have done to those who wanted to continue the fight to the bitter end, just to hold their strength and power within the organization. That power and strength you have broken, and this same fighter will have to gain it for you again, or otherwise you will become the chattel slave of your employer.

If you want the popular opinion of the members of Local No. 45 and its officers, come to our meeting some Friday evening and ask what they think of this surrender, to open shop conditions, and I will wager everything I possess that you would find two hundred out of two hundred and fifty against the proposition you accepted from the Committee: (surrender unconditionally). Bro. McCabe, member of the Strike Committee, who was bitterly opposed to the Committee's ideas of surrendering, not only expressed his own feeling at that meeting, but he also knew his Local would be almost unanimously against surrendering in such a manner, so he voiced the sentiment of his Local when he spoke against the proposition. I am sorry to say that out of the three members on that Committee only one has taken the stand that would be sanctioned by this Local.

Recently the District Council of New York assured President Ryan that they place full faith and confidence in him and would stick to him and assist him in this fight. Was it done? No, and the members at that special meeting, Sunday, July 22nd, know and heard, word for word, what President Ryan said. against the surrender, how bitter he was and how fearlessly and point blank he expressed his opinion against a certain Business Agent. Be assured that had a certain person lived to take part in this trouble, it would not be necessary for President Ryan to say what he said against this particular Business Agent, and would-be leader. While President Ryan was most bitterly opposed to surrender he was accredited by the "press" as being responsible for the men returning to work as individuals.

Not recognized now as union men, the next proposition to come before the District Council of New York would be the reduction of the salaries of the Business Agents, or on the other hand dispense with their services altogether, for under the present situation I cannot see where the services of those men are required, now that the men are back working as individuals, and the union recognized no longer by the employers. This leaves practically nothing for the Business Agents to do to earn their salaries. I would like to hear

from other correspondents and have them express their opinions on this suggestion of cutting the salaries of Business Agents. Now for a little chat with you about the Jersey bunch.

Local No. 45 about two months ago affiliated itself with two big central bodies, namely the Building Trades Council of Hudson County and Central Labor Union of Hudson County. The B. T. C. has for three months, and is at the present waging war against the open shop proposition. The trouble originating on carpenters' grievances. The employers refusing to grant the mill workers an eight hour day, other trades were compelled to quite work, for no member carrying a B. T. C card is allowed to work with non-union men. The result is that the employers have locked out all trades. One trade's fight is the fight of all if they are sticking solidly together and intend opposing the open shop to the bitter end. I am informed they have the Master Builders' Association on the run now, with a possible chance of dissolving that Association. Now had the New York Building Trades been organized similarly, I am most sure the Bridgemen would have been back to work under improved conditions a few months ago. But as it was the Housesmith was in the fight alone, while the other trades worked side by side with scab iron workers.

The following Brothers are delegates to the two central bodies: To B. T. C., Bros. J. J. Dolan, Frank Starr and Williard Borden; to C. L. W., Bros. J. J. Dolan, Chas. Roden and W. Elliot. You will note that Bro. Dolan is delegate to both central bodies. He is our local President, and has been elected as one of the delegates to the Detroit Convention. He is popular and active member of this Local. I send herewith a photo of "Jersey," and the membership of this Local has found him an honest, efficient, intelligent and faithful officer and member. He has served in the capacity of Business Agent longer than any other B. A. in the five allied Locals, and there is no doubt but he would have been elected again had he been a candidate, but he retired from the race simply because the cry was, "if we make a change in our Business Representatives the employers will give us more consideration." But this proved to the contrary. Bro. Dolan was, and still is, opposed to our men going back to work as individauls, or for the old conditions.

His co-delegates to the Convention are Bros. Mich. Skelly and Bryan McMahon, both good, faithful and tried union men.

Now to drift away from union affairs, I will say a few words about labor entering into politics. It is one of the wisest moves ever made in the history of organized labor of this country, and this move has already shown its effect to give you an instance. The American Bridge Co. has a contract to erect a bridge across the Hackensack River, this contract was given out by county officials to The A. B. Co., who during this trouble employed scab labor, who have the bridge over half completed. During this time the work on the bridge was going on. In the meantime Local No. 45 allied itself with the two central bodies, and at once suggested that a Committee be appointed and sent to the Board of Freeholders of Hudson County and request them to take away the contract from the A. B. Co. and give it to some contractor who would employ union men and taxpayers of this county. This Committee waited on the Freeholders several times but received no encouragement, and were plainly told nothing could be done in this case. Those Freeholders are elected to their offices, and as soon as they read an

item in the "Press" that there was a possibility of the Building Trades Council and The Central Labor Union contemplating putting an independent ticket in the field, they soon changed their attitude towards labor unions, and immediately called for a Committee from the B. T. C. and the C. L. W. to meet a Joint Committee of Freeholders. This Committee was appointed and met. It consisted of Bro. J. J. Dolan, Cornelius Ford, President of the State Federation of Labor, and President Jennings, of the Central Labor Union.

This Committee has arranged to meet and inspect the work on that bridge. If the work is not done as required by the plans and specifications, the Freeholders claim they will be in a position to take the contract away from the A. B. Co., otherwise they cannot promise they can do anything to help us get the work. This shows they are getting alarmed and its up to organized labor, through its local unions, to assist and be ever watchful and to carry the purposes of the declaration of the A. F. of L. into effect. Brothers assert your rights, and in addition to strengthening your faith and

loyalty to your organization on the economic field, exercise your full rights of citizenship in the use of your ballot. Elect honest men with union cards in their pockets to Congress and to other halls of legislation, and by so doing, you will more completely and fully carry out your obligations as union men and more than ever merit the respect of your fellow citizens. "Labor demands a distinctive and larger share in the governmental affairs of our country, it demands justice, it will be satisfied with nothing less," is the advice from A. F. of L.

In my article in the May issue I made a few remarks about the work on the Ferry House Buildings of the D. L. & W. and the Central R. R. of N. J., and the difference in the workmanship of union men and non-union men. The item in the Hoboken Observer on that work reads as follows:

A DIFFERENCE IN RESULTS. Travelers over the Lackawanna's Twentythird street ferry have been much interested in the restoration of the sheds and waiting rooms destroyed by fire at that place. At the time of the conflagration the Central Railroad's ferry sheds adjoining on the south were also destroyed by the flames. The Central people immediately commenced the task of rebuilding, and have made every effort to rebuild in the shortest possible time. Through stress of circumstances the Lackawanna road did not commence the work of rebuilding until six weeks after the Central had done so. The Lackawanna road, despite the delay and the fact that the property destroyed belonging to it was twice as great as that of its neighbor, has, today, its ferry terminals much nearer completion. The secret of the Lackawanna's rapid progress union men accredit to the fact that it employed only experienced men, members of the Structural Iron Workers' Union, who have helped rear so many of New York's skyscrapers. The Central road was content

with non-union help."

So remember, brothers, we do not admit defeat; we are bound to come out victorious again. The old saying is, "he who laughs last laughs best." They need our services and cannot do without them. Stand by your guns, boys, be loyal to your union and its principles, assist your officers, use good judgment in the selection of them and you will win. Wishing the organization success, I am,

Fraternally yours,

FRANK STARR,

No calls come to the unfaithful.

LOCAL UNION No. 53.

Fort William, New Ont. Editor Bridgemen's Magazine: Just a few lines to let you know what is being done in this "neck of the woods." We have about twenty-five men wrecking the Ogilvies elevator, which collapsed on May 28th. The McDonald Engineering Company, of Chicago, are doing the work. Joe Shirley is pushing, and the way he has handled things so far, certainly does him credit. Not one man has been hurt, and that is saying a good deal the way things are hanging about, as will be seen by the photos.

There are two other jobs going on in Port Arthur. The Canadian Bridge Co. has one, and are using our men. The Canada Foundry has the other, and are trying to put it up with "scabs;" but we are giving them all kinds of trouble. They have an injunction against us, good until July 26th, but we still keep up the fight and intend to until the bitter end.

We expect to have a bridge going across the Kam River this fall, but we are not sure of the job as yet.

Barnett & McQueen are putting in the foundation for a big elevator in West Fort William, and as they have always used our men, we expect no trouble.

I think this is all the news at present. Wishing the Magazine every success, I remain, Fraternally yours,

WILLIAM HIGGINS.

LOCAL UNION NO. 58.

New Orleans, La.

Editor Bridgemen's Magazine:

A passing word to knights of the road, throughout the circulation of our Magazinefirst and best of all.

I wish to state that Local No. 58 is very short of men, and she extends a hearty invitation to all our wandering brothers to pay a visit to the beautiful "Crescent City," and participate in the building boom, which has now become evident in and around New Orleans. I am sorry to say that our worthy Business Agent, Brother Charles Blount, has been unable to supply the demand for in and out of town work. This is a great drawback to No. 58, for, if we had the men to supply the demand, there would be fewer unfair jobs in New Orleans, as well as throughout the entire southern district. But as the matter stands at present, it practically leaves an open field for unfair work, and for the above reasons, I would like to see more of the old timers headed this way. The weather is fine, and as healthful as in any clime.

The local has passed through a series of financial tribulations, owing to the trouble caused by the unfair work of the Milliken Brothers, on the Deutchaud Hotel, and the A. B. Co. on Market St. Power House, also the Sneed Iron Works, of Louisville, Ky., and the McClintic & Marshall Co. These firms have been unfair, and are trying very hard to organize a small army of scabs for the erection of the Giant Sugar Refinery, which is to be remodeled and erected at Chalmet, about eight miles from the city. I think, however, if Brother Blount lays his cold hands on their heated brows, they will wilt like an aspen leaf, for the scabs about New Orleans even know his foot-prints, because they are larger than any other persons in this district.

Brown & Ketcham are now erecting about twenty-eight hundred feet of sheds for the Dock Board, work is located along the river front, the coolest and most picturesque place in the South. As a picture of industry, do not think the New Orleans docks can be equalled, much less surpassed. Mr. J. G. Harahan, Second Vice President of the Illinois Central Railroad said yesterday, "New Orleans in a short time will be the greatest port in the world," and we have no reason to doubt this wellfounded statement from such a man as J