The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-09-14
CRlPPLES TO MEET.
5000 of Them Will Hold q
Convention in st. Louis.

st. Louis, Sept. 14.-St. Louis will wit
ness a unique gathering when the
American Brotherhood of Cripples
meets here on September 80.
Preparations are being made for the
entertainment of 5000 delegates. The
convention will be in session a week.
The American Brotherhood of Grip
pies owes it's origin to the efforts of
st. Louisan. The idea was conceived
and worked out by VIM. R. Trower,
crossing Waterman for the Iron Noun
tain railway In his little Shanty at
Stein street he devised means by which
cripples all over the country may be
of assistance to each other in their up
hill struggle for existence.
Mr.. Trower knows the need of Grip
pies from experience. He himself is
cripple. On August 25, 1886. he caught
his foot in "a frog in the Iron Mountain
yards and three car loads of steel ran
over it. He underwent a second ampu-
tation in 1890.
Frower has filed every position in the
transportation department of the rail-
road from section hand to passenger
conductor, yet on account of his Grip
pied condition he is now able to earn
Only $40 a month.
He is an intelligent, warm hearted
man, and talks feehngly of the condi-
ton of cripples. He said today:
''I figured it all out sitting right here
in my little shanty. l thought of the
thousands of poor fellows like myself
who are suffering the effects of an ac-
cident. 1t struck me the cripple was
not getting a fair show, and that if an
opportunity were afforded him, he
could change conditions so that he
| would be greatly benefited.
Il believed that in the matter of ar
tificial limbs alone there much
| room for improvement, and that if the
cripples, the surgeons and the limb
makers could be got together in confer
! ence an Improvement would result.
inf m a
cornice manufacturer, in my plan. and
he is assisting US financially. We eff
fected a temporary organization with
myself as president, A. G. c. Sick, sec
| rotary, and VIM. r. Mellis assistant
secretary. We sent out circulars to all
parts of the country and have received
a number of fattering letters, among
them one from President Mckinley,
through his secretary.
Surgeons everywhere are deeply in
terested. DR.. w. 3. Outten of the Mis-
souri, Pacific hospital tells me there will
be 500 American surgeons at the con-
ventiOn and at least 20 others from Eu-
rope.
zone great object is to make the pub
lie think; to make it realize that the
cripples as class are not recognized.
We want to bring home to people what
the cripple suffers, and make them re-
aIize that they are liable to be re-
duced to the same condition. we do
not want charity, but consideration.
"Then, too, we want to educate the
cripples. Most men when they are hurt
do not know what to do to relieve them
selves. Under the present system
man goes to- a doctor, who recommends
him to some arm or leg maker, mainly
because the maker pays the doctor a
commission of so or go per cent if he
makes sale. 1t is wrong for the doc
tor to take this commission. 1t should
go to- the cripple. That is one of the
things that makes an artificial limb cost
500. It could be sold much cheaper,
but for the doctors commission. We
hope to do something to lower the
prices of cripples' appliances.
"Our other object will be to bring
about a better understanding between
surgeons and limb makers, as to the
scientific requirements of such appi-
ances. There will be lectures daily by
surgeons, manufacturers and delegates.
If a cripple may be said to be happy
now am happy, for believe am do
ing something for present and future
unfortunates.'
President Trower is SO years old. He
lives with his wife and three pretty
children at 217 Kraus street.