among the employes here reecently and hope for fine and large, and the attendance was also very a favorable result. The Re-union for the G. A. R. at Grand Island was a grand success this year. With but few exceptions every man was pleased, but there will be the usual amount of kickers. The grounds were the finest in the state; water supply abundent. One hundred and fifty seats were put up for the accomodation of all who wished. The weather was all that could be asked to make it a success. The encampment of the State National Guards was at Grand Island at the time of the Re-union, and were a great addition to it. I have met many of them since and all say it was the best they ever had. The programme was carried out every day on time, which never was the case before. The First and Second Regiment of the Nebraska State Guards, First Company of Cavelry and Capt. Murdock's Battery, were in the National Camp. The sons and daughters of veterans, in uniform, and the Woman's Relief Corps, were there to take part. Capt. Corbin's gun of Grand Island, manned by well drilled Sons of Veterans taking part in the programme. The grounds were convenient to the city, so all went off finely. On Friday the sham battle was on the programme and was planned by Gen. Colby and Gen. Code, with the other officers. A fort was on a small elevation with Capt. C.'s gun in it, backed by seven companies of the First Regiment. The other companies and the Second Regiment assisted by the Cavelry and Capt. Murdock's Battery, were the attacking party. The whole moved off like a regular battle. The charging and counter charging were like a battle on a large scale. Old soldiers say it was the nearest to a real engagement that was ever shown at a Re-union. All went home well pleased. large. I then took in the southern part of the state and northern Kansas. The crops of corn in northern Kansas are not as big as further north, as the large amount of rain injured it some and the fields are somewhat weedy. The fruit crop is oaded down, simply immense, orchards are apples are very cheap. Fall vanities at 25 to 30 cents a bushel and winter packed 50 to 75 cents. The peach orchards were so loaded that the fruit was smaller. Grapes were the most abundent and of the finest. Manhattan, Kas. is an old town and has several railroads in it, but it has not grown much for several years. It has many fine residences and the Kansas Agricultural College. There are many fine stone buildings. I saw several K. of L. brothers and they say that they are moving off slowly. There are several small towns going up along the road north of here, but do not seem to grow much. The quarry business is at the most of them. Blue Rapids is a growing town and a pleasant place. It has several mills, having a fine water power on the Blue River here. Also is a mill for making diamond cement from sand stone, similar to plaster of paris, but much harder and makes a wall equal to stone and whiter than plaster of paris; then it is much cheaper and can be put on the cars $7.00 per ton. It is the coming material for house walls. Marysville is a fine growing town in a good farming and fruit region. But to get back to Nebraska. Beatrice for a small city, is the finest city I have visited in Nebraska. Here streets are all paved with brick which is made here, and will wear better than lime stone. There are many large, fine business blocks of brick and stone. The court house is of stone and as fine a building as I have seen in the state. Also several fine stone churches. city is well lighted with gas and electric lights, and there seems to be more public spirit here than in any town I have visited. The Lincoln, the capital, has some fine buildings but not to equal Beatrice, for the size of the city. The capitol building is not much to brag of, but Lincoln is surrounded on two sides with a salt marsh which does not improve the city much. There is one thing about Lincoln and it is that the people seem to want the whole world and all of Nebraska, and when one goes there they get very poor accomodations. My business took me off in a north and west course from here, and being in the cities and in the country, and dealing with different persons I struck some queer men sent out to represent different firms and to read human nature some, it takes all kinds of men to make a world. I have seen where a man was taken from the shovel, given a little authority, and he was a great mogul This comes out among some of the railroad men; fine fellows without authority, but nobodies with it. Some of the agents and baggage men are specimen. I will not go further now but will give you more in a few days, as I have got back to Valley on the main line. I will tell you of towns, crops, cattle and fruit, with prospects in my next. I remain yours, Itinerant. SHOSHONE, Idaho, Nov. 22, 1891. Editor Magazine: A few days more and we can score another year off. Has it been for better or worse? Locally, I think we are in a better position than a year ago. To whom are