Bros. Henry Shulte, E. Lavell, J. Hagerty and T. O'Brien, who are way up in the watch tower looking out for the interest of their members. While at Buffalo had Bro. Schean of Lodge 472 examined for the allowance of his disability claim. I also met Bro. J. Curry of Lodge 472. Success to you, John, in all your undertakings. While at Utica, N. Y., I met Bro. Charles Pease and his estimable family. Charlie has not lost any of his interest in the Brotherhood. At Wilmington, Del., I met Bro. Carter, the popular Master of Lodge 231, who with his eagle eye is always on the lookout for his lodge. Bros. C. D. Kohlbecker, W. C. Galigna, P. H. Kirk and E. T. Driscoll of Lodge 231 are members who are always on the alert to see that the laws of the organization are lived up to. Success to you, my Brothers.

During the past few months I have had the pleasure of meeting with several of the joint boards, among them the Baltimore and Ohio. This board conducts their business in a dignified manner, and the members are a credit to the men they represent and the company that employs them. Great credit is due Bros. C. C. Scheaere, A. I. Sheaks and W. D. Lewis for the good condition of this board. The members of the board, as well as the members of Mount Moriah Lodge 319, are sorry to lose the services of Bro. Lewis, and all join in wishing him success in his new field of labor.

We are sorry to hear of the illness of our esteemed friend and Brother, J. D. Schweitzer of Lodge 432, and hope that He who does all things well will restore our Brother to his usual good health, as his services are badly needed in the counsels of his lodge. While at Baltimore I had the pleasure of Bro. Charles Strett's company. Charlie is one of God's noblemen. Bros. C. Pennell, T. R. Stringer and N. O. Robosson of Lodge 432, are just the kind of officers that all lodges should have.

On November 18th I met with the joint board of the Pennsylvania Lines east of Pittsburg, and to say that this is one of the banner boards would be putting it mild. They have the confidence of their members and the esteem of their officials. While meeting with that board the following Brothers accompanied me to the meeting of Welcome Lodge 72: Bros. H. J. Stroh of Lodge 220, L. C. Martain of Lodge 392, C. G. Fray of Lodge 601, S. G. Glassburn of Lodge 347, W. A. Astain of Lodge 85, G. W. Allen of Lodge 463, J. T. Cole of Lodge 310, H. E. Bush of

Lodge 347, W. H. Abos of Lodge 3, M. H. Potter of Lodge 235, W. G. Smith of Lodge 287, Thomas Cushing of Lodge 338, and A. J. Shelly of Lodge 250. The popular Master and Secretary, Bros. E. P. Hand and J. Colton, had in waiting eight candidates, and the way the members of the board performed the initiatory ceremony was a credit, and was beneficial to the candidates. Bro. J. T. Cole recited one of his poems, which had its effect on all who were present. After the initiation an experience meeting was held, and all members were loud in their praise of the Brotherhood. I am pleased to say that I found this lodge in a flourishing condition. I was disappointed in not seeing Bro. F. Potts.

On Sunday, November 2d, I organized Oak City Lodge 90 at Raleigh, N. C., making one more lodge to the credit of the South. While this lodge starts out with a small membership, yet with the watchful eye of Bro. Baldwin, Oak City will be the banner lodge of the South.

While at Spencer, N. C., I met with Bros. W. R. Linton and F. A. Smith of Olive Lodge 329. These Brothers hustled around and got the Brothers and their friends together, and I had a very pleasant chat with them, and am looking forward to the time when I will have the pleasure of meeting with these Brothers again. I am sorry that Bro. L. L. Cranford, who was waiting to be examined for the allowance of his claim, had gone away before I arrived. No blame should be attached to Bros. Linton and Smith, for these two Brothers did all they could for Bro. Cranford. It is hoped that Bro. Cranford will let his whereabouts be known, so that the Grand Master can have him examined.

Wherever I have traveled I have heard nothing but praise for the Brotherhood and the MAGAZINE, and the outlook for the organization was never brighter. Let us, as members, renew our obligation, and each bring in a candidate this year, and while we are looking for candidates let us get a subscriber for our MAGAZINE, thereby encouraging our Editor.

C. A. WILSON.

Second Vice Grand Master.

At this writing it affords me a great pleasure to convey to the readers of the MAGAZINE my personal observations of the Brotherhood as I found it in the field along the line from Buffalo west to Chicago, and to say the least it has been very encouraging to me to know that every

where I go I find the Brotherhood progressing rapidly and the membership showing a true spirit of Brotherhoodism and loyalty to the cause which they represent.

On December 1st I arrived at Erie, Pa., and had a very pleasant meeting with Lake City Lodge 462. I find the officers, who are Brother Benson, Master, and Brother Anstead, Secretary, working very hard to build up the Order and they are greatly assisted in their good work by Bro. T. O'Connor, who is, by the way, one of the charter members.

