The Washington times., 1908-09-04

Bureau of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor.
AIRS. Sargent and one daughter, Miss
Mable, survive. The funeral arrange
ments have not been mada.
Tribute From Powderly.
"A squarer man never lived than Frank
Sargent, and he was one of the very
few labor leaders who held the conf
dence of both the workmen and the en-
ployers OF labor" said I. V. Powderly,
formerly grand master workman OF the
Knights of Labor, who was Sargent 5
predecessor in office.
HE was also one Of the coolest dhq
most level-headed leaders OF LABOR
ever knew. If the worknen were IN the
wrong, he did not hesitate to tell them
so just as frankly as he was IN the
habit of informing the other SIDE that
they were i'm error. This reputation for
squareness and honest dealing made MN
the idol OF the trainmen Of all occupa-
tons for many years.
Born in Vermont.
Frank p. Sargent was born in East
Orange. VI, on November IS. 1851 Dur
ing his boyhood days ne attended school
in his native village during the winter
months and also received thorough IN
struction IN farm work. under the Ill
recton Of his grandfather, Jacob Saf-
giant. For a few years the boy worked IN
HE Kinney mills, near Montpelier.
He afterWard spent a year at the olu
ersdernv i'm Mortified, and. when sew
euteen years old, went 10 New ramp
shire where he became messenger
an the Manchester mills. ..o,,.,,,
Mr. Sargents health became linpdiISu
and in 1873 he sought the saluDrlOus
climate OF Arizona and there ehllsIeu
IN the United states cavalLy, ne nc TX.
ed to exterminate the remainder OF IlS
Warlike faction of the Apacnes, ana ii
$3.50 was honOrably discharged from the
service RailrOading then attracted LLLlA
and he entered the service OF the SCUM
Nrn Pacific Railway Company at / uC-
son, Arizona, as an engine wiper.
Promoted in Six Months.
Within six months he had earned the
promotion TO locomotive fireman, ana
within one year he was admitted 10
membership in the Brotherhood Of Lo-
connective Firemen (and Enginemen). HIS
initiation took place in an im2roVlsed
lodge-room in Tucson coal bin
Appointed hnancier of the local lodge,
Mr.. Sargent there first displayed that
capacity for executive details, which
afterward enabled him to MI the chair
OF grand master so successfully. IN
sss2. he attended the national convention
men and at its next annual meeting III
Denver Col, he was made vice grand
master and in 1885, at Philadelphia Ea.s
he was elected 10 the Office or graha
Although Mr. Sargent had only five
wears of practical experience as rail-
road man, in that short tine he master
ed the business and also gained the COM
pIete confidence of the thousands or en-
ployes, members Of the organization OF
which ne was the executive head, q
fact that increased the responsibility
resting upon him as we'll as the regard
for hiu IN the mind OF the country at
As the grand master of me Brother
hood OF locomotive Flremen land In
Sinemen) Mr. Sargent saw tempesJuouS
times i'm the railway business of this
country, but through 1t all ne steereu
q course for the organization Wnlch
brought IL into the middle OF the river
oS success and thus escaped TIE rOch5
of GisCord which would have othei"lse
wrecked the organization
Guided $4,000 Men.
More than 1000 members Of the broth
erhood followed his guidance in pointing
out to them the straight road Of duty,
and as a reward they nave today
closely knit. perfectly organized and
indomitabIe society, independent. pros
uer5us and successful. Especially were
checked the Chicago. Burlington and
Quincy strike in 1858. and in 1894 during
the strike of the American Railway
Union
In 1855. the late President Mckinley
appointed Mr.. Sargent as a member OF
HE Industrial Commission which. on
recount OF the then existing TelduObS
with the brotherhood of Locomotive
ITiremen. OF which Mr.. Sary mt had been
its chief executive for sixteen years,
was declined Again in 1900 President
Mckinley rendered him the pOSlu IN 81
DireCtG Of the Bureau IF LuSl dVing
AMI Printing, which was also decIlncc
lar the same reasons.
on April l. 1902. President Roosevelt
appointed Mr. Sargent TO the office Of
commissioner general of immigration,
which was accepted. and he assumed
the duties Of that office July I, 1902.
lie has proven himself a capable othclal;
October L. 1881. Mr.. Sargent married
Georgia n McCullOck, a native OF
Saugus, Mass. NIT Sargent was a con-
sisteuJ Republican and member OF the
Episcopal church. Fraternally, he had
an extensive acquaintance with many OF
the prominent organizations Of the
country. notably the Masonic order. the
Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commandery,
Scottish Rites. indianapolis COnsistory,
the Mystic Shrine, Knights of COnstan-
tine, the Knights of Pythias, the EIks.
and the Ancient Order United Work
men, of which ne was a charter member
of the Yuma, Ariz-, lodge.
PEORIA. Ill, Sept, upon learning
of the death OF Frank =. Sargent, Grand
Master John Hannahau, of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Firemen and En-
ginemen, sent a message of sympathy
10 the family and Immediately de-
spatChed messages calling together all
of the vice grand masters and past
vice grant masters who are living to
attend the funeral In a body.
RIM OUEr At n