An appeal is here made for the assistance of one wide-awake club raiser in every one of the 618 lodges of the Brotherhood. If you are half sick, worn out and tired from firing a "battle ship," lay off one trip a month and make just as much money by securing subscriptions for the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAIf you are out of a job, you can make a month's wages by doing a little hustling for the MAGAZINE. If one man will volunteer to undertake this work in each lodge he will find that all of the members will gladly assist him to secure a $50 cash premium. If you are interested in this proposition, write to the Editor for particulars.

ZINE.

This issue is not a fair sample of what the MAGAZINE will be during the year 1903, for the task of moving the Magazine Department from Peoria, Ill., to Indianapolis, Ind., was undertaken at the time that the Editor should have devoted his attention to editorial work-and the job of moving is demoralizing to an established business. This number is 32 pages less than the standard size because of the many complications incidental to the removal, and any delay in getting the January number out on time may be charged to the same cause. This being the first number printed by the Indianapolis printers, handicapped as they were by our removal troubles, we may expect future issues to be better than this one-but if there were no improvement, editorially or typographically, the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE is worth more than $1.50 per year to every engineer, fireman and roundhouse man in North America.

Indianapolis, Indiana.

Again attention is called to the necessity of addressing all communications intended for the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE to Indianapolis, Ind., instead of Peoria, Ill. All requests for changes of address, all complaints of failure to receive the MAGAZINE, all remittances for subscriptions, all matter for publication in the MAGAZINE, all correspondence concerning advertising, in fact, everything concerning any feature of the MAGAZINE, should be addressed to W. S. Carter, Commercial Club Building, Indianapolis, Ind.

Sparks.

Lodge 322, B. or L. F., has adopted suitable resolutions on the death of Bro. J. M. Strinsky, and the members extend

their heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family and relatives of their deceased brother.

Fountain City Lodge 619, B. of L. F., recently gave a grand ball at Fond du Lac., Wis., which, according to a local paper, was one of the most successful, both from a financial and social standpoint, ever given by the firemen in that city.

It will, perhaps, be of interest to the members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen to learn of the marriage of William S. Carter, Editor and Manager of the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE, and Miss Julia I. Cross, of Peoria, Ill., on November 27, 1902.

Bro. R. P. Jordan, of Lodge 325, writes that he, with one other brother, recently passed an examination for the position of engineer on the Ft. Worth & Denver Railroad, and is doing well. The brothers have the best wishes of the members in their new field of labor.

Cards announcing the marriage of Bro. Avery C. Moore, a member of Lodge 133, and a member of the Idaho Legislature, to Miss Maud Gertrude Pepperman, at Montgomery, Ala., Thursday evening, December 4, 1902, have been received. Brother Moore and his bride have the sincere wishes of his hosts of friends for a long and happy wedded life.

Bro. William Wadsley, of Lodge 149, writes the MAGAZINE that he has the following numbers of the LOCOMOTIVE FIREMEN'S MAGAZINE which he is willing to dispose of to anyone desiring same: Complete files for the years 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895( all of 1896 except March, all of 1897 except April, all of 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901 and 1902. Anyone wishing to procure files of the MAGAZINE for the years named should address William Wadsley, 544 E. 155th Street, New York City.

One of the most gratifying affairs since the adjournment of the convention was the presentation of a chest of silverware to Mrs. C. E. Schaff, wife of General Manager Schaff, of the Big Four Railroad, by Grand Master Hannahan and Grand Secretary and Treasurer Arnold, on behalf of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. This presentation was made as a token of appreciation of the members of the Brotherhood of Loco

tion.

What is the matter with the "General Chairmen's Association?" There was an article in the September issue of the MAGAZINE relative to this association, and I have seen nothing since in regard to it.

If I am rightly informed, there was a clause added to our constitution which will make the association a lawful body of the B. of L. F.

I, for one, think the delegates to the Eighth Biennial Convention did the right thing. What do you think, brothers? I I would like to hear from the rest of the brothers, especially the general chairmen. A GENERAL CHAIRMAN.

St. Louis, Mo.

Brotherhood Topics.

Quite often the officers of a subordinate lodge, particularly the collector, will be questioned closely, either verbally or by letter, by some brother who desires to know the whys and wherefores of this or that proposition or assessment. Sometimes these questions are so worded as to convey the idea that the inquiring member considers the addressed officer as wholly responsible for his ignorance concerning the affair he asks about, and possibly for the matter itself, when no one is to blame except the member himself. If he will look through the pages of his MAGAZINE, and read as he looks, he will discover that everything of general interest to the Brotherhood is chronicled in its

pages.

The doings and assessments of joint boards or local lodges will not be there, but the other will, and if he will read what is printed purposely for his information he will be much more enlightened on passing events, and have less complaint to make of his local lodge officers. Everything that can safely be published of the Grand Lodge proceedings is placed in the columns of the MAGAZINE, especially to benefit those brothers who are so situated that they can not attend meetings.

Remember, brothers, as an order we can not stand still any more than we can as individuals. So let us, one and all, try to advance our Order in the struggle of organized labor.

Fremont, Neb.