December 2d found me at Conneaut, Ohio, meeting with Nickel Plate Lodge 377. I find this lodge in good condition and great credit is due to the Secretary, Bro. J. W. Miller, for his faithful work. December 3d I arrived at Ashtabula, Ohio, and had a social talk with some of the members of Western Reserve Lodge 248. They assured me that the lodge was in good condition. I trust that some time in the near future I can return and have the pleasure of meeting with them at their regular meeting.

My next stop, December 4th, was at Painesville, Ohio, where I had a meeting with Shady City Lodge 343. While this lodge has a small membership and at times they are laboring under adverse conditions, and while I am not placing the responsibility upon any particular member, yet I believe there are times when officers are dilatory in the perform ance of their duties, brought practically by members not attending to lodge meetings promptly and taking their share of the labor and responsibility. There is no reason in my mind why a lodge with a small membership should not be a progressive one, and I trust that in the future the members will be more prompt in attending lodge meetings and encourage and assist the officers in the performance of their duties. I expect to return in the near future to ascertain if conditions have improved.

On December 7th I had the pleasure of attending a regular meeting of Forest City Lodge 10, of Cleveland, Ohio. This is one of the largest and best conducted lodges that I have had the pleasure to attend since my last writing, in fact, they have the best system of bookkeeping of any lodge in the Brotherhood to my knowledge. Every transaction of the officers and members of the lodge is on a strictly business basis. Bro. Buse, the Master, should have every reason to feel proud to have the honor to preside over a lodge of this status. Bro. Frank N.

Gear, who is the popular Secretary and Collector, and who is known to nearly all Brotherhood men of this country, deserves great credit for his faithful service in bringing about such conditions of affairs as exist in this lodge, which is keenly appreciated by every member. While there I had the pleasure of meeting our old friend, Bro. Fred Wàmser, who is known particularly to the delegates of the Chattanooga convention, and who is doing his full share to make this lodge one of the best, if not the best, in the country. Bro. Wamser informs me that he is still on the "Erie." I also met, while there, Bro. Curtiss. He is still in the harness and very enthusiastic about Brotherhood affairs.

My next trip was to return to Syracuse, N. Y., and readjust disability claim of Lodge 120, and while at Syracuse I had the pleasure of meeting Bro. Newcomb, Master of Lodge 120, and Bro. Forsyth, Secretary.

December 14th found me in Detroit, Mich., meeting with Standard Lodge 158. This lodge is composed of Grand Trunk Railroad men and is getting along nicely. Bro. Miller, who is carefully looking after the financial end, informs me that while the schedule under which the men are working is not what it should be, yet they are looking forward for better conditions in the near future.

December 15th I had the pleasure of attending a meeting of Wayne Lodge 508, of Detroit, Mich. This lodge is in good condition and credit is due the Master, Bro. McBlain, for his earnest efforts. The faithful and popular Secretary, Bro. Kent, is an up-to-date Secretary in every respect. Bro. Burleson, who is General Chairman of the M. C. R. R. Joint Protective Board, is very attentive to his duties, carefully guarding the interests of the firemen on the entire system.

December 16th found me at Collinwood, Ohio, where I attended a very interesting meeting of Lake Shore Lodge 183. At this meeting I had the pleasure of performing the initiatory ceremony upon several candidates. This lodge is in good condition and is bound to remain that way when you find such officers at the helm as Bros. Eugene Prouty and Fad

ner.

December 17th I went to Toledo, Ohio, where I had the pleasure of attending a social gathering of Addison Lodge 75, Ladies' Society, where a most pleasant evening was spent. At this meeting I had the opportunity as well as the pleasure of meeting quite a number of the Brothers

of Safety Lodge 142 and Coldwater Lodge 63. The Brothers are extremely busy in this locality on account of unusually heavy business on the road and do not have an opportunity very often to attend functions of this character.

On December 21st I arrived at Lorain, Ohio, where I held a special meeting with A. R. Carver Lodge 356 and am pleased to report that I find this lodge in good condition, and although I called a special meeting at the place, I feel very grateful to the Brothers for their generous response. I am pleased to note the activity displayed by Bros. Woollen, Eberly, Marquit and Nore, and I trust that I will have the opportunity to meet with them soon again.

December 22d found me in Fort Wayne, Ind., where I attended regular meeting of A. G. Porter Lodge 141. This lodge has a very large membership and is in excellent condition and the prospects are for a much larger growth. Bro. G. W. Erwin, the Master, is one of the most enthusiastic members that I have met in my travels and he certainly deserves great credit for the work he is doing in this locality. Bro. Karthall, the popular Secretary, is right up-to-date in the performance of his duty. Bros. Perry and Woodsworth are also doing their share of the labor and taking their share of the responsibility. It is a great pleasure to meet with lodges of this kind where the evidence is so plain that the members are doing all they possibly can to make the organization just what it was really in

tended to be.

