The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-19
HELP IN T|NL o. NED
RAILROAD CONDUCTORS DIsCrss
FEASIBILITY OF ADOPTING
SYSTEM FEDERATION
QUESTION Is IMPORTANT ONE
Proposition to Build Home for Dis
abled Trainmcn Likely to Be
Settled TOmOrrOw-Candi-
dates for Offices

system federation with the Order of
Railway Conductors and the Brotherhood
OF Railway Trainmen?
The above is a question that many
conductors are now asking and one which
is of absorbing interest AS already stat
ed in the G b e. the convention now
IN st. Paul has not been considering
the question of having a joint commit
tee of all the orders appointed to ad-
just grievances, contrary statements
notwithstanding. System federation
should not be mixed up with general fei-
Grafton as it often is If all the orders
adopt system federation this Will give
them an opportunity to adjust grievances
en- any particular railroad system when
they arise. For instance, if there should
lie a strike on the Milwaukee road or
any other road in which only one or
der was interested the other orders
could be called into the trouble, if neccs>
sary, to help Gntangle things. If two
orders should have grievances and the
differences with one of them We're ad-
justed, the order could not fall back in
to line until the ether order was help
Cd out of its troubles.
From this it can be seen that the ques-
ton of system federation is one Of vas:
Importance. At the discussions in the
auditorium the past. week it was urged
that an order might be called into a
strike when it wanted to keep out and
might be kept out when ii wanted to 60
in. Many conductors urged that train
men and firemen will get by far the hest
Of the deal. They claimed that there are
more. trainmen than conductors, that
when they get oIt of jobs it is a COM
paratively easy thing for them to get
new ones. Not so with conductors. it
is more difficult for them to secure new
Jobs, especially if they are getting Old.
The same can be said of engineers. 1t
is the trainmen and firemen, according
to those opposed to system federation,
who want the orders to combine in this
way 1t should be stated here taat the
conductors have decided to adopt system
federation if it can, which means that it
viii do so if the other orders fall into
line The national convention of the
brotherhood of Railway Trainmen was
held in Milwaukee the early part of this
month, and that order then decided 10
favor the system federation. Thus it
viii be seen that everything now de-
ponds on the fremen, engineers and con-
ductors.
WAS WARMLY DEBATED.
1t is generally understood that the
discussions in the auditorium were rath-
cr heated at times. The o b e has
no means of stating this extraordinarily
but it is known beyond doubt that the
question aroused more interest than any,
lhlnS up DeIOTe tue COlN6nUOn MANY
of the conductors in the city do not hes
itato to say that they are bitterly OPP
posed to system federation. After it
was decided to communicate with the
other orders those WHO were opposed u
1t and had neglected to attend the con-
vention meetings We're sorry for it.
The discussion about building a new
home for the disabled railroaders in the
country was continued yesterday, ana
he will 10 n t,N
tomorrow afternoon. The selection of a
convention city for 1903 and the electi III
of officers will also come up the coming
week Grand Chief Conductor Clark
said yesterday that the convention will
last until Wednesday night at least.
There was only one new development in
the convention contest yesterday. Hct
Springs, Ark, has come into the field
There are now quite a number Of can
Cidates for office. 1t is not thought that
anyone will oppose Grand Chief Clark
or Assistant Grand Chief Garretson, but
for the other Offices there is a list Of
asniTants. as follows:
Grand Secretary and Trcasurer-W. ].
Maxwell Cedar Rapids; j. w. Holloway,
New York city; w. e. Miller, Sedalia,
Mo. w M. Shipley, Pittsburg, Pa.
G,,and Senior CCnductor-Charles II.
wilkins Chicago; Howard Leech, Jack
son Mich.
Grand Junior Ccnductor-Andrew ].
Corbitt Nashville, Tenn; Thomas s
McBce, McComb, Miss; F. D. Hartel,
ST. Louis.
Grand Inside sentincl-J. D. condit,
ST. Paul.
Grand Outside sentinel-Frank C.
Smith, Detroit.
There is also a successor tC be elected
to James e. Archer, Houston, Texas, who
is a member Of the board of trustees.
AS yet there is no opposition To him.
There was a meeting of the Ohio delega-
ton in the Cincinnati rooms yesterday
afternoon, but no information was given
out after the meeting. 1t is geperaily
thought that the meeting vas VITA re,
gard to the contest Of Cincinnati for the
next convention
After the home matter had been dis
cusscd in the auditorium considerable
time was devoted to the matter of pro-
Viding for special cases Of partial dis
ability not provided for under the present
rules 'of the insurance fund. The dele
gates seemed to be in favor of leaving
the rules as they arc and providing a
special relief fund for such cases as will
not come within the scope Of the insur-
ance scheme.
SEE NEW SWITCH.
Yesterday morning a large number OF
conductors, representing every large sys-
tom in the country. visited the Union
y
tire Besser-Dunn safety switch recently
put in there. This switch is so con-
structed that a train running against
the points with switch lever loose and
points partly open will keep the main
line and pass over it in safety.
Should the switch become disconnected
from the stand by a broken rod or in
IL any other way while a train is passing
over IL facing the points" and the points
should move under the train so as not to
connect with main lire or siding, the
whole train Will keep the main line ana
pass over safely. At the first trial of
the switch a train was taken over ait
fifteen miles an hour and safely Then It
was taken over at thirty miles an hour
and safely. The conductors say it is "A
fine Invention. Among those present at
tie tests were. w. F. Mcmillan, super
T. tendcnt Union Depot yards; G. E. Pen
nington, assistant; f. H Hoar, train
master Omaha; w. II. Monty conductor.
Omaha; George Besser. inventor; J. A.
Peterson, conductor New York Central;
w Welch Kansas City, Mo-; H. Clay
Iialsh, San Luis Polasi. Mexico; Joe
COutoA, Salt Lake City; Louis Dunn, in
Ventor.
ENTERTAINED BY ELKS.
Last night Ell1s lodge No 80 enter,
taiued the conductors in right royal
fashion There was long programme
and every minute of the evening until
or o'clock there was something doing.
The welcome to tho conductors was de-
liNercd by Exalted Ruler Ike Lederer and
he left no doubt Of the sincerity of the
greeting in behalf of the E.lks.
Inc toast to the departed brothers was