George Stephenson's principal men when he made his Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, about 1832. His informant asked the great engineer how he came to fix the gauge. George Stephenson told him that he got his idea from inspecting some portion of the Roman Wall through which the chariot used to be driven. Deep ruts were worn, and on measuring these he found their distance apart to be, as near as possible, 4 ft 8 in. Stephenson thought that if a world power like the Romans had made such use of a measure for its chariots, he could not be wrong in adopting those measurements as a rule for his railway.

LOCO. MEN'S GRIEVANCES. Under the auspices of the A. S. R. S.

H. Bailey, T. C. Osman, C. H. Alsopp, Usher, Potts, and Oxlade.

Mr. Dobson said they all knew as loco. men the unpleasant changes that had taken place in their work. They knew by bitter experience that work and rule was carried on at the utmost tension, that their mileage had been extended, and in many cases no extra pay given at all. They were dismissed or fined on most frivolous pretexts, and treated in the most arbitrary manner. When he compared the conditions with those days when his boyish eyes looked up to no finer specimens of humanity than enginemen, men of character and ability, he asked himself how this degeneracy was to be counteracted. Mr. Dobson gave

and A. S. L. E. and F. a meeting of loco. men was held in the Masonic Hall of the Crown Hotel, Cricklewood, on Sunday night, when there was a crowded and representative attendance The business was announced to be "To discuss the evolution that is taking place in the conditions of our labour," and "Have we a voice in its future? Mr. A. G. Hales (King's Cross Branch) was called to the chair, and there were present supporting the chair Messrs. J. Dobson (organizing secretary, A. S. R. S.), A. Fox (general secretary, A. S. L. E. & F.), H. Savory,

examples of the conditions in the past which he said, went to prove that, like Paddy, they were advancing backwards. A man then was as proud of his engine as he was of his wife or of his home. Now they got an engine one day and saw it no more. The real downfall of the loco. men of the country was want of unity and the unhappy divisions that had taken place. Tracing the history of those societies and the action taken against the obnoxious circular of the Great Central Company, he said they were now agreed upon a scheme of federation and that

they would not take action without consulting each other working on the footplate, he wished them to join one or the other of the societies and work in harmony with each other, and with every other grade of the service in which they were. (Applause.) It was an unfortunate thing in railway work that they had to find fault with each other, but if a man made a mistake he should be always man enough to take it himself. Though the companies with their bad treatment knocked all the little bit of pride out of a man, they put him in charge of a piece of machinery costing £3,000 and make him responsible for hundreds of lives. They must retrieve their position as one great body, and let the officials of the Trades Union know that as they paid the piper they had a right to call a tune. (Applause.)

REMARKABLE STATEMENTS.

be

Mr. Fox, in stating that the first duty of non-members present was to join the society, said they were not successful before the Great Central directors cause they were delegates from both societies, but because they were able to place before them signatures of the whole of the locomotive men, with the exception of ten. (Applause.) He wished to explain that at the time the Associated Society was started there was no protection benefit attached to the Amalgamated Society. A few of the locomotive men saw the necessity of this in their calling, and asked the society to adopt protection benefits, but they refused, and their only alternative was to form a society of their own. (Applause.) The reason why the men were in the present position was because they were not properly organized, and because they did not hold up the companies to the conditions that they agreed that the men should have. They were actually allowing them to break the guaranteed week on the Great Central at the present time. He said that the conditions of service that were imposed upon enginemen could not be carried out with safety to themselves or the public. (Hear! hear!) They found men working not 20 or 40 wagons, but 120, and on the Lancashire and Yorkshire some of the men who worked these monstres of engines were never tired of singing their praises. (Laughter.) But railway companies by manipulating the conditions make these men do work which keeps their fellow-men idle at home, and caused them to dispense with their services. They had a right to see to their fellow men's interests in this respect as well as their own. They were doing with one engine what two used to do. He advocated an eight-hour day on the footplates, because it would mean employ