thanks due? Not the local officials. Things are shaping themselves slowly for the better and the end is not yet. We understand that our Supt. of Machinery is anxious to have the best possible results in work and workmanship. This is no doubt what has placed a gang boss, not two hundred miles from here on the anxious seat. We are going to get three engines out this month if the month is long enough and human beings can stand the over time. Things are rather quiet in the shops the past week on account of one of the prominent characters in Pinafore being out of town; no one to carry news and make mischief. We were pleased to see two good workmen back again in the shops after a short absence. We hope to see the day when the Shoshone shops will again have the name of turning out the best work on the system, and we are about right when we say that the head of the mechanical department will not rest until he gets those results that it has been his aim and object to secure a high efficiency in return for just treatment. It has been done and it will be repeated. The circular letter to the Division M. M.'s shows that justice and no discrimination is the basis of all good management. We look for good results all around, which means clean treatment to the employes and better service for the employer. We understand that a gents furnishing store is to be started here by two honest men, MacPherson & Abbott. Success is wished them both by ZIP. ARMSTRONG, Kas., Nov. 22, 1891. Editor Magazine: We have had real typical fall weather until this morning when the people arose from their nocturnal slumbers to find the earth within their visions was carpeted with the beautiful snow which was the first of the season. We have had some sleet and melting snow previous to this and soon met with its fate, it being turned into a liquid state by Old Sol. Every person you meet on the street or corner or in the cafe, it matters not in what ever persuit of life you follow, everybody complaining of hard times. The Antiquarian of otherdays might say that history is only repeating itself. Outside of railroad and packing house work employment is scarce and in some of these departments they are laying off men. The Key Stone Iron Works which was closed down by its creditors some month ago has resumed operation under the hands of a receiver. The Missouri Pacific shops at Cypress which was burned down some months ago is completed and is taking in a good many new men. Work in the Armstrong shops is brisk and the supply of engines is not up to the demand, as the master mechanic had to bring down three engines from Grand Island, Nebraska. On about the first inst. Charles L. France, general foreman of the machine shop was discharged by the master mechanic, Joseph Roberts, for what cause I am unable to learn. Ed. Charlston, foreman of the round house succeeds him. The change is 'most acceptable to most of the men, and I believe to the interest of the company. Ben Tepin, an old employe in the round house succeeded the man promoted. It was a worthy move and Mr. Roberts M. M. should be congratulated for his choice of men. I always did believe that pramotions should be made from among the men at such points as the vacancies at that point occur. There should be some fixed rule governing promotions in shops. Suckers should not be in it; ability and long servitude should be the winning qualification; and less nepotism. Local Assembly 3694, had their eighth annual ball on the night of the eighteenth of November. It was a success in every particular, most all the old masters appeared there, to our satisfaction. Two helpers for the blacksmith shop was hired last week and one helper promoted. Machinists coming and going all the time; much against the interest of the company and to the detriment of the men themselves. AU BOUT DE SON. CHEYENNE, Wyo., Nov. 24, 1891. Editor Magazine: The correspondent at this point appears to have fallen into an inocuous dessueitude, and without any apparant excuse, as the happenings here for the past month or two could have furnished the material for half a dozen letters. When the eight and one-half hours was adopted quite a large number packed their grips and hied themselves to pastures new. Among the number was Ed. Burks, who left for Anaconda to take a position as foreman in the Tuttle Machine Works. Ed. is a good man and a good workman and for those reasons, one of the kind we hate to lose. The boys, that is a good many of them, were surprised the other morning when they come to be tagged, as usual, to find a notice to the effect that the brass tag had been abolished, and great was the rejoicing as it was a useless appendage, causing most of us a walk in the opposite and what he says is law with the finns and the direction we wished to take. officials of this place. This removes about the last of the foolishness of the Middleton regime. Credit one more point for D. A. 82. Mr. Clark, Dickinson and McConnell paid us a visit last week and I learn they all felt pleased with