THE STEAMERS" IN KATTSKILL BAY, at a time, and these old men bore that burden manfully. Something should be done for the old firemen. There are not so many of them left. J. L. OLIVE, Member Lodge 515. Some Beautiful New York Lake while on the other side it is perpendicular below the track to the edge of the lake for one hundred feet. It is like running along on a shelf. It is twelve miles through the "rocks" and there are seventy-three curves, and nowhere in that distance is there a piece of track straight enough to hold three cars. It was on one of these curves that it is told some coal a fireman was throwing in the firebox went into the headlight instead"some" curve. I often see pictures in our Magazine of scenes in different sections of the country, but I have never seen any from these parts where the scenery cannot be surWe read much nowadays about "modpassed anywhere. Lake George, N. Y., ern" locomotives, but none of them can is generally admitted to be probably the compare with a locomotive built lately most beautiful lake in all the world. It by Messrs. Houston and Rooke, foremen is thirty-six miles long and from one to at the D. and H. shops at Whitehall, five miles wide and contains three hun- N. Y. It made its first trip at the busi ness men's parade held at Whitehall, move along in the same old rut? Railroad N. Y., August 11, 1914, together with a building in the United States is surely at bridge made by the bridge department, a standstill now and that together with also a caboose made by the members of the larger motive power coming into genD. F. Wait Lodge 296, B. of R. T. The eral use has just about put things to the parade was one of the largest and best bad considered from our point of view. ever seen in northern New York, and Our Brotherhood cannot stand still. It was witnessed by large crowds who were must either go forward or backward. A ROUNDING RED ROCKS AT THE MOUTH OF THE TUNNEL IN THE (Photo by Bro. A. F. Hayes, Lodge 71) here attending "Chautauqua week," also newly-promoted engineer is a rare thing the State convention of the Macabees. A. F. HAYES, these days, and if our membership increases it is not because of a general increase in the ranks of the firemen throughout the United States, but is due Firemen in the South Should be either to the lining up of the old firemen Brotherhood Men. Our membership is strong and we are piling up a good treasury, but the question arises, are we willing that things who had either failed to join our Brotherhood before or whose previous membership had lapsed for some cause, or to new men coming in to fill up the gaps caused by the older members dropping out through sickness, disability or death. As a rule if a conductor or an engineer loses his position he might as well seek some other line of work, for jobs of this kind are very very scarce, especially if the man seeking one be past 35 or 40 years of age. Now, there is one immediate hope left for the firemen, and that is to extend our field of operation. In my opinion the best jobs of railroading in the United States are in the Southern States. Where I am working negro firemen on regular runs make anywhere from ninety to over a hundred dollars per month, and that at the rate of forty-five per cent of the engineer's wages. Why not have good Brotherhood men on these jobs. It is a fallacy that white It is regrettable that B. of L. F. and firemen cannot stand the heat as well as E. men do not investigate other parts of the negro. Of course we have rush and the country more than they do. There are slack seasons here the same as in other men to my knowledge in the Northern and parts of the country, but that does not Eastern States who would prefer fighting materially change the proposition, and it the slow board and putting up with almost is strange that the white fireman has anything rather than to get out and look never been more interested in the South. "RED ROCK CUT," IN THE WILLSBORO "ROCKS". CHAMPLAIN around a little, and those same men would be surprised if told there is a better job for them in the South. Of course, work is always better in the South in the winter time, but should one come in June or July he would be convinced that it really is cooler in the extreme South at that time than it is at his home. If you doubt this pick up almost any daily paper and get the weather report. When I came South nearly three years ago I found that the temperature seldom registered above 85 and I have never seen it above 93, although it sometimes goes above that at some inland points. . (Photo by Bro. A. F. Hayes, Lodge 71) A convention held in the extreme South would in my opinion help wonderfully in showing the firemen the advantages of the South and in helping to eliminate the negro firemen. We haven't the railroad mileage in the South that there is in the North, and there are a number of small roads that have not yet been drawn into the large systems, but evolution is bringing about the same conditions as prevail in the North, and now is the time to make a strong fight for the supremacy of white firemen in the South. Another advantage in the South is the smaller motive power. The "Mallet" has never "learned the road" making it necessary to cut off men that down here yet and few places have seen have been holding regular runs for three the advent of the "Mikado." We have years and who had been put back on the some fine machinery here and one seldom extra board. I agree with what Bro. G. goes into a terminal without finding up to date locomotives. They are quite often of the "Pacific" type and in some places the visitor looks in vain for the "freight" engine, they "all look alike." We have a lot of "Pacific" type engines with the "Schmidt" superheater and they are the finest I have ever seen. Another significant change that has come in the South that means a lot to the white firemen, is the better understanding that now exists between the engineers and our members. All unkindly feeling has been wiped out. I have had engineers say to me: "I am awfully glad that the engineers and firemen have consolidated and I now wish we had white firemen." Please note that term "consolidated." That is the light in which a good portion of the engineers viewed our joint working agreement when it first came out. Of course you can find