The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-21
Hard.hips of the Strike Bosses.

Chicago TribuAe.
Talk about the hardships and privations Of
the engneer-they ch1ld's play compared
with those of the officials of the Brotherhood
The engineer at $3.50 TO $175 per month can
pay his own expenses. own his little home, keep
a horse aud family carriage. and amass mod
est competency. but the struggles of Grand
Chief Arthur, for instance, with the gaunt wolf
at the door, a salary of So 900 year and all
EXPENSES paid, are something sad to contem-
plate. In time of peace, possibly, the engineer
does most of the work: but in time of strike he
has nothing to do but to sit around and discuss
the situation while he heat and burden of the
day fall upon the officers of the Brotherhood.
The fact that the officers have not broken down
from the effects of their hardships during the
last month speaks volumes for their endurance;
they are, indeed, the stuff from which heroes are
made
Since Feb. % the headquarters of the brother
hood have been in Chicago. In a top-story room
in a cheap hotel2 Not at all; the contrary.
three rooms on the parlor floor of the Grand Pa
cifc, which the travelling public seems to think
is pretty fair sort of hotel. have been at the
disposal of the officers. Grand Chief Arthur
has occupied Room 80, Grand Chief Sargent and
Grand Treasurer Debs Room AZ and Grand
Chairman Hoge Room "a. These rooms are not
absolutely the best IN the hotel for two reasons
only: They front on the court instead of upon
the street and are trit1e less luxuriantly fur
nlshed than the front rooms. The front
are what are called family rooms" and the
court rooms what the hgh-toned single
man or traveller without his family gets when
ne asks for the best the house has.
Mr.. Sargent's room is about 20x20 feet In size
and carpeted with brussels There are two
large windows hung with lace curtains. and filed
with Venetian blinds. The bed is veritable
couch of luxury the dr-ssinR-case is marble
topped and mirrored with French plate. A
marble mantle and a cheerful CRATE fire add
air of coziness to the The standing
wash-basn handicapped, as is also the
ter-table. The arm chairs. and the com modious
lounge upholstered velvet The ward
robe is black walnut. The walls are tinted and
the ceiling handsomely frescoed. A handsome
chandelier with extension drop-light hangs
the center table. To summon a servant
1T is only necessary to touch a button in the
wall
Chief Arthur's room is just ike No. A. ex-
cept that it is little nicer all around and has
a closet and q bath room. These rooms, with
board. have cost $50 day, which for twenty
five days amounts to the neat little of $500.
In additlon the officers. when occasion re
ouired, have used Room At and Club room A.
The expenses at the Grand Pacific have not by
any means been all which the brotherhood will
be called upon to pay A number of rooms
tel and at the National The grievance
mittees have had their meetings at the former
and al the latter is the headquarters for the
officers who have had charge of the hiring ana
returning to their homes of such as
they could get away from the 20 officials AS
all the expenses of the grievance com mttees
as well as the new men are borne by the Broth
erhood the account must be exceedingly heavy,
but it's amount only be guessed at, and the
same is true of the immense bills which have
MP at the telegraph Office
the officers quite conveniently located for
transacting their business and incidentally en-
joying life. Being on the parlor floor it is but
step 10 the diuine-room, and the way lies over
deep. soft carpets. under frescoed ceilings sup
ported by lofty pillars and bright with countless
jets. The engineer thinking himself
lucky nowadays if he and his wife and children
get plenty to eat, TO say nothing of the quality.
The hard-worklng officer needs both quantity
and quality TO enable his system to stand the
strain of battle.
After dinner the poor. ovsrworked officer can
step into the lobby. bnyIalgood cigar get shaw.
or bath or new pair of kid gloves. or a head
light shine on his shoes, send a telegram
tying up road and throwing nu. of en-
Payment several hundred thousand mon.
Then. with his telegram sent and his SHOES
shined. and his face smooth. and his stomach
full, he drop into easy chair in front Of
the grand FIRE place in the hall just on his room
and have coy chat with his colleagues about
the strike and grow eloquent over the wrongs
and hArdshlps of the noorly paid engineer.