The Winslow mail., 1925-06-16
STONE, HEAD
OF B. OF |. E.,
DIED FRIDAY IN
Ohio HOSPITAL

Warren S. Stone, president of the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers and one of the leading labor
leaders and labor financiers of the
country, died in a hospital at
Cleveland, Ohio, Friday.
Stone became i'll several weeks
ago upon returning from New York
City. He was ordered to the hos
pital at once. For a time physi-
clans who attended him declared
that the illness was not serious.
Mr.. Stones physician gave acute
Bright's disease as the immediate
cause of death Burial was held
at Cleveland yesterday.
William S. PREMIER, first vice
president and treasurer of the
brotherhood, will succeed Mr.. Stone
until the advisory board elects his
successor.
When Warren S. Stone completed
his academic education in May,
1879, his father wanted him to take
up the study of law, while the son
was inclined toward surgery. AS n
sort of compromise, if it may be
called that, the son, in September
of the same year, began firing To-
comotive on the Rock Island rail-
road out of Eldon, Iowa. Whether
he sacrificed distinguished career
in law or surgery will remain un-
answered, but the, work he chose
eventually made him internation-
q llxY in,
widely diversified fields-as head
of an International labor organiza-
ton and president of labor's first
national bank in America.
He worked as fireman and en-
gineer for twenty-five years
He had shown executive ability in
the councils of his fellow engineers
and while still holding his job in
the cab was called upon in August,
1908, to fill the position of grand
chief of the International Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers,
which had become vacant by the
death of Grand Chief P. M Arthur.
AS grand chief Of the engineers
brotherhood, Mr.. Stone took an ac-
tive part in the campaign of the
railroad employees organizations
for the Adamson law. In all nego-
tiations he earned a reputation for
always keeping his word. He was
quoted once as having said "It is
fundamental principle without
which no labor organization can
hope to exist, that it must carry out
it's contracts"
One of Mr.. Stones early achieve
ments in behalf of the engineers
was the erection Of the brother
hood fourteen-story office building
in Cleveland. Another feature of
his administration was compulsory
live insurance for all engineers.
During more than twenty years as
chief executive of the brotherhood
it increased from a membership OF
3S 900 with $4,000 insurance in
effect to nearly 10000 members car
rying approximately 100000 OF
life, sickness and accident insur-
ance.
With wide experience in money
matters as result of having ham
died millions Of dollars of brother
hood dues and insurance and hav-
ing made an exhaustive study OF
cooperative banks throughout the
world, Mr. Stone presented a plan
for an engineers cooperative bank
at the triennial convention in 1918
and was authorized to start such "A
bank in Cleveland 1t was opened
Nov. II, 1920, with a capital OF
$500,000 and a surplus of 100000.
Three years later it's resources
were nearly $25,OOO,OOO. This was
followed by the establishment of
several other banks throughout the
country, controlled by the brother
hood, and in addition substantial
interest was acquired in the Empire
Trust company of New York.
Mr.. Stone was born on farm
near Ainsworth, Iowa, Feb. 1, 1860.
AS a boy he worked on the farm
in the summer and attended coun-
try school three months in the
winter. He rounded out his pre-
liminary education with study at
Washington academy, Washington,
Iowa, and at Western college, Iowa.
In October, 1884, Mr.. Stone mar
ried Miss Carrie E. Newell, of
Agency, Iowa.
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