engineers here who still oppose the white firemen and say they prefer the negro, but they are an exceedingly small minority. A large number of firemen and hostlers here would be glad to join our order if they had an opportunity and a little encouragement. Take Florida for instance, with only two lodges. A man surely must have some perseverance who will travel five hundred miles to join a lodge when he has never had anyone to encourage him in the least. Why would it not be a good thing for the Grand Lodge to place a man in the field and let him obligate and take in all the men he could find as well as to investigate conditions and consult with engineers, firemen and railroad officials and find out the sentiment of the men and the attitude of the railway companies toward the white firemen, and point out the advantage to the companies to be derived by using white firemen. I think we would all be surprised at the result. Such a representative should be either a Southern man or one who has spent a great deal of his time in the South. We must have a man who knows the South. MEMBER LODGE 763. Telephone Train Order System- The telephone train order system is now in use on several different roads and I fear it will cause some serious wrecks because of orders being misunderstood when repeated. Our road is turning down business Boynton says in the August issue of the Magazine (page 238), relative to hiring experienced men and very much regret that many roads are not doing it but are hiring students instead. Our I wish the employment of negroes as firemen could be done away with. Members of our Brotherhood should have jobs of firing that are being held by negroes, but they cannot get them until the hiring of negro firemen is discontinued. men can hold these jobs and do the work better than the negroes and I hope our Brotherhood will soon reach an understanding with roads employing negroes that our own men shall have first preference and should there be no Brotherhood men available when firemen are needed, that none but white men-men who can later become Brotherhood men-be employed. MEMBER LODGE 569. Expelled For Mishandling Lodge C. H. Francis, whose picture is shown herewith, was until recently financial secretary and treasurer of Lodge 591, but was expelled for mishandling lodge funds in the sum of $382.50. He is now supposed to be in the State of Washington. It is our belief that he is traveling on receipts of this lodge. All members should be on the lookout for him. He is about six feet three inches tall, has black hair, grey eyes and weighs about 180 pounds. EARL C. GLEASON, President, Correspondence June, 1905, when he declined longer to be a candidate. Under the leadership of Brother Milliman the Brotherhood on the Erie Railroad attained great success. His personality and fair but firm methods of transacting business won for himself and the members whom he represented the greatest measure of respect from the management and brought many concessions to the men. LODGE 320-(E. G. Sackett, Avon, N. branches, and he held this office until Y.) Prompted by the spirit which prevailed in the lodge of which we had long been a part (Lodge 99), the members of Lodge 320 resolved, when they transferred into their new home, that they would strive to make it one to which they could point with pride and feel that it had few equals in the Brotherhood. Our efforts in this direction, we feel, have been most successful and today we haven't a nonHe joined the Brotherhood of LocomoBrotherhood man employed within the tive Engineers in August, 1892, and held jurisdiction of Lodge 320; our financial continuous membership in that organizacondition is most encouraging and our tion up to the time of his death. As a conditions of employment are equal to member of both Brotherhoods he did those prevailing on any other Eastern much to keep harmony between them on railroad. The efficiency of our officers, the Erie Railroad and he was at all together with the co-operation of the times a strong advocate of one organizamembers is what has brought about the present conditions, and among those largely responsible for the success of our lodge and for the high standing of our Brotherhood in general on the Erie Railroad was our late brother, James W. Milliman. Our members and the members of the entire system have suffered a great loss in the death of Brother James W. Milliman, who passed away at his home in Rochester, N. Y., on Friday, August 14th, following an illness of three or four weeks. Brother Milliman was a member of the Brotherhood in its pioneer stage and continued an active member up to the time of his death. tion for enginemen, at least, from a pro- He joined the Brotherhood as a charter member of Lodge 99 in February, 1882, and held continuous membership from then until October, 1910, when he Brother Milliman began service with was transferred with the other Erie the Erie Railroad more than forty-three members to Lodge 320 at Avon, N. Y., in years ago, and at the time of his death which lodge he filled the offices of presi- was in his sixtieth year. The loss of his dent and legislative representative. As timely advice and assistance will be deepa member of Lodge 99 he filled the office ly felt by us all, but the fruits of his of president several terms and was chair- work, his kind personality and the life man of the board of trustees for a num- that he lived should stand as a monuber of years. He served in the capacity ment in our midst to guide us in the of local chairman, representing the mem- future. bers employed on the Rochester division of the Erie Railroad almost continuously since the time the first agreement was LODGE 80 (Member, Jacksonville, made with the management in 1887, until Fla.) I have been a member of Lodge he declined longer to be a candidate in 80, B. of L. F. and E., for eighteen 1905. When the two Erie Joint Protec- months and have been employed by the tive Boards (east and west of Salaman- Atlantic Coast Line for the past two ca) were consolidated in 1901 he was years as hostler. In reading our Magachosen general chairman of the board, zine I have noticed that during the past with jurisdiction over the system from two years several other roads have inNew York to Chicago, including all creased the wages and bettered the work |