The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-08-19
The BrotherhOod Of l. oc omosive Enuin.

The brotherhood Of Locomotive Ensi.-
t Il alh GERS, t-''
1t was an American locomotive which took
the prize the other day at Paris. The pecu-
liarity of this locomotive which attracted the
most marked attention of the committee, wa.
the shelter provided for the engineer. The
European members of the committee had
never before considered, apparently, that the
engineer was a man, capable of being wet by
rain, annoyed by dust, or chilled bycold. The
habit of regarding the engineer as part of
the engine, has led to some singular results in
England. The southern half of London was
paralyzed for twenty-four hours last winter,
by the refusal of the engineers to run their
trains until the managers of the roads acced-
ed to demands which they considered just.
In self defence the engine drivers and stokers
OF Great Britain have organized Union,
with journal representing its interest and
fifty called the Train, and they found them
selves last winter in position to dictate
terms. 1t is pretty evident that these men
are not merely part of the rolling stock Of
the roads. '-
In this country we have recognized their
humanity sufficiently at least to provide shell
ter for them while ON duty. We forget them
nevertheless, too often. Sitting snug and
warm, in comfortable carriages on bleak
nights, we do not think of the man ON the
locomotive in whose hands are the lives of
all on the train. The responsibility of the
position is very great; we are ready enough
to acknowledge that, in a general way, If
anybody takes the trouble to say so; but we
do not often think of the man who stands
looki1g out upon the track, watching the sig
nails, and regulating the speed of the train.
Does he understand his business? What a
fearful thing il would be to have an engine,
with loaded train, run awayl Does he
know precisely how to control the powerful
machine under hima Does he know the con-
dition of the track-where it is safe to put
ON the whole force of the engine, and where
1t is necessary to run slowly and carefully /?
Does he know all the signals at the various
stations? Is he careful and vigilantP Will
he see and observe them? Is he sober?
These are not altogether pleasant questions
for passengers by the night express train. We
have too many railway accidents in this coun-
try Our railroads are not built so thorough
ly as they should be. Switchmen are some
times careless. Engineers themselves are
sometimes unskilful and sometimes men of
bad habits. What an excellent thing it would
be if there some test by which the men who
really know their business and soberly attend
to it, could be distinguished from the igno-
rant and careless. If such test were known
it would be for the advantage OF the compa-
nies and of the public to have it strictly ap-
piled. ana
Well, there is such test. There is in this
country an association called the Brotherhood
of Locomotive Engineers, which unlike the
British Union, aims not at raising the wages
but at improving the character of its men,
bers. This Brotherhood has not attracted
much attention yet, but is becoming more
and more favorably known to persons inter-
ested in railway management and has the
strongest possible claims upon the good will of
the public. 1t was founded on the 18th Au-
gust, 1853, in Detroit. At the last meeting of
the Grand International Division, in Boston.
last November, eighty-four divisions we've re-
ported. The association has branches In ey-
cry State in the Union, except North and
South Carolina and Florida, and in various
parts of the Dominion. The Grand
Chief Engineer is the Hon. Charles
Wilson, now or lately mayor of Rochester,
and Monthly journal Is published in Roch-
ester, under his immediate supervision, de
voted to the interests of the locomotive de-
partment of railroads" An interesting de-
partment of the Journal is composed OF COM
munications from the subordinate divisions.
The qualifications for membership OF the or