ment to something like 12,000 more men. It was not a question of finding employment for the street corner tramps, but for the men who were being pushed off the footplates. The companies were exacting from the men a 240 miles' run, and how much longer were they going to stretch it? (Laughter.) It was a wonder these men with a non-stop run from Paddington to Plymouth were not mesmerised before they got to the end of their journey. The mesmerist only required them to stare long enough to put them over, and a man for five hours continually staring at the signals would be very apt to see some that were not there. To drive five hours at a speed of from 55 to 60 miles an hour was a task that no human being should be asked to perform. (Applause.) It was not safe for the men themselves or the public. The public had been told that interlocking signals had made railway travelling perfectly safe, but had they put anything on the engine to tell them it had begun to rain and that there was frost on the rails, and that they had 400 tons behind them or 120 wagons to draw? The whole of the responsibility for safe trav elling on the railways rested on the men on the footplates. They had no right to impose speed which could only be safely worked when things were normal, but must leave a margin for the changes in weather. (Applause.) They were wor rying the men to death. He had been asked to make up a statement of the ages of their men who had died during 1904, and, including several old stagers, the average was considerably below 45. He thought the public should know something about it. One of the firemen on the Great Western today was shovelling ten tons of coal at 3s. a day, and the company was generous enough to promise that after three years' service he would get 3s. 6d. a day. (“Shame!") To talk of pensions at 65 amused him. The company could well afford to dangle that before their eyes when they knew they would never reach within 20 years of that age. (Laughter.) Then Dr. Forbes Winslow, the eminent expert on insanity, found the percentage 12.7, or the seventh highest on the list of 74 commercial trades of the country. In a note, Dr. Forbes Winslow said this might happen from high speeds being exacted from engine drivers and firemen of today. He did not blame the companies one iota, he blamed the men Had they a voice in the future? He said that railway men should have absolute control and make what conditions of service they liked. (Applause.) Let them do their duty as self-respecting men and belong to their organization.

The chairman asked what was the pro

posal in the programme, and Mr. Fox replied 120 miles was proposed as a day's work for all passenger trains, but when the delegates met the matter would be discussed.

TO NEGATIVE THE TAFF VALE DECISION.

The influence of organized labor in the politics of England was very sharply shown in March, when Mr. Whittaker brought in the Labor Disputes Bill and secured a majority of 122 to refer it to the Committee on Law. The bill is for the purpose of restoring the status quo of the Trade Unions before the delivery of the Taff Vale Judgment, which jeopardized the life of unionism and made it possible not only to loot their treasuries in damages, but subject individuals to fines and imprisonment on the slightest provocation.

Out of Sympathy with the Men.

We all know the fable of the fairy godmother who conferred all good gifts upon a child but withheld one which proved the undoing of all the other precious gifts. I have often thought of that story in connection with the failures of my friend, Samuel Short. Sam learned the machinist trade and no man surpassed him in skill in any shop he ever worked. He was an industrious student of the principles underlying the machinist business, he was very careful and methodical in his work and seemed to have the qualities of an ideal foreman. In due course Sam was appointed foreman, and from the first he made a failure. He had no capacity for handling men. From the first he was one-sided, and had no sympathy for the men under his charge. A good-natured man, he became a tyrant with those who did not perform up to his own ideal. While zealous for the good of the company, he never realized that he had responsibilities toward the workmen that were greater than merely seeing that the full pound of flesh was paid. No man can keep men doing their best who is not in constant sympathy with them.-Railway and Locomotive Engineering.

Open Shop a Failure.

After six months' trial of the " open shop" policy advocated by the Chicago Employers' Association, the Cole-Davis Shoe Co. has withdrawn from the Boot & Shoe Manufacturers' Association and signed a union shop agreement with the Boot & Shoe Workers' Union.

"We never had any serious trouble with the union," said Edward M. Cole, president of the company, "and we will

no longer tolerate interference with our business by those who have no idea or conception of its various workings."