the appearance of things here. Bro. Corbin's visit here was much appreciated. His lecture on labor to a crowded house was listened to attentively and received well merited applause and commendation, directed as it was to the task of encouraging closer relations and good will, not only between the company and the employes, but between the employes and themselves. The boilermakers give a ball December 21st, which will no doubt be an enjoyable and successful event. Our time keeper skipped for parts unknown. Many of our fellows in the machine shops have bills of credit on him for from $5 to $25, while many of the boys are ahead of the game. It seems he gave quite a number extra time and took a divvy in return. Two blacksmiths were let out because they were caught in the deal. They have, I am told, been doing well for a couple of months previous to the snap being found out. There is great excitement in the machine shop for the past month over the machine boss. He says the union is fighting him. But we propose to let them fight it out. If all the gang bosses and those that want their places were let out it would be easy to improve on them. The blacksmith's union has bursted. Too much booze, poor material and dishonest members killed it. I must now close until next month. Having not seen anything in your Magazine from Carbon, so I think that I will give the public a little information about this place. The mines are working very steady here at present, but our mine Superintendent and mine Foreman has the nicest smile on them that they have had for years. Because Mr. Megeath was here on the 17th inst. and called on our mine committee, which was discharged on September 8th, 1891, for visiting entries which they had been instructed to do by the miners, which privilage every mine committee has in any mine when they are called upon. Mr. Megeath listened to the committee, but finally told them that he could not do anything for them. But of course Mr. Editor, the Superintendent and mine Foreman, called their pets out of the mine the day before and told them what to state to Mr. Megeath. Of course they had Pet Ephraim at their head There was one thing that came to my notice the other day about Pet Ephraim. It has been a rule here for years that the oldest driver in the mine was to get the rope when there is a rope driver wanted. Some of our oldest drivers asked for it but of course Ephraim wanted it, so the driver got left and Pet got the rope. It so happens that most of our drivers belong to labor organizations and the Pet don't. Our Assembly is progressing again and we are getting in fine shape. It was amusing to see our Superintendent and Foreman and their Pet around our town to get men to work entries under the standard price. They succeeded in getting a few finns that had just come to Carbon and afraid to say no. They are working them now, but I think that our Superintendent and mine Foreman are sick of them as they are poor workmen. I will close for this time, with best wishes to the Magazine. I will keep you posted in regard to how things are going on here. While this excitement was going on some tramps broke into the car shops and secured some tools and drills and blew the safe open and bursted the register of Chapman & Strong and they got away with a few overcoats and underwear, and a little from another store. The sheriff got after them and caught them at Laramie. They were tried and found guilty, tow of them got seven years and the other two three years. Jos. Young, a helper in the round house, while taking down the side rods of an engine, met with an accident by getting the end of his finger cut off. A brakeman by the name of Hugh McQueen, while coupling cars on the Almy coal train, caught his hand and mashed it very bad. L. A. 3274, gave a grand ball at the opera house. It proved to be one of the most enjoyable affairs of the kind ever given in this city. C. Carpenter, Thos. Moore, F. Larsen, Jos. Freestone and James Whitaker, were the committee. Everything is going pretty smooth now. The B. of L. F. are going to give a grand ball in the opera house. We wish them success. Engineer Whittle has made up his mind at last and got married to a very nice young lady. In my next I will try and give you some information in regard to the shops, and especially the boiler shops. J. M. B. firm of Harkness. The firm of H. & Co. was organized as follows: H. & Harkness, $11,000, President; Ed. Stein, $100, Vice President; Harry Shuffleges, $300; Tom Sparks, $300; P. Gallagher, $100. Making a capital stock of $11,800. Now I ask any of you readers, in the name of common sense do they think that H. & Co. wanted the few hundred dollars that those men put into said firm. I think that it is plain to be seen that there was something beyond that. FAIR PLAY. POCATELLO, Idaho, Sept. 9, 1891. E. Dickinson, Gen. Man'g. U. P. R. R. We, the undersigned merchants doing business in Pocatello, understand it is not the policy of the Union Pacific Railroad Company to allow its