The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-12-13

This week we present to our readers the
likeness of Mr.. HUGH MCLAUGHLIN, ex-
/ President of the United Sons Of Vulcan,
a man whose life so far has not been with
out an object. We propose therefore
briefly noticing a portion Of his history.
/ Mr. MCLAUGHLIN was born on October %,
1881, near st. Johnston, a pleasant little vii
lage on the banks Of the river F'oyle, coun-
/ ty Donegal, Ireland. He is the oldest Of
seven children, five boys and two girls.
His father, Patrick Mclaughlin, was a
road contractor and fax dresser, and was
in what might be termed comfortable cir
cumstances.. HUGH, being the oldest boy
and somewhat Of precocious disposition,
/ his father entertained the idea Of making
/ him printer, and when he supposed the
/ son HUGH had received a sufficient educa-
/ ton, he commenced negotiations with the
proprietors Of the Standard, newspaper
published in Londonderry, with a view to
putting him at the business. HUGH who had
now turned his fourteenth year, had left
school and was assisting his father,
and for several months acted AS time
keeper on the Enniskellen and London
derry Railroad During this time
company Of sappers and miners engaged
in the ordinance survey, were stationed in
the neighborhood The boy HUGH al
ways observed the movements Of the sap
pers very closely, 50 much 80 that he be-
came infatuated, and while his parents
we're making arrangements with the pro
prietors Of the SoHddrd, he was as busy
arranging matters with Corporal Smith, Of
the Sappers and Miners When an open
ing in the office referred to occurred, HUGH
was sent for, bu, on the same day he had
engaged with the Corporal to 60 with the
Surveyors, and 50 informed his pa
rents. After consulting upon the mat
ter they waived their objections and
HUGH was allowed to fulfill his engage
ment. In the duties which pertained to
/ his part of the business he became quite
an expert, and won from his superior ON
GERS the highest concentrations an1 praise.
He became very. proficient with the chain
and level, and displayed a remark able
knowledge in the business for boy his
age. AS an illustration, when dire, ing
the chain it was never necessary for him
to turn from the main line to give the dis
tances Of points Of interest-that he could
do invariably and correctly with the eye.
He could tell, when standing on the edge
of glen or ravine, within few inches,
whether the level would strike at the bot
tom, or at the opposite side. On one oc-
casion, when the party was surveying, he
was Of the opinion that the line would ter
inmate on the edge Of a lake. He was sur
prised when ordered to draw triangle
back on the main line, and find the dis
tance across the lake. He did as directed,
and that same night in bed solved the prob
\ lem. He showed so much proficiency that
he was recommended by the head surveyor
to be placed under special instructions.
/ He was now on the line Of promotion. The
company was ordered to the mountains,
and for some cause young MCLAUGHLIN
was discharged, but for what reason he
never learned. For long time he attrib-
uted it to his mother. He suspected that
she did not like him to be away from home,
for he was constantly receiving letters
from her, begging him return home, and
when he was discharged, he thought she
had written to headquarters and procured
it but in after life she denied having done
so. 1t is more probable that he was dis
charged on account of his youth for he
was not yet sixteen years of age. This,
however, was his first and last discharge.
On returning home he found things con
siderably changed. The famine of lS46
and 1847 created a complete revolution in
the condition Of many who had previously
been considered in easy circumstances.
Young McLAUGHLIS found he had to work
at anything he could get to do. For the
next two years he worked on farm, and
then as a laborer on a railrod He next
took trip to Scotland, but not doing any
better, he returned home in two months,
and got situation as watchman on the Lon
donderry and Enniskillen Railroad, and
was stationed between Newton Steward
and Omagh, coun.y Tyrone. He remained
in this position until May, 1853, when he
emigrated to the United States
He arrived in New ork when KnowNoth-
ism was in the ascendency. As foreigner
he found it very difficult to get any kind
Of situation. He however, attained
employment on the Camden & Atlantic
Railroad in New Jersey, and worked there
until he was laid up with bilious fever
When he recovered, he followed farming,
gardening and team-driving for six years.
In the meantime he sent for a a younger
brother. IN 1856, he married Mss Mary
Regan, who bad immigrated to this coun
try with her parents from the county Wa
terford, in 1852, and was then residing il
Beverly, New Jersey. In 1856, he moved
to Trenton, New Jersey, and there learnsC