In common with the other manufacturers in the city, we discontinued the use of the stamp six months ago. I find that many of our best customers demand the union stamp, and I do not propose to lose their trade through standing for an abstract principle that means nothing to me.

"In signing the agreement I was actuated by business motives, as many of my competitors in the east use the union stamp and there is a great demand for goods bearing that mark. I find no difference in doing business under the 'open' and closed' shop plans. Manufacturers and labor unions must go hand in hand, as trade unionism has come to stay and must be reckoned with.

"Out of the 200 shoe workers whom we employ, I do not suppose there are one dozen who are not paid up members of the union. These will have to get in line with the others or quit, as I have signed a union agreement and will carry out its provisions. I have no criticisms to make of the policy of my competitors. They can suit themselves, but I want the union stamp in my business and have taken the necessary steps to get it."-The Million.

Confidence Wins Confidence.

Gov Douglas, of Massachusetts, was able to end the great strike of cotton operatives at Fall River, Mass., simply because the strikers had confidence in him and believed he would do the fair thing by them. They went to work at the reduction of wages fixed by the manufacturers, but the governor will review the whole situation with a committee of the manufacturers, and they agree to abide by his decision as to wages; the operatives to have a wage dividend declared next summer. Gov. Douglas never had a higher compliment paid him than this action by the strikers.-Plain Dealer.

Hint to Eyeglass Wearers.

It is very necessary when fitting the pince-nez that care should be exercised to prevent it, when in wear, from dragging the tissues of each side of the nose to such an extent as to pull the lower eyelid out of position. The optician points out that a displacement of the lid by only two or three-tenths of a millimeter, which is an amount readily overlooked, may be amply sufficient to cause epiphora, or "watery eye." It becomes the refractionist to keep this warning prominently under his attention.-London Globe.

Correspondence.

All contributions to our Correspondence and Technical columns must be in not later than the roth of the month to insure insertion.

Articles must be written on one side of the paper only. Noms de plume may be used, but every ar ticle must be signed with full name and address of the writer to insure insertion.

We shall be glad to receive articles on any subject of general interest to the fraternity.

All communications are subject to revision or rejection, as the Editor may deem proper.

The Editor does not assume responsibility for the opinions expressed by contributors in this department. C. H. SALMONS, Editor and Manager.

Semper Fidelis.

TO DELOSS EVERETT.

Dear old Deacon, I read t'other night
A good common sense letter from you,
In the first JOURNAL out,
When mid danger and doubt,
Men were toiling to raise

Our old flag in those days,

Which now floats out in everyone's view.
You were then in the twenties, old friend,
Having hair just as black as a crow;

For your pulses were young,
And your eloquent tongue

Helped to nurture the seed

Men were struggling to breed,

And were anxious to witness it grow.

You're overjoyed how the order has thrived
Since the days of long gone 'sixty-three,
When the corporal's guard-
What remains, battle scarred-
To an army has grown,

In the years that have flown,
Just as fine as one ever could see.

On the firing line always you stood,
In defense of both justice and right;
"Bless your frosty old pow,"
You ne'er quailed in a row,
But you led the lads on,
Till the scrimmage was won,
And you fought in the front of each fight.

Three long decades of years have gone by
Since I first shook your honest old fist;
And it is with delight,

That I tell you tonight,

I am proud to enjoy

Such long friendship, my boy, Without ever an hour of it missed.

You are yet in the prime of your years,
Tho' your once raven hair is like snow.
Round the circle you swing;
You make speeches and sing;
And to "Sambo's Delight"
You could dance every night,
Like a schoolboy in each place you go.

May you long live before you are called

To The Land that Lies Starward," old friend,
Where you'll bloom evermore,
When life's journey is o'er,
Among souls who were true
To all things they should do,
In the life we are told has no end.

SHANDY MAGUIRE.

Troubles and Triumphs of Travel.

