Los Angeles herald., 1890-05-26
EASTERN ECHOES.
Important Meeting of Rail
way Employees.
A Federation of the Different
Orders Assured.
Sharp Earthquake Shocks in the
Mohawk Valley.
A Confagration and Fatal Dynamite Ex-
plosion Caused by Stroke of
Lightning.
Associated Press Dispatches.

INDIANAPOLIS, May 25. One of the
most notable meetings of railway en-
ployees ever held in this city, convened
this afternoon. For some time past the
question of federating the various or
ders of the railway service has been agi-
tated, and today's meeting looked to the
accomplishment of that object Fully
500 delegates were present from Illinois,
Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan, repre-
senting the following orders: Brother
hood OF Locomotive Engineers, Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen, Brother
hood of Railway Conductors, Switch
mems Mutual Aid Association, and
Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen..
The meeting was called to or
der by William Hugo, OF the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers. Colonel j. B. Maynard, of
this city, addressed the meeting. He
said much had already been done by the
orders, acting separately, but what did
one organization amount to in conflict
with the corporations? 1t had been
demonstrated that one organization
could easily be defeated in a contest
with capital, but capital could not
triumph in contest with such feder-
alton as was now proposed.
Past Grand Master Robinson, founder
of the brotherhood of engineers, said the
beneficial results of organized and dis
ciplined action were no longer matters
of speculation; they were demonstrated
truths. SIN the great railroad lines of
this country" said Robinson, sis
seen the most colossal aggrega-
ton Of wealth the world has ever
seen. Though occasionally appearing
as rivals, they are constantly pooling
their interests in matters of rates and
there is every reason to believe that they
also pool their influences and power in
any prolonged conflict with labor. 1t is
against these gigantic forces, with their
well-known tendencies to imperious die
tation and harmful measures, that the
Brotherhood of Railway Employees now
find themselves called to fortifv.
Then Mr.. Robinson said the only right
course lay in a federation that would
stop trouble with employers, because it
would lead to the arbitration of all dis
putes, and strikes would become mat
ter of history. Arbitration had grown
until bill had been introduced in the
senate by tool of the railroads to COM
pei it. The bill was so cunningly
devised that should it become law
it must render nugatory the patient
effort OF many years to better our condi-
ton.
He thought the railroads next trick
would be to try to federate with the
employees.
S. f. Wilkinson, grand master of the
trainmen, was happy to state that the
order of conductors had gone down.
All the railroad men were be-
ginning to understand that they must
unite. Frank Sweeney, president of the
.Switchmen's Mutual Aid Society,
George w. Howard, grand chief of the
Brotherhood of Conductors, and John J .
Hannahan, vice grand master of the
firemen, also urged federation.
Tonight vote was taken resulting in
the unanimous adoption of scheme,
and final adjournment was taken. The
action of the convention is not final, as
it must be ratified by the Brotherhood
of Engineers, at their meeting in the
fall