The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-05-12

anu dlIeT ludL 9o.oV pei ueay' LIZ 'iLii'
to the length of day. In 1871 we were
put on mileage basis which was not
satisfactory; we were paid nothing
for overtime or for doubling hills;
when the wheels stopped, our pay
stopped. We had several interviews
with our superintendent without re-
suits; he pleaded hard times and POOR
business. In October, 1878, we were
absorbed by the c. R. I. & P. railroad
and 1t was not until some time later
that we were included in the Rock
Island schedule. 1t is a remarka BILE
fact that during my service on this
little road, up to the time l left it in
1881, it was always composed wholly
of brotherhood men.
At the Montreal convention in 1880
Brothers Arthur cited us as an ex-
ample of what could be accomplished
by less than twenty good men and
true.
Didn't Like Nebraska.
I went to the B. & M. in Nebraska
in January 1882, and stayed four
months. was dissatisfied with their
system Of pay. could never tell how
much I was going to receive on pay
day; came home to my family and
was mmediately given an engine on
the st. Louis. Keokuk and Northwest
ern railroad a leased line of the O.
Worked there until February 1888,
the morning Of the strike, whick end
ed my railroad career. I had a: large
family, too large, my wife thought. to
go chasing after a railroad job, and
as we had saved some Of my earn
ings, another striker and myself went
into business. We continued at it
for twenty-five years and succeeded.
but owing to i'll health, I was COM
PEELED to retire about eighteen
months ago.
We had a family that would have
delighted Mr.. Roosevelt-eight Boys
and two girls; six Of the boys and
both Of the girls are still living.
With regard to my fifteen years
service as locomotive engineer, I
would say that I gave my best eff
forts to the Brotherhood; my men,
bership has always been in Division
sc. Was c. E, four years; F. A. e.
four years, secretary of insurance,
over twenty years, delegate to Kan
sas City in 1879, Montreal in 1880.
San Francisco in 1884; served twelve
years on local committees on the
Des Moines Valley, c. r. I. & P. and
also Oh SeECl oil COIl
tee on the Rock Island and Burling-
ton; in fact, / was a member OF tie
first organized general committee the
Rock Island had. This met and or
ganized at Davenport in 1879. and was
composed of the following members
II. H. Baker. chairman; F.. ". Ken
yon, Jacob Blinkley. J. berwick. Rob.
ert Mcclure, Alex Latta and P.
O'Brien. Served twice on the commit
tee to see Mr.. Hugh Riddle. the presi-
dent OF the road, in an effort to have
the wages of the men on the -~eG
Moines adjusted, but without success.
Later we succeeded in getting the
general committee permanently or
garized and interested III us and we
had little difficulty II effecting 4 set
Element. Those were times when serv
ing on a committee was almost equiv
alent to discharge.
Eos. Organized Road.
While was serving on the Bur
liugton general committee. our chair
man, Brother Charles Fisher, was dis
charged for being an agitatoT. He
was far from being that-he was the
mildest OF men. We wired Brother
Arthur to come TO Burlington; on his
arrival he took a pool of the B. 81 l..
L. on that road and advised us to go
home AMI organize the men. 1t took
three wears TO do this and | may safe !
ly say. without fear OF contradiction, !
that or the morning OF the strike, It
was one of the best organized roads I
in the country.
In conclusion would say that IN !
thorough organization, lies the hope !
of the working people. a connection
of nearly fortyseven years con
vinces ne of this.
Before joining the B. OF l.. E. I
was q member of the LOGON. i've ]
Fireren's union. of which Henry /
HopDman. of Schenectady, was grand :
master for two years. and was mas.
ter of Union No. SO of this city.
Have held $4,000 insurance v Inc /,
B. Of L. F. since January %. 1873. !
and have never Kissed paying an as |
sessment and do not regret it: per- |
haps it has assisted those who were |
less fortunate than myself. |
2, O'BRIEN.
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