The Portland daily press., 1892-08-08
RAILROAD MEN CELEBRATE
A Grand Good Time at Long Island
Yesterday.

Over One Thousand Employees Enjoy an
Outing-speeches by WelI-known La
Dor Men-Good Music by the Knight
vile Band.
The members of the Steam Railroad
Mems Protective Union enjoyed their an
nual outing yesterday, Sunday being the
only day when they can be spared from
duty to go as body.
The Maine Central, Portland & Roch-
ester and Boston & Maine, gave their
employees special trains without charge
and the Grand Trunk free transporta-
ton. The Maine Central train was II
closely filed cars. A portion OF this
body of the excursionists awaited them
selves of General Manager fuckers in
vitation and went to the White Noun
tains. The balance went on to CONNER
cial street and joined their brethren in
the recreation at Long Island. The Bos-
ton & Maine train consisted of u cars
and the party numbered upwards of 500.
Their train proceeded direct to head of
Custom House wharf and embarked on
the steamer that was in readiness for
them. The Portland 6 Rochester party
numbered about 200 and there was a
small delegation from the Grand
Trunk.
Manager Cooling had the steamers
promptly loaded to their governmental
capacity. The Forest Queen took over
500 and the Emita the same number. The
Cadet and Mary W. Libby took on board
the balance, and 1900 people were land
ed at Mariners pier in a very short
time, about 1000 of whom were railroad
men.
The Portland branch of the order had
secured the services of the Knightville,
Cape Elizabeth band, % pieces, G. e.
Howes, leader and director, and they
discoursed very pleasing music.
The weather was breezy and beautiful
"a perfect day-and the excursionists
enjoyed it very much. Mr.. Dimmick
DTOFlu6u d C1dlIl UdhO ulliuOl LII OiAS PtV
Wilton at Mariners landing and many
strolled over to the Granite Springs Ho-
tel where there was another clam bake
dinner with all the good things in the
way of sweet corn, eggs, etc., in great
abundance.
After dinner the band gave a concert
from the balcony Of the Dimmock pavil-
lion, and later on meeting was held in
the spacious dining hall.
The meeting was called to order by
Mr.. R. A. Williams of Portland, who in
troduced Past Grand Secretary Burns of
Boston, Mr.. Burns urged the members
of the Union to spare no effort to secure
the membership of every man entitled to
it or to influence him to join
some other union. He also urged that
no effort shall be spared until there is
enacted in Maine a law such as they have
in Massachusetts,, known as the En-
ployers' Liability act He said the law
as it stood in Maine today was disgrace
the old common law-and instanced a
case decided by the Supreme Court of
Maine, where man was crippled for
life by telegraph operator giving Linn
the wrong orders, and the court decided
that he could not recover because the
error was made by fellow employee. In
Massachusetts, that man could have re-
covered $4,000, and if he had met death
his family $4,000. Mr.. Burns wanted
every railroad man to work until a law
was enacted in Maine similar to that in
Massachusetts.
He urged the necessity for organization
and said the workingmen could get moth
ing without it. Organization, he de-
clared, had reduced the hours of labor in
Massachusetts, from IA or Is hours day
to 10 hours a day at better wages. He
declared that the press was in the power
of the monopolists. This revelation was
received with smile of incredulity by
the audience, for they knew better.
Mr.. Geo. E. Mcneil of Boston was next
introduced as man who had been labor
ing in the workingmans cause for 40
years. Mr.. Mcneil was not prepared to
90 so far as Mr.. Burns, and say the press
was in the hands of the monopolists,
Whatever the papers might say ed
itorially, they sent their reporters, who
gave, as rule, fair and impartial reports
of what was said in behalf of labor, and
that was all they wanted, an open hear
ing by the public. He said that monopo-
lists were to be found in both the great
political parties. He would not counsel
an independent party but would rather
defeat any man nominated in either party
who was not true friend to the cause of
labor. Mr.. Mcneil reviewed the events
connected with the Homestead affair.
He was very severe on Carnegie and
Frick. He charged that these million
aires imported steel into this country to
break the price. that they might lower
the wages of their workmen. He
charged that the action of Prick was an
invitation to bloodshed; that the bring
49,, &c +1,o on of trno.