The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-02-16
RAIL MAN Of
FORTY YEARS|S
OPPOSING BILL
General Manager Rapelje Of
Northern Pacific Considers !
Himself in Good Standing
COMMITTEE IS IN
SESSION MANY HOURS
Objection to Full Crew Measure
Set Forth by All Sides to
Controversy

wi. IldpSIJS, oSASAoA A''NAAeo>A W
the Northern Pacific, began brakine
SO years ago, and has been In active
service ever since.
Thirty.6ye years ago he Joined the
Order of Railway Conductors. TWEEN
ty-nine years ago ne entered the SER
vice of the Northern Pacific on the
Glendive div ision. He was the first
general chairman Of the 0. r. G. for
the Northern Pacific system; he was
chief conductor on his division for no
one knows how long; he was made
permanent member of the grand d.
vision, a post that can be gained only
by being electedfat least four consecu-
tive times delegate to the grand d.
vision. Eight years ago this month
the Glendive division made him a life
member and presented him with a sol
id card. which is one Of his proudest
possessions
IF | thought" said Mr.. Rapelje, at
the senate railway committee hearing
on the full crew bill last night, chat
there was one iota of merit in this
bill, ! would not want to go back TO
these men, knowing that l had op-
posed the bill. We have no war with
our trainmen; we recognize our duty
to these men, and to the company
and to men, many now dead, who put
their money into the company and
who died, many of them, safe in the
conviction that their investment al
ways would be sound.
"Do you suppose for one minute, II
we thought this bill would save the
life of single man in our employ
that we would be against it?'
The Northern Pacific and Mr. Rap
ellie are against the full crew bill, be-
cause they do not believe, they say,
that it will do what is claimed for it,
nor that it is needed. So, too, is
the Great Northern, and the 500 line,
which Superintendent Scott Derrick
noted at the hearing last night was
mot represented there by one OF it's
conductors or trainmen, for the rea-
son that differences are settled be-
tween the men and their company.
without outside interference.
The hearing was attended by re.
! representatives. of all railroad compan.
les operating in North Dakota and
by delegates from number Of state
lodges of the Brotherhood of Railway
Trainmen and the Order of Railway
Conductors. An unusual degree of IN
terest was shown, and the committee
room was crowded.
General Superintendent Bowen
spoke for the Great Northern, assert
ing that flagman was of no use from
the standpoint of safety on the rear
end of any freight train. 81 can't
conceive" said the Great Northern
man, "of any argument which can
convince you that there is any safety
in q third man on a through freight
Representatives of the brother
hoods urged the necessity of third
man in handling trains of so cars or
over.
The hearing continued until mid
night, and the committee adjourned
without arriving at report.
Railroad employees are represented
by S. e. Lush of Minneapolis and K.
w. Viers of Minot, state legislative
representatives of the Brotherhood OF
Railway Trainmen, and w. A. Lyon
of Grand Forks and G. H. Flynn OF
Dickinson, local representatives OF
the Brotherhood of Railway Train.
men, and J. E. Hjortland of Grand
Forks and G. F. woodward Of Dickin'
son, representing the Order of Rail
way Conductors. '.'
Railway officials here for the hear
ing are J. NJ. Rapelje, general manag-
err of the Northern Pacific; Scott w.
Derrick, superintendent of the 500
Line; Henry Blakesley, traffic manag'
err of the Northern Pacific; H. H.
Jones, general freight agent of the
! Great Northern: L. D. Bowen, general
superintendent Of the Great Northern,
and Chief Engineer wager of the Nor
them Pacific.
The full crew bill is only one of a
dozen measures which occupied all OF
last night and the entire morning, and
the hearing was not completed when
adjournment was taken at noon to-
day.