Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-10
FREIGHT AND BAGGAGEMEN.
Interesting Facts Concerning Work OF
Railroad Brotherhood.

Robt P. Wetmore of Lancaster, Pa.
first vice-president of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Freight and Engagement
of America. has been spending a day
or two in the city. He has been in
specting local branches of the Brother
hood and delivering addresses, making
his last call in Portland the head
quarters for the order in Maine. He has
been doing no organizing on this trip
and only stopped off here for little
call while on his way through for a
short visit to his old home in Canada.
This particular brotherhood of rail-
road men was organized about two
years ago and is based on the same
principles as the railroad train unions.
It is duly incorporated under the laws
Of Pennsylvania and the headquarters
are in Lancaster Of that state. In the
two years of its existence it has spread
through every state in the Union and
every railroad have been reached. New
members are being taken in at the rate
of from zoo to 300 a month and some 40
men are kept at work in the field all
the time in the United States and
Canada. The brotherhood is perhaps
stronger in the East than in the West.
although it's growth in that section is
strong and rapid.
The order, although among the young
est in the railroad division of unions,
has already met with excellent success
in securing new schedules and better
wages for it's members. Only the men
employed about the stations are taken
in as the gagemen on the trains go
in with the brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen.
in Baltimore there are two local
unions with a membership Of about 600.
A reunion was held there in July and
was attended by 1000 freight and bag
gage men. The Pennsylvania railroad
furnished IL coaches free of charge for
the use Of the men at that time, q
recognition Of the strength of the
Brotherhood that was appreciated.
The Boston & Maine has been well
organized, there being local unions in
Boston. lowell. Lawrence. Fitchburg
and other places. There is a local
union in Portland and this is made the
headquarters for the State, the men on
the Maine Central and smaller roads
belonging to that. 1t is not the present
intention to organize other unions in
this section as with the close connec-
ton between the Boston & Maine and
the Maine Central and the organization
or the former the union at Portland is
considered sufficient
Nearly every branch of the railroad
service now has its own organization
and practically every one is represented
by members here in the city. These
organizations cover the whole country
and Canada. each being governed from
it's own headquarters and by its own
set of officials. Every important road
has its local unions and almost every
employee who is in the service any
length of time belongs to his own par
ticular order. The telegraphers, con-
ductors. engineers, firemen, trainmen.
switchmen, trackmen, car inspectors,
unions of their own.
Thus far there has not been any in
clination to affiliate with unions in
other callings. Mr. Wetmore, in speak
ing of this, said that he was often
asked if the baggagemen would
affiliate With the Federation of Labor
and that he usually replied that they
would when the engineers and other
railroad men did. but that he believed
this would never happen. i
The present tendency seems more to
be the thorough organization of all the
railroad men, each with an order for
his own particular line, and all bound
together as railroad unions. There is
at present a distinct difference between
the railroad union and the trade union.
The organization of the freight and
baggagenlen is in line with that of
other branches and has its own place
among the railroad unions.
Mr.. Wetmore has been in the railroad
service for IS years and has been
travelling for railroad unions for seven.
years. He has been over every state
in the Union and through Canada, with
one exception, and that Is Maine. He
is now on his first trip through this
state and will make but a brief one as
his time proves to be more limited
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