The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-05-12
LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN.
Yesterday Was Red-Letter Day-Valu-
 b1e Gift to w. A. Pyle


 b1e Gift to W. A. Pyle.
 Yesterday was a red-letter day witt the members of the Brotherhood of Lo- comotive Bremen in the entire New York, New Haven and Hartford sys- tenn. This was by reason of the fact that three of the grand lodge officers were at work initiating candidates and that candidates were also initiated in a number of other cities by some of the other lights of the brotherhood. In all fully 150 candidates were received and | obligated 90 that it is now estimated that the strength of the firemen in the 1 brotherhood is near the 100 per cent mark, so far as the Consolidated road 1 is concerned Up 10 yesterday about 95 per cent of the active firemen were members of the brotherhood, but with the limitations of yesterday it is esti- mated that nearly all of this remaining five per cent. is included.
 Meetings were held in Boston, Provi- dence, Danbury, Worcester Taunton, Hartford and New Haven, and in each of these cities candidates were initiat- ed The organization is now in splen- did condition, both financially and nu- merically, and it promises to be pros porous.
 The meeting in this city was that of Elm City lodge No. 2S4. If was held in the Odd Fellows building on Crown street. The principal business was the initiation of ten candidates. The de- grees were conferred by the master, A. P. Kelly, There were pres nt, besides large number of the regular members, visitors from Hartford New York city, Westfield and Bridgeport.
 At the conclusion of the business meeting all adjourned to the banquet room, where one of the finest banquets of the season was served, and it was in honor of William A. Pyle. who has been the secretary of the local lodge for the past fourteen years. MT Pyle is now an engineer, yet he retains his mem bership and interest in the Locomotive Bremen and he is one of the most pop ular men in the employ of the Consoli- dated. Yesterday was MT, Pyle's fifty second anniversary of his birth and although he had quite forgotten the fact he was very agreeably reminded of it by the presentation of an immense bouquet of roses with ten crisp five-dol- lar bills and one two-dollar bill attach ed-one dollar for each year of his age The speech of presentation was made by Master Kelly and he made some very laudatory remarks concerning the recipient, He spoke of his long connec- tion with the brotherhood and especial ly with Elm City lodge, and of his faithful service as member and as secretary and of how they were appre- ciated. MT. Pyle has b7e1 ind fatigable in his efforts in behalf of the brother hood and is always ready to assist in anything making for it's welfare4 When the remembrance was presented he was so overcome with surprise tIrot if was several minutes before he could reply, l but he did reply and thanked the mem | bers of the order for the favor. which l he appreciated as he said, not by req son of it's intrinsic value, but from the | spirit which prompted it. He assured | all that he had the interests of the | brotherhood firmly at heart, and that | he would continue to work for it's ad- in the future, as he had in the past and that he was sure it would become an even greater power than it is at present.
 Speeches were made by all of the vis- tors and by a number of the local members.
 A new lodge has recently been insti- tuted in New London. It is known as