The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-03
GRAND CHIEF ARTHUR.
Facts About the Man Who Extricated the
Engineera from an Unnleasant Dilemma.

Facts About the Man Who Extricated the
Engineers from an Unpleasant Dilemma.
Chicago News.
Twelve years ago the grand chief of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers resigned His
order was in just such condition as Mr.. Pow
derby, in his late address, said that the Knights
of Labor are now in. There were too many
strikes, and it was not possible for the chief
engineer to control the membership The great
Panhandle trouble was on then, and every State,
almost. had an engineers strike. 1t was during
this crisis that 2. NJ Arthur, the present grand
chief took the helm. He was radically conserv-
alive He held that men should work until they
found their differences could not be settled by
arbitration, rather than to strike until they were
adjusted.
BY little diplomacy he fixed up the Pan
handle trouble, and then made tour OF the
country. Wherever he met the officers of the
road the men were justified and work was re-
sumed In several instances he found the men
had violated the principles of the organization
by striking without exhausting all resources.
In such cases the men were forced to apologize
to the company and go to work, or suffer the rev.
ocation of their charter Mr. Arthur went all
the way to Name to defend an engineer who had
been arrested for interfering with the mails by
refusing to take out his engine. Although the
man was liable, Mr. Arthur paid his fine and the
expenses of the trial, amounting to $4,000
Then he prosecuted to the bitter end defaulter
who had run away with funds belonging to the
insurance department of the Brotherhood. All
this was a revelation to the order. which had be-
fore believed that the grand chief was simply
the boss striker. He was reelected and but few
strikes followed There never has been strike
on any road by the engineers under Mr.. Arthur
after the company consented to an interview
with him. He will always make concessions.
The doctrine which he has taught the order is
come, let US reason together"
The order was in very good shape when the
trouble arose. In 1876 on the Grand Trunk road.
Mr.. Arthur went with his committee of thirteen
to Montreal, but his request for conference was
Spurned with offensive words. He called his
committee together and counseied them that
during the strike which he was about to order no
violence should be done to any one nor to prop
erty. No engine was to be kled" nor derailed
Every engineer who was put up by the company
was to be taken down by the men by their con-
tracing to pay him regular wages for doing
nothing. The men struck, and for three days
not wheel was turned on the road Then the
company sent for Mr.. Arthur and his committee,
and treated them like kings. conceding every
thing. For eight years the Brotherhood has not
had strike.
Mr.. Arthur ran an engine from Albany to
Schenectady. on the New York Central for
twenty years. His engine the William FL.
Vanderbilt" the crack engine of the road. It was
then that he and sixteen other engineers were
discharged for daring to ask for passes for their
families. They had no organization them but a
few years later they concluded to ask for enough
more wages per day to pay fare for their wives.
The same man who discharged them was
glad TO grant the increase. Mr.. Arthur
is very proud of his order, which is very
exclusive and wealthy He does not believe in
general orders-the banding together of en-
gineers and shoemakers-but believes every
branch Of skilled labor should look out for
itself. He says America is proud of her railroad
engineers. The Brotherhood discharges for
drunkenness and other offenses, and he says the
traveller goes to bed in his sleeping car In the
darkest and stormest night that ever blew with
just much confidence in his safety he
would at the finest hotel. This assurance, he
believes, is largely due to the work of the
Brotherhood. Mr. Arthur's greatest work now
is in editing his magazine for engineers. It's
circulation is worldwide reaching 20 900 copies.
Mr.. Arthurs interview in the Daily News a few
days ago, advising Mr.. Powderly to order his
men in the Southwest to go to work, was APP
proved editorially by all the leading papers Of
the country.
Personally the grand chief is sociable genial
fellow. He is fifty years OF age, with a round,
full face, covered with closely cropped gray
beard. He is a pleasing talker and gives dates
and figures like an historian.