On December 23d I went to Elkhart, Ind., where I held two very interesting meetings with Prospect Lodge 162. The afternoon was devoted to the regular order of business and initiation of candidates; in the evening, for the good of the Order, and a very large delegation was present. This lodge is in very good condition, with all officers attending strictly to business.

December 25th, Christmas, found me in Chicago where I spent my Christmas and accepted the kind hospitality of our Grand Master, Bro. Hannahan.

December 26th I visited Woodlawn Lodge 451, at South Chicago. This lodge has not a very large membership, but they are getting along nicely.

December 27th I held special meeting with Chicago Junction Lodge 577 at Chicago, Ill., and while the members of this lodge are very busy on the road yet we had a very interesting meeting and

pleased to note that the lodge is in very good condition.

December 28th I had the pleasure of attending Frank Thompson Lodge 564 of Chicago, Ill. We had a very pleasant meeting and I find lodge in good condition. Bro. Evans, Master, and Bro. Alexander, Secretary and Collector, are responsible for having the lodge in such good condition. At this meeting there were visiting members from Lodges Nos. 52, 188, 47 and 429. Bro. F. Myers, from Lodge 188, who is particularly known to the delegates of Chattanooga Convention, was in attendance and gave a very interesting talk on the good of the Order.

On December 30th I returned to Fort Wayne, Ind., to hold special meeting with A. G. Porter Lodge 141 for the purpose of initiating candidates. This meeting will long be remembered by the members of Lodge 141 as being one of the most interesting meetings held for a long time. I had the pleasure of initiating several candidates on this occasion. Those are the kind of meetings that I appreciate and hope to have many of them.

December 31st I went to Huntington and had Bro. J. P. Macauley, of Wm. Hugo Lodge 166, examined for total disability. In the evening I attended regular meeting of Lodge 166. We had a very good meeting, initiated a candidate, which contributed to the occasion, and I found the lodge in good condition. Bro. Friesner informed me that everything is going along in perfect harmony and everybody is entirely satisfied. I wish that the memErie Railroad would please take notice. bers of the Joint Protective Board of the At this meeting I had the pleasure of meeting Bro. Geo. J. Brown, who was a charter member of Deer Park Lodge 1, of the B. of L. F.

January 1st, in the afternoon, I held a joint special meeting with Good Will Lodge 52 and Wm. D. Robinson Lodge 53 at Logansport, Ind. This was a very enthusiastic and interesting meeting. Those two lodges are in excellent condition and

fully believe that joint meetings of this kind are productive of great good. Bro. Tucker, Master of Lodge 52, and Secretary Bro. Wood are doing excellent work. Bro. Fitzgerald, Master of Lodge 53, is very faithful in the performance of his duty and deserves great credit for having everything right up to date. Bros. Kimbough and Hutchinson are also very active and faithful officers. The membership should appreciate the services of these Brothers.

In the afternoon I left Logansport and went to Peru, Ind., and held a rousing joint meeting with Peru Lodge 405 and Echo Lodge 157, in the evening. This joint meeting, I believe, will be instrumental in bringing the members of those lodges in closer touch with one another, and I trust that they will have more of them. Lodge 405 is certainly right up to date in the transaction of its business affairs. I only wish all lodges would pursue the same course in handling their finances. The membership of those lodges should not worry about the financial feature so long as they keep Bros. Morrissey, Klarn, Wilson, Whisler and Trippett at the helm, and while my stay was very short, I trust it will bear good fruit.

January 2d, on my way to Peoria, III., I stopped off at Lafayette, Ind., and held a special meeting with Tippecanoe Lodge 36, and while there I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. John Gill, S. M. P. of the C., I. & L. R. R. I want no more evidence than what I saw on that occasion to arrive at the conclusion that the best of feeling exists between the officers of the company and their employes. trust that this kind of feeling will always exist.

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On the evening of the 2d inst. I arrived at Peoria, Ill., where I attended a very interesting conference with the Grand officers, on the 3d inst. My stay in Peoria was short, as I departed from there at noon on the 4th inst. for Paines ville, Ohio, to adjust the affair of Shady City Lodge 343, and I regret to say that the indifference and dilatory manner in which the officers handled the affairs of the lodge and the inactivity which has been displayed by the members and failure to attend lodge meetings has been the means of putting the lodge where it is today.

On January 6th I attended a joint special meeting of Western Reserve Lodge 248 and Lake Shore Lodge 183 at Ashtabula, Ohio. This meeting was called for the purpose of devising ways and means, if possible, to adjust and establish the seniority rights of the firemen on the L. S. & M. S. R. R. that has been the cause of so much contention on said road for a number of years. I trust that this matter will be adjusted amicably and with entire satisfaction to all concerned.

the South, and I trust that my expectation will be fully realized.

