The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1894-07-13
Sketch OF Eugene Debs.


The Evening Telegram has the following
sketch of the life o. Eugene Dehs, the
president OF the American Rriiway Union |
which is now carrying OF such an extensive
strike:
Thousands OF people are daily inquiring |
WHO Is Eugene V Debs. who has lately sprung |
into sucl' great prominence as president OF
the American Railway Union. Dsbs is
locomotive fireman and one Of The ablest |
and most ropular Of men. He is net quite
40 years Of age. laving been born November
5, 1855, in lerre Ilau,e, Ind, which city
Is sill his home lis father Is a well To do
groceryman there
Young Debs attended the public schools
for time, aad took course at business
college, prosecuting his studies mostly at
night and xnrking during the day assisting
his father, who was then, as now, in the
grocery business.
In May, 1879. he commenced work In
the Vands,ia paint shop in Tene Hsu.e,
where he contiuued about 10 months, until
when only 10 years Of age. he was given 4
position as fireman on n Vandalia engin4,
running between indianapolis and Terre
Haute. lie held this position little over
three wears. when be lei, it to accept po-
sition in q Wholesale house, In which be re-
NAMED until 1879. when lie was elected
city clerk vi Tsrre Hauie On the democratic
tieket,iunning lIoo votes ahead Of his ticket.
He was re elected at the end OF his FIRST
term bya majority Of Itos. bsing enc Of
only two democrats elected in the city.
P,ior to his e'edl as eiy cle,k OF Terre
Haa,e. he had joined Vioga loace, No l6
Brotherhood Of Locomotive FTemsn a,
Terre hau.e, and rspressnied hi> ledge a,
the rational convention of the motherhood
al indianapolis in 1877. Again Ia 1873 he
was delegate to and assistant secretary Of
the convention Of locomotive 6semsn held
at Buffalo. This convention elected him
associate editor o, the Locomotive Firem.n's S
Magazine. tie official organ of'hr order.
10 1850, when oaIy IS years of age. he
xassppoiaied grand secretary ard treasurer
Of The Bfolherhood Of Locom o;iye Fireman
which position he cid eoniinuou,ly for ~
years. when M retired Il vas said be-ause
he VIA dissatisfied Nilh The nanegem.n nj OF
the broiherhood's aGfsifs by some Il the
other officers. At The iine Of Deb's appoint
meat IS granI secretary asa tressurer ofthe
/, osdsr, I: VAS Nrhout dsllar and $4,000 in
debt. 1hese were 90 lodges ~ith total
membsr.hIp oi'sss 'han 2ooo. a.anY Of ihem
BADLY diSo'ganized aud Ihtir members dis
h.&riensd. Tie oFdss from ,hat time on
g'eW raPi5iy. TIE debt ~as soon paid c:i.
the poorly oFgAnixed lodges wsre pat on
their Zee, again. and whoa he retired from
,hsro,i;ioH there acre nearly 500 spleudidly y
organized lo5ges With 5o,coo members.
Il signiaeaa. fact ,ha, white the
Brosherhood Of Locomotive Fireman q,
once commence and afterwards coa;isued
+ TO prosper. chen Dstss ,O9k hold Of il. j,
Immediately 60: ou "a. djSa g,sde ~hea
ne lett I, ard las rcnairsi there cyer
since.
lie has a side reputation as an orgaui-
Ter Manager Towne. Of the Southern
Pacific. il quoted as follows; ''Debs is the
greatest organizer that have ever heard
Of. Tie fact HAT he is something Ct an
organiAer IS shown by tie magnitude Of
the present strike. which be cheerfaIly
promises 10 make bigger if ii continues u
little longer, ard no one doubts his ability
10 :uls his promises 10 that effect
When tie American Railway Union be-
gan its agh' agains, ihe Grea; Northern
Railway Company al the railway unions
were arrayel against it. The Brother
hood Of Locomotive Engineers. The Order
Of Rail~ay Conductors. the Brotherhood
Of Locomotive Firemen. The Bfo;herhood
Of Railway swisehmcn, all The railroad
Organizations were oPpossd 10 the strike
on the Grea; Northern railroad a tez
monIhs ago.
Tae chiefs Of The various organizations
At railroad men met and conferred with
the heads Of The various railroad csmpan-
| les They rendered the r4ilrcad men their
support, aud told them tha. their employees
/ would nos strike, Orders were iszuei 10
The members Of The orders FAMED MT to 90
/ on. with the American Railway Union
With ali Tire old leaders Of The old organi-
zaiions afrayed against him. EuEeas Debs
won the strike agains' the Great Northern
Railroad Company, and from taat day ID
leaders Of The old organizations have se.
their power wane.
Eugene Deb. stands today he mos, con
spicuoIs Gzure in the labor world In
person Mr.Debs is over six fee in height
well formed and of graceful bearing and
exceedingly pleasant address. lie is un
assuming. yet seems possessed of all ihe
requisites fer great leader Of ms n. as
which be has figured for the past II ears.
He WAS cleo ed member Of The lniiana
Iegis a ure in 1855. The strike lie has
inaugur tied oyershado~s in magnitude
any strike ever known, with great liability
of becoming still larger.
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Il This The Crisis?