San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-09-09
THE RAILROAD MEN.
PUBLIC MEETING HELD IN THE
OPERA HOUSE LAST NIGHT.
Addresses Delivered in Behalf of the Rail-
road BmplOye, Which Were Heard
by Large Attendance.

invitation from Une railroad men
to the public meeting, which sig
nalized the opening of the Union
Meeting of Railroad Employees OF
Texas, now in session in San An
tonic. There were all classes OF
railroad men present, from the
general manager down to the
brakeman, and also a large num-
Der of others.
The meeting was called to order
by Mr.. J. r. Norton, master OF
ceremonies. Mayor Elmendorf
read the address of welcome, which
was responded to by NJ. M. Dol
phin, OF Kansas City, assistant
grand chief of the Order of Rail.
road Telegraphers. P. b. Norris
sey, of Peoria, Ills, grand master
OF the Brotherhood OF Railway
Trainmen, followed, and the next
speaker was Charles Maier, OF
Kansas City, vice-grand master of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive
Firemen. E. E. Clark, grand chief
of the order OF Railway Conductors,
was the next speaker. Father l..
Is. Coffin, the RAILROAD Mans
Friend" was next introduced. He
made an interesting talk in behalf
of the railroad boys, after which
the meeting adjourned.
1t was the railroad mans time
to tell the public of the hardships
endured by that class and how
these hardships can be overcome.
The sentiment Of the meeting was
to encourage organized labor, and
while every speaker favored this,
they advised that a reasonable,
conservative ard cool method be
employed to obtain this end, and
denounced any unlawful means of
gaining lawful point. They con-
sidered the employer as well as the
employe and were not in favor Of
strikes and strife, which, they
pointed out, can be prevented by
reasoning with intelligence.
They said that of the 100000
Inhabitants of theUnited States L.
100000 were railroad employees and
depicted the many dangers a rail-
road man has to face, as well as
the responsibility he is charged
with when serving these 10000
600 people. They referred to the
confidence the public has in riding
on trains moving at a rate OF 20
miles an hour, and that when
ever parents send their SON on
a journey to either the east
or west coast, they know that
he will safely reach his destina.
ton; they know that the train on
which their son rides is in the
hands OF competent, sober and re-
liable men. This, the speakers
held, was due to organization.
They told Of the progress made by
the railroad employe in the past
few years, and that he is now re-
garded a worthy citizen, instead of
a tough and drunkard, as in former
years, which, they said, has been
brought on by organizing them
selves.
The railroaders convention got
down to active business this morn.
ing by holding a secret session in
the knights of Pythias hall, in the
Reuter- building, and the following
officers were elected: Bert
Shangle, B. Of R. T., San Antonio,
permanent chairman; d. o. Free.
man, OF Fort Worth, state secre-
tary of o. R. t., permanent secre-
tary, and J. Z. Sutton, secretary
OF the legislative board Of the
B. OF l.. E., as assistant secretary
| d. o. Freeman was appointed
by the chairman on the press com.
mittee. The chair also appointed
one member of each organization
as a committee on resolutions, as
follows:
Il. P. O'Rourke, B. OF l.. E,
Smithville, S. s. Overhiser, B. Of
r. T., OF Ennis; j. l.. Burd, o. r
c., of Palestine: E. j. Lowe, B. o.
IL. F., San Antonio; w. w. helms
10. r. T. Georgetown. n. E. Stew
enson, B. OF l.. F., San Antonio
was appointed ergcant-at-arms.
| Father Coffin addressed the meet
ing this morning, his subject be
ing on a home for the railroad
men, and was followed by J. l.
Norton, Of the B. Of l.. F., with ;
talk on legislative matters, ate
which the meeting adjourned un
til 2 o'clock this afternoon.
Hon. Perry j. Lewis and Hon
John A. O'Connor will address tn
meeting this afternoon on legis
lative matters and other leadin
topics Of the day.
i CONVENTION NOTES.
. The general committee on al