employes to hold positions of responsibility to engage in merchantile persuits, whereby their influence of hiring and disposing of men they can control the entire trade to the detirment of the company's interest, and to the advancement of their own. As you will observe a poor man for company who is indebted to the merchantile institution, will be kept on the rolls with the object of getting even with him at the store before firing him. A new man is then employed and to keep his job will patronize his employer. This is not fair to the merchants who have no railroad official interests in their business. We Harkness and Company of Pocatello, located on desire to call your attention to the firm of K. O. general manager of the repair tracks and paint the railroad company ground, with Ed. Stein shops, as a director; Harry Shuffelberger, road master, another, who together can control, Rumor has it that many of the foremen under directly and indirectly three hundred men. Stein are also interested more or less by owning stock in the above institution, and appearances are that some others, high up in authority, whose names do not appear in the list of stockholders, ask you, if this condition of affairs is contrary to are also interested. We present these facts and your policy of railroading to investigate the matter. We consider it a detriment to the advancement against the railroad company, and the combined of our town, because merchants cannot compete influence in directing and controlling trade to influence of its officers who use their official their own exclusive and individual interest. The result will be to force us and others from business and leave the field to the Union Pacific employes alone. will reap the benefits since no one firm can sell The result will be that Odgen and Salt Lake to everybody and the railroad men can get rates to those places. Hoping you will give this matter your thoughtful consideration, that you will investigate the situation and will act in the best interest of your road, at the same time having in view the interest of the people at large and the future of our town. We remain respectfully, J. W. KEENEY & Co. F. J. WALKER. NORTH & CHURCH. POCATELLO HARDWARE & FURNITURE CO. D. SWINEHART. BIBLE, BROWN & JOHNSON. RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT. CHEYENNE, Wyo., Nov. 22, 1891. UNION PACIFIC EMPLOYES MAGAZINE. VOL. VI. THE FUTURE. inherited as is physical weakness. Thus, thoughts of the future The advent of the new year is a take us to the past and show to us time commonly used in thoughts where conditions of society surprospective. The individual often rounding our ancestors have afthinks of something he would like fected us individually; it thus to accomplish or gain in the new takes us again into the future with year before him, but in thus calcu- thoughts or how future generalating there will come to his view tions may bless or curse us, how the obstacles that will or may we may be one of the principal come in his way, that will retard factors in the results of the efforts or defeat the accomplishment of some future architect, who will of the objects he seeks. Man thus be blamed for poor results while thinking, in a greater or less de- the blame in a greater measure gree, realizes that he is but part of rests with us. a great organism-society-that in a great measure his success in gaining or accomplishing what he desires, depends on what other individuals do, or, on the conditions society makes for him now or has made in the past, reveiling to him the fact that his greatest interests are of a social nature. It demonstrates to every man, capable of reasoning at all, that his individual interests are to be furthered by taking an individual part in moulding and directing social affairs, that he has an immediate and direct interest in what society does, that, in a measure, he has an interest in what his neighbor does, and that these interests, by contact, extend to every branch of the human family that he is, by actively looking after and influencing these social affairs for right, justice and truth, minding his own business. Some one has said that every man is the architect of his own fortune. Like many other sayings it has been accepted by many as a maxim without reflection, for it has a gloss of truth about it, but the man building his fortune finds that its size, and conditions, be it material, physical or intellectual, depends much on what he was, by anticedent conditions, forced in among to build it of and on how well he was prepared to use it, and that preparation had its main root nurtured in sources anticedent to Viewing social affairs in the his existence; intellectual and light the present gives us, with a moral weakness is as often slight knowledge of cause and Man cannot say with truth that he is only responsible for the few years of life alloted to him, as he has had cause to bless or curse ancestors so will posterity him if he does not perform that social duty incumbant on every man. |