The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-16
He Came from New. York to Coates
VILE, Ind, to Attend the En-
neral of His Father.
GREAT GROWTH OF HIS ORDER
1T NOW HAS MEMBERSHIP OF
THIRTY-SEvEN THOUSAND.
Mr.. Picrson Formerly Lived in In
dsanapolis-His Opinion of the
Coroner's Verdict.

7. NJ Pierson. senior vice president Of the
Order of Railway Telegraphers, who makes
his headquarters in New York city, is in
the city FOR a few days on his way from
Coatesville. Ind, where he attended the
funeral of his father. to New York. AL
though Mr.. Pierson travels great deal in
the interest of his organization, he does
not often get West, as his district is en-
tirely in the Eastern States. The head
quarters of the Order IF Railway Telegra-
pliers is in ST. Louis, but the three vice
presidents are assigned to districts and
make their homes in fheir respective dis
tricts. One is located IN the West. one in
the East and one in Canada.
Mr.. Pierson Is we'll known in Indianap-
oils. as he makes this city his home when
in the State. He formerly lived here and
for seven years chief telegrapher at
the Union Station. He has many friends
among the railroad officials and employees.
Mr.. Pierson is. the oldest official of the or
der. of which he is now senior vice presi-
dent, having been connected with 1t for
more than ten years. He has been ma
terially instrumental in bringing the Order
of Railway Telegraphers to its present high
standard and it's secure position among
the railroad officials HI. B. Perham, OF
st. Louis, is president of the order.
RAILWAY TELEGRAPHERS.
In speaking of the order with which he
is identified. Mr.. Pierson said: 1.-THE Order
of Railway Telegraphers was organized in
1856, when handful of telegraphers got
together in Laporte City, Ia, and formed
themselves into a compact body. AT first
the order was strenuously opposed by rail
road officials. but in time when the mem
bership spread throughout the States and
the objects became clear the organization
secured the good will of the officials and
some of them even asked that their mer
join 1t. However. our growth was SLOW
up until few years ago, and we wanted II
| so, for We thought steady growth wa:
| a good thing and We believe that 1t was
We sought to merit the good will of oul
| employers, which We did after few years
From the fifteen or twenty members witt
p membership of over $1,000 With one Oh
| two exceptions the order stands secure
| in the will of railway officials of all road:
ir America The greatest growth OF Tn
years. during. WHICH time our membership
was increased by 10000.
| PROFESSION ELEVATED.
"Our objects are mainly to elevate the
standard of the profession and to that
end we have been very successful-not only
| in elevating the members morally and
| financially, but to great extent, mentally
| believe that organization is a matter OF
| education. The mistakes so often lie in the
| ignorance of leaders and their hasty ano
| cratic action. Our methods however, are
never hasty and the employers know thai
| we will never declare strike until after
| conferences and arbitration fail. 1t is due
| very much to the hasty action of incapable
| leaders that organized labor in general re-
| ceives so much criticism from the public
| and the employers. There is great deal Of
difference between the five railroad organi
| cations and other unions. We are all wei
established and our relations with the EN-
| have no walking delegates and all our bust
| ness is transacted by officers Of the dis
| tricts. think there are only two roads thai
J.. M. & 1. and the bandalia. This is or
| account of the enmty of number of the
| lower officials, who think it is polite to op
pose us. The order IS on the best terms
| We have 5000 members on the Pennsyl
| vania east of PittsbIrg. We have beer
| free of strikes for many years and OF lat
| have practically no dlthculty with the ON
| Gals Of the roads.
lone of the nice things about the order i.
the cheap insurance II gives the members
| members of the unioni are young men thei
| lives can be insured ut very cheap rate
They can carry sl.0oo policy at a rate o.
| 60 cents a month. This premium goes int
| an insurance fund of, it's own so that tn,
| resources are growing monthly.
THE LODGE SYSTEM.
Another thing that is unique about ou
organization is our ledge system. Only IL
| the very large cities where there are
large number of telegcaphers can we main
| tain lodges that meet regularly Outside thu
| cities we have a division system, by which
all the telegraphers On one division of TIL
road meet annually end transact their af
fairs. A special meeting can be called
however, by the secretary of that division.
Mr. Pierson has had much experience a
a train dispatcher when asked what h
| Thought of the coroner'S verdict in tn
| wreck of the Purdue special he said that /
the facts are as stated in the testimon.
he did not think the coroner had missed tn
| mark However, he said that although tn
fault was found to lie in the Office of tn
| chief dispatcher, 1t might be that the mis-
| take was made by one of the trick dis
Watchers, who work under the chief dis
hatcher That, Mr.. Pierson said, remain
for the officials of the road to investigat
within themselves. In any event, said MI
Pferson, it was the duty of the chief dis
| hatcher to notify the yardmaster in tn
| city of the time that the specials woul
/ arrive.