In my next letter I will endeavor to give you my experience in the "dear old sunny South." TIMOTHY SHEA.

Third Vice Grand Master.

January 1, 1903, finds the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen with a membership of 45,112, the largest number in our history. Let us all pull together and by January 1, 1904, we will have reached the half century mark. The outlook was never more promising for the Order than

now.

Since my last letter I paid a hurried visit to Lodge 113, Pocatello, Idaho, and renewed pleasant acquaintances of old friends. It will be my purpose to make a trip back to that part of the country just as soon as I can find time to go there.

A short visit to Cleburne, Texas, and a meeting with Lodge 449 was one of the pleasant incidents of the month of December. Lodge 449 is one of our best lodges in Texas.

Three days were well spent in Argentine, Kan., with Lodge 298. Several meetings were held and a good time in general was had. The Sisters of the Ladies' Society of Argentine made glad the hearts of the members of Lodge 298 by their presence and kind and generous treatment. I am sure that all present at the time the ladies entertained the Brothers were more than pleased. I hope the Ladies' Society of Argentine will always prosper. The public meeting held under the auspices of Perfect Lodge 298 was a success and we feel great good will come from it. Will try and arrange a visit with this lodge in the near future again. To the Brothers, Sisters, and all others who kindly assisted me in my work while in Argentine, I thank you most heartily and assure you I appreciate it.

there, and I can say that the hours were pleasantly and profitably spent. Such little gatherings as these are fruitful of much good and will live as pleasant remembrances of the happy occasion.

On Christmas. Eve we gave a benefit for Ladies' Society 90, Kansas City, Kan., which was fairly well attended notwithstanding it was during the holidays, which kept some away, as at that time every one was preparing for the celebrating of Christmas time. The Sisters deserve great praise for doing such excellent work in the way of getting up an entertainment and their efforts are

appreciated.

After spending Christmas day with my family I again went into the field and did some work before the close of the year. January 1, 1903, found me in Chicago, Ill., on my way to Peoria to attend a meeting with the other Grand Lodge officers in planning work for the coming year. Our meeting was a good one and we all had a thorough understanding of what is to be done, and will do all we can to make 1903 a record-breaker. My first stop after leaving Peoria was St. Louis, Mo., where I held two meetings-one with Lodge 21, the other with Lodge 414. Am very well pleased with how the Brothers are getting along in these two lodges. There is a bright future for them. While in St. Louis arrangements were made to hold some meetings with Lodge 481 on Sunday, February 15th, on which date we expect to have a good time. In the afternoon we will have candidates to initiate; at night a public meeting for the benefit of the lodge will be given. All Brothers who can come to the afternoon meeting should be there, as well as bring their families to the night entertainment. had the pleasure of meeting with the Sisters of Lodge 151, St. Louis, Mo., at the home of Sister McKinzie, and a pleasant time was had. The Sisters of this lodge deserve credit for braving the bad weather on the day the meeting was held.

I

A long time between visits to Lodge 164, New Franklin, Mo. I had a pleasant time there and held one profitable meeting on January 8th. Lodge 164 is doing well. The good work accomplished by them is appreciated.

pleasant incidents of the trip home. Am always pleased to meet with the members of this Lodge, and appreciate the way they do their business. Hope to meet oftener with them in the future than in the past.

In conclusion I wish to say that business is rushing on every road that I have been privileged to travel over for some time, and let us hope it may continue so, and that our members will have plenty of employment, which means that they are enabled to buy the necessaries of life and properly take care of their families. Wishing all a happy and prosperous year, I am, C. W. MAIER.

Fourth Vice Grand Master.

On account of joint protective board business, our Grand Master requested me to represent him in Detroit at the union ball and supper, held under the auspices of the four organizations, the B. of L. E., B. of L. F., O. R. C. and B. of R. T., the proceeds of which were to be given to the Railway Men's Home at Highland Park, Ill.

Under the management of such an able and competent committee it could not help but be a grand success, both socially and financially, and any person who did not feel at home there or enjoy themselves should have medical attendance at once, as there must be some derangement of the system. About eight hundred persons were in attendance, among whom was the mayor and several leading citizens of Detroit.

An incident worthy of imitation occurred when Mr. Carhartt, of overall fame, gave the committee a check for $100 towards defraying expenses, and offered to endow a bed in the Home. May his shadow never grow less, and his example be frequently followed.

Such entertainments as these do a great deal of good in bringing our different organizations and fellow-citizens closer together, through which means we become better acquainted with each other's needs, and cements those bonds of friendship and brotherly love which make this world brighter and better for us to EUGENE A. BALL.