their duties at the present time, and which they intend to submit to the management at an early date. I trust their efforts will be rewarded. I was sorry to hear that Bro. Crearess' illness prevented him from meeting with us.

I had an interesting meeting with Lodge 464 at Brandon. In times past, on account of being unable to hold meetings and the members being scattered, this lodge has had up-hill work, but with the present contemplated changes this will be one of the most profitable lodges in the West. Bro. Lynch is the corner-stone of this lodge and has promised that if some estimable young lady will take pity on him during leap year, there will be a Ladies Society established in Brandon.

A special meeting was held in Moose Jaw with Lodge 521. A large number was present and a very interesting time was spent. It was indeed a pleasure to hear Bro. Chas. Unwin relate the early history of the Brotherhood in the Northwest, and the active part he has always taken in its behalf. The many tokens in his possession gave ample proof of the high esteem in which his valuable services have been appreciated. This lodge has an efficient set of officers.

Stopping off at Medicine Hat, I had a good meeting with Lodge 342, a large number being present. Bro. Smeaton informed me that the securing of such a good schedule on the C. P. R. resulted in being able to initiate thirty new members in two weeks. This is a record not easily obtained. I must congratulate that lodge on its systematic manner of doing business, as any information requested can be easily obtained.

At Calgary I met with Lodge 635, when I received a great surprise. This lodge was organized last May with fourteen charter members, but now has a membership of sixty and, from the manner in which the work was conducted and the initiatory ceremony carried out, I must confess that very few of our old lodges can give this new one many pointers. Bros. O'Neal, Robinson, Cambly, and all the members ought to be congratulated on their wonderful success.

An excellent meeting was held at Cranbrook with Lodge 559, where I found business up-to-date and every person interested. In fact, I have met with very few lodges whose members have made a

more thorough examination into what our organization was doing at home and abroad. I hope their example will be more frequently followed, as the more you inquire into our aims and objects the more you will appreciate them. Bro. Rose promised me on my previous visit that he would have a home of his own which I must visit when I called again. He was as good as his word. Success to him and his partner on the journey of life.

On arriving at Nelson, I held a good meeting with 631. This new lodge is improving rapidly and deserves great credit for what it has accomplished since its short inception. Being isolated from other lodges, and with the benefits they have already obtained, they hold the Order in the highest esteem, and through the efficient officers in command they are doing valuable service.

I was present at Revelstoke with Lodge 341 at its regular meeting. This lodge is so well known for its good work in the past and its excellent standing that any comments on my part would be unnecessary.

Suffice it to say that it is still up to date, and the usual and efficient set of officers are in command, and will not take a back seat for any one. I then went to Vancouver, where I found the prospect of a new lodge very bright.

I can not close my report without thanking the brothers on the Canadian Pacific and the Canadian Northern for their kindness and courtesy to me when visiting these lodges in the performance of my duties. While the weather was indeed very cold, being from ten to fifty degrees below zero, yet the warm hearts and glad hands of our members made me forget the weather or that I was a stranger in a new land.

I also wish to thank Bro. Geo. K. Wark, the salaried Chairman, for accompanying me over his entire system and doing all in his power to make my trip an easy and profitable one.

To those who contemplate taking a trip and are undecided which way to go, I would say that a trip over the line through the Rockies and Crow's Nest Pass, then up through the chain of lakes with the wonderful scenery to be seen en route, would be something never to be forgotten and greatly admired.

EUGENE A. BALL.

went the brakes; a word; both jumped to the icy ground. Poor Joe must have slipped toward the fast moving train, for the first car caught him and there ended the life of this noble brother. The poor boy was tenderly picked up and medical aid sent for, but of no avail; he had passed to the reward of Him who doeth all things well.

It was left to his brother, Mr. Geo. Davidson, a passenger engineer on this same division, to break the sad news to his loving wife, and how our hearts go out in sympathy and sorrow for this poor girl, who for a few short months had been so happy and then the end.

The Joint Protective Board was in session at Chicago, and on the afternoon of the funeral, they adjourned to attend. We thank them so much for their kind

ness.

The floral offerings (which were numerous) were beautiful, and showed the high esteem in which he was held among his many friends and railroad brothers.

All firemen available turned out to pay their last respects to their departed brother. Bro. Arnold, of Herrington, Kas., acted as Marshall, and Bro. A. R. Cannady, of Trenton, Mo., had charge of the services at the grave, which were conducted with credit to our Brotherhood, and for which we feel deeply grateful.

LODGE 143-(Member, Oakland, Cal.) With bowed heads and deepest sorrow, we announce the death of a noble brother and our Past Master, James B. Nolan, who died January 7, 1904, after a short illness of five days.

His death was a great shock to all the members and friends, who knew him as a true and upright man, and one who had the welfare of the Brotherhood at heart. In the loss of our late brother, the Order has lost a most valuable member. He leaves a mother and several brothers and sisters to mourn his loss. He was recently promoted to the right side and was stricken down in the prime of life, being twenty-two years of age. He has thrown open wide before us the gates that show a pathway lighted up with good deeds and noble sacrifices, and our sorrowing hearts must testify for us all, our loving regard for our dear brother whose feet have sped beyond the environments of human cares.

E. C. Fellows Lodge extends its heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family, and prays that God may give them strength

and succor them to bear their irreparable loss.

"Requiescat in pace."

LODGE 486 (Chas. F. Beckman, Marceline, Mo.) Having looked over the correspondence of the different lodges for the past few years, I have failed to see any article pertaining to Marceline Lodge 486. I have read some very good compositions from the members of the different lodges, but, as my hand is more addicted to the use of the shovel than the pen, I will not attempt to do as well as some of my more gifted brothers. Our lodge is growing every day and we have several more to take in before the first of the coming quarter. On account of firemen being scarce and the majority of our members being married men who like to spend a few hours with their families before being called, it is sometimes difficult to hold a meeting on regular meeting days, but on the whole the brothers do as well as could be expected of them.

Bro. Fay Baumeister sprained his knee a little more than a year ago, and on account of it has never been able to resume work. After being treated by the Hospital Association for about six months, he was advised to go to an osteopath institution, with the hope that he might derive some benefit. He being without means, the brothers of 486 undertook to raise subscriptions from among themselves, the B. of L. E., the B. of R. T., the O. R. C. and citizens of the town. We have met with unthought of success, and the brothers here, especially Bro. Baumeister, feel duly grateful for the help that has been extended.

LODGE 134 (John Lorimer, Farnham, Quebec.) It is with profound sorrow that Eastman Lodge 134 is called upon to drape its charter for one of its oldest and most respected members, Bro. Henry Cowan, who died suddenly of heart disease on Wednesday, January 20th. Bro. Cowan was one of the charter members of Eastman Lodge, and always took an active part in the welfare of the lodge and the Order in general. He had filled the Secretary's office for a long while and, although Bro. Cowan belonged to the B. of L. E., he always had a warm place in his heart for the Firemen. Many of the brothers will remember the genial, good-hearted "Hen." Cowan, who always had a smile and a kind word for every

one, and many a brother has profited by his good advice. Bro. Cowan was also a member of the I. O. O. F., which society took charge of the funeral. The members marched in a body to the residence of the deceased, when the funeral cortege wound its way to the English Church, followed by his sorrowing relatives, members of the I. O. O. F., B. of L. E., B. of L. F., and his fellow townspeople in general, it being one of the largest funerals seen in Farnham for a long time. After the services, which were conducted by the Rev. Mr. Harris, who preached an able sermon on the good work of the Brotherhoods, the funeral proceeded to the C. P. R. R. station where, through the courtesy of Superintendent Williams, a special train was in waiting to convey the body and all who wished to go to Cowansville, where our deceased brother was interred. The pall bearers were all fellow engineers, being Bros. G. Ellison, S. E. Kennedy, M. Billings, Geo. Fuller, F. Call and Gary Clarke. The floral offerings were many, noticeable among them being wreaths from the I. O. O. F. and the O. R. C., and a pillow from the B. of L. E. Owing to the absence of some of the oldest members and the illness of others, our lodge was not able to send an offering, which we deeply regret.

To the heart-broken widow we extend our heartfelt sympathy and leave her to the care of Him who doeth all things well.

LODGE 234 (Thomas A. Burrill, North Bay, Ont.) Having noticed that correspondence from 234 was conspicuous by its absence from the valuable columns of the Magazine, I deemed it my duty to let the brothers know that we are still abreast of the times, and are a progressive and prospering lodge of the B. of L. F.

Although yesterday, February 4th, was not our regular meeting day, we had a special one for the regular routine business of the lodge, in conjunction with a visit from our worthy Fourth Vice Grand Master, Bro. E. A. Ball, accompanied by our worthy Grand Chairman, Bro. Wark.

At the request of our worthy Master, Bro. R. Sayer, the Master's chair was filled by Bro. Ball, while our Grand Chairman acted as Vice Master. As is customary at every meeting, we had an initiation, but this initiation was an exceptional one-one long to be remembered by the brothers present. The applicant

was a robust son of the "Emerald Isle," Michael McAnulty, 25 years of age and weighing about 200 pounds. Although the goat was well accustomed to the "old road," at some member's suggestion we decided to put him over the "new trail" with his precious burden. The way was "rugged," and at some places the climbing of the obstacles was somewhat of a perpendicular nature. But the applicant, with the fortitude and perseverance characteristic of the Irish race, surmounted them all and, indeed, might have been mistaken for an Apollo at the end of his aerial ascent, and our worthy Bro. McAnulty is now pleased to know that he is a full fledged member of the B. of L. F.

We are all appreciative of the visit of our worthy brothers, Ball and Wark, as Bro. Ball, in his instructions on the secret work, was explicit, and minutely described it in every detail. It might be an object lesson for the members to be more prompt in attendance at the meetings, and have the meetings oftener than has been wont in the past, to get better posted on this work. Bro. Wark, our new Grand Chairman, also gave us some very good and practical advice, and delighted us with some of his humorous sketches of

non-unionism. After a hearty vote of thanks tendered to our worthy visiting brothers, Ball and Wark, the meeting closed in the usual way.

Our lodge is increasing in membership at every meeting. We still have an abundant supply of very valuable material in sight and soon will be one of the strongest lodges on the system.

LODGE 194-(Chas. W. Hedger, Missoula, Mont.) Bro. J. Kimbrough, our former correspondent, has left Missoula for a while and taken the Burke run at Wallace, Idaho, so I will try and fill the place until his return. Lodge 194 is still booming, and while we are not the largest lodge on the system we expect to reach the two hundred mark by the end of the next quarter. Now, boys, "dig in" and try and make 194 the banner lodge.

On Christmas night the members of Bonanza Lodge 194 B. of L. F. and Montana's First Lodge 105 Ladies Society gave a grand ball at the Union Opera House, which was, both socially and financially, a great success, between 350 and 400 couples participating, and it was not until the "wee sma'" hours of the morning that the tired but happy members departed for their respective homes.

We have union meetings once a month; the boys have planned for an oyster supper for the next occasion, and we expect every one to enjoy themselves.

Recently we had the pleasure of meeting with Bro. Smith, our Traveling Chairman, who stopped off here at the request of our Local Chairman to assist in adjusting some affairs of importance to our lodge In the evening a reception was tendered Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and during the evening Bro. Smith favored us with a long talk on the condition of the B. of L. F. of today. He contrasted it with the organization thirty years ago, when the first lodge was organized in a switch shanty at Port Jervis, New York, and showed how great had been the advancement of our Order during that time. He also spoke of the Protective Department of those days and the somewhat crude methods employed at that time to bring about the desired results, which have gradually been improved until we have today the finest protective system of any body of organized labor. After Bro. Smith, we had short talks by Bros. Noonan and Ross, and Sister Stearn, all of whom are pioneers in our Order. After these we indulged in card playing, dancing and refreshments until quite late (or early, I should say), when we all wished Bro. and Sister Smith godspeed. Come again, Bro. Smith.

Quite a number of our boys are getting married lately, and there are more to follow. Bros. Graham and McCormick have just returned, each with a bride, and it is reported that Bro. Ostergren, who has just returned, went East for that purpose. Just how he came out we have been unable to determine.

The boys are looking forward to a visit from our Vice Grand Master, and I can assure you he will be heartily welcomed.

LODGE 87-(H. Perrett, Rawlins, Wyo.) Having had a visit from our Third Vice Grand Master, Bro. C. W. Maier, I thought it would be nothing but right to acknowledge the same. To say that the boys were pleased to meet with Bro. Maier is putting it very mild, as I can not find words to express the feelings we possess. I can assure all of my brothers that if we would only put into practice the instructions we received it would make Brotherhood men out of all of us, and the smile on our face would show it very plainly. The General Chairman

was along with Bro. Maier, and this is a step in the right direction, as it gives the boys a chance to become acquainted with him and know him personally.

Just a word to the "boomer" brothers, as this seems to be a great family. Some of the members of 87 have joined this family, some by free will and others through misfortune. Some members of this family are honorable, while others are not. To the latter I would say, please stop and think a moment over what you are doing. You have a card and are among strangers. You present your card to some worthy brother, who asks what he can do for you. You tell him your wants and he assists you. You go to work, feeling as though you were at home, and after working a month or so you look to see where the moon is, and, if it is waning, you pick out the dark of it and away you go. Then the merchant comes around to the worthy brother and says: "So-and-So has flew the coop and not paid me." You should be ashamed to disgrace yourself and the noble card you carry in this way. I had always thought that our lodge had none such within its ranks, but I am sorry to say that information has come to me recently where one brother bought some clothes and never paid for them. I want to say, my brothers, you will have to be honest, or 87 will turn you down when sending for a new card, and I think if all our sister lodges would do likewise the dishonest brother would soon be no more.

LODGE 168 (Member, North LaCrosse, Wis.) As our correspondent has had nothing in the Magazine for some time about Guard Rail Lodge 168, I wish to say that we have one of the best lodges in the United States. We have only about sixty-one members, but they are all good men, and, with the Collector we have, they are well broken in, so that when our smiling "William" comes near them they reach for their pocketbooks.

Our lodge gave a very enjoyable "stag" party on February 10th, from 8 p. m. to 12 p. m., and a good time was had by all present. If any one doubts it they can ask Bros. Hiscox and Garrett. The following clipping relating to the event is from one of our daily papers:

"The stag party given by the members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen at the Woodmen Hall, on Rose street, last evening, was a very enjoyable and successful affair. There was a large