W. L. FRENCH.

The life of the railroad man of today differs in many respects from that of earlier days, who, as the old colored man said, "climbs on top of de car and stops her by screwin' de auger into de ground." At that time they were accused of clanishness and being averse to mingling with outsiders, but now they are received with cordiality by all clases, and their social life expands, and is equal to that of any calling. Their conversations are no longer restricted to railroad topics and heroic tales of close calls, etc., but among them is ability to discuss intelligently any and all current happenings that are prominent in the press.

When an official employs a man, as a rule, he accepts him at the beginning of his manhood, and selects him not for what he can do at present. but for profitable development and increased responsibilities in the future. It is a matter for regret that the railroad men of bygone days were considered an inferior class of people, yet if this be true it was due to the hardships and disadvantages under which they labored, and which at the present time are lightened or entirely overcome by modern inventions. They had not the support and encouragement of organization, which today is the life of the railroad men, and enables them to receive a just compensation for their dangerous calling.

Today we are in an era of federation and combination to keep in pace with the industrial development of the country. Our organizations are a necessity, and have proven to be instrumental in elevating the standard of citizenship in our ranks, and in them are found men of exalted station, who began their careers as employes of some railroad.

Experience has taught us that by working as a body and in complete harmony, we achieve greater success than we could by individual effort. A strike, being viewed with deepest regret by both employer and employe, is called after serious consideration, and only as a last resort.

The advancement of the railroad men will progress even more rapidly in the future than in the past, and the public will awaken to a greater realization of the honor and importance of this following. A. R. LAYMAN.

East St. Louis, Ill.

Second Vice Grand Master.

In assuming the duties of the office of Second Vice Grand Master of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, which was on November 1st, I was instructed by Grand Master Hannahan to visit all lodges on the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R. system, and it affords me great pleasure to report that I find the organization on said system in a splendid condition, both numerically and financially, and the members taking a very active part in the proceedings of their lodge meetings, and very energetic in advocating the aims, principles and purposes of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen.

My first official visit was on November 2d, meeting with Hudson River Lodge 349, of Union Hill, N. J., with Bro. C. H. Umpleby in the chair, who is a very popular master and ably assisted by Brothers Swinburne, Lawless, King and Dorley.

On November 4th I had the pleasure of visiting Buffalo Lodge 12, of Buffalo, N. Y. This lodge is in the best of condition and great credit is due to the Master, Bro. Jas. H. Kane, who, by the way, is the traveling fireman on the N. Y. C. & H. R. R. R., and the boys inform me that he is so proficient in his duties that he is practically a smokeless fireman. While attending this meeting I was informed that the lodges in the city of Buffalo have already appointed a committee of arrangements to prepare for the Ninth Biennial Convention, which will be held in the city of Buffalo in September, 1904. And they have, at this early date, had a joint meeting and selected officers to carry out all arrangements, which consists of the following: Bro. P. J. McNamara, Lodge 12, general chairman; Bro. L. E. Gingrant, Lodge 241, secretary; Bro. W. A. Astin, Lodge 85, treasurer; and while it may seem premature to predict, at this time, still, the outlook for the Ninth Biennial Convention is very bright, and it will undoubtedly be a success when there has been such able and enthusiastic brothers selected to carry out the duties that are required in order to make a convention a success in all particulars. Let me say to the brothers of the city of Buffalo that they made no mistake in their selections.

November 5th I visited Lake Erie Lodge 241, of Buffalo, N. Y., and found the lodge in good condition. Bro. Thos.

B. Ferguson, Master, extended to me the courtesy of presiding over the meeting, and everything went along very nicely and without interruption until we came under the head of "Good of the Order," when Brother Ferguson arose and asked for a recess of fifteen minutes, same being granted, and to my great surprise the large folding doors at the rear of the hall were thrown open and there appeared and was admitted the uniformed drill corps of Holly Lodge 70, Ladies' Society to the B. of L. F., which, assisted by Sister L. Shea at the piano, went through their drill in a very able manner which displayed a beautiful exhibition of military discipline. The drill team has been in existence for some time and is ably drilled by Captain Grace Pierce, assisted by fifteen of the other sisters of Holly Lodge 70. Holly Lodge, which is the mother lodge of the city of Buffalo, and I understand has the largest membership of any auxiliary to the B. of L. F., is doing excellent work in the vicinity of Buffalo. Those gatherings in which I had the pleasure to participate on that occasion are productive of great good and should tend to stimulate activity; it should encourage the members and inspire them with more zeal and greater enthusiasm as to the aims, principles and purposes of our organizations, which will naturally bring about good results in the ranks not only of the Ladies' Society but the B. of L. F. as well.

On November 6th I went to Rensselaer, N. Y., and had a very interesting meeting with East Albany Lodge 215. Master Brother Haight in the chair. This lodge is in good condition, all officers attending strictly to business. Bro. John W. Reed is the popular secretary and Brother Rowlings is the "watch-dog" of the treasury.

On November 7th I was again in Buffalo, meeting with Admiration Lodge 101. Brothers Hugh Cream and J. H. DeSalis met me at the hotel and escorted me to their lodge rooms, where I met quite a large delegation of Lodge 101 and visitors from Lodges 99, 316 and 12. I had a very pleasant meeting and the Lodge is in good condition. Bro. Hugh Crean is earnestly looking ahead for the good of the Brotherhood in general and he is ably assisted by Master Brother Mansfield, Secretary Hill, and Brothers Fank and Richel.