BY SHANDY MAGUIRE.
[Continued from May JOURNAL]

We commented considerably on the symmetry of the little mounds alongside the track which were the homes of the prairie dogs. We also noted the skeletons of animals strewn alongside the way, and we were informed that there is no decay in the dry air of the clime, that owing to it, everything dries up. Pound expressed the wish to linger in such a paradise indefinitely, looking at Davis, but the tables were soon turned on himself, who was charged with a monopoly of the talk. It was growing well into the afternoon and we were being wheeled along gaily. We were rapidly approaching the state line of California, and our supper station would be Needles, inside the line.

Miss Lape, who is an old California traveler, proved an interesting guide to us tenderfeet; and the lady is the first who pointed out to me the towering rocks which gave Needles its name, and was my fair sponsor at my California baptism.

We admired the splendid cantalever bridge spanning the Colorado River. We also feasted our delighted eyes on the bright fringes of green on its margin, and also on the water rolling along, it being the first we had seen of any volume since crossing the Mississippi.

A little later we were at supper, and also briskly fanning ourselves to keep from being dried up and blown away. The place is hot-or was on that particu lar evening. A native told us that eggs are cooked in the sand. We believed him when we saw the thermometer coquetting around the 119° mark, and we only wondered that the hens didn't furnish them cooked. However, don't think, my dear tramp, who have kept my company so long, that I am kicking at the first

taste I got of California. Not by a long shot. We frolicked about like young kids out on a lark, and my pulses were thumping delightedly.

Of the many enjoyable nights we were gathered together, this one seemed to be the most delightful. It must have been that the knowledge of the parting on the morrow had its influence over us, and lent zest to our conversation. The ladies all seemed to take kindly to Bryant, who was of a retiring nature and very seldom was anything but a listener in our talking circles. He being single, very pleasing in appearance, and gentlemanly in his deportment, easily stood in, to the displeasure of Pound and Sanderson. Mrs. Davis directed the talk toward him by saying, “Mr. Bryant, you have not told a story or sung a song while you've been with us, and I think it is time to begin." She struck the keynote, for we all thought that he should help to contribute to the general joy, one way or the other, and so insisted.

"Well," said Fred, "I've been thinking you would call on me before we'd arrive at the end of our journey so I have been preparing myself. I have been rehearsing with Davis and McGovern in the smoking room this afternoon, feeling I'd get the invite before retiring, so all I have to say is, Barkis is willin', ' ," with a killer of a look at Miss Lape and her companion.

"Are you going to cease your gab and listen to Bryant's song?" said one of the party, and if a fairy waved its wand over the heads of all, there could not be more perfect silence.

Bryant had his lines well rehearsed, and in a fine baritone voice, which was a revelation to us all, he sang most gloriously the following very appropriate lines:

"The sun is fast descending,

His slanting beams are blending
Along the way we're wending.
O'er mountain peak and vale;
To-morrow when he rises,
With joy he will surprise us,
Bereft of cloud disguises,

At flowers alongside the rail.
"I now give timely warning,
We'll cull you in the morning,
Grand bouquets for adorning

Your bosoms when you rise;
All rich and unassuming,
Most fragrant in their blooming,
And fresh from Nature's grooming,
'Neath California's skies.

Tonight's the last we'll mingle,
Around our social ingle,

We married folks and single,

Our journey soon shall end;
Los Angeles we're nearing,
Where other folks endearing.
Have salutations cheering

To give each well-known friend.
"We've been some days together,
With hearts as light as feather,
In fairest of fine weather,

As over states we sped;
We'll quaff from memory's treasure,
Full many a flowing measure,
Of all those hours of pleasure,

Till hoary grows each head."

At dawn the following morning I was first up, just as we were making the station stop at 4:45 at Summit. In a few brief moments there was not a member of our party who was not ready to take his or her place at the car windows to view the sights. We were surprised at the perfection of the toilet so early in the morning of Miss Lape and her friend; but when we recollected that they intended leaving us at San Bernardino, a place we were nearing rapidly, we had an explanation of their prim appearance. About fifteen minutes later the trainman sang out the station, and as the ladies picked up their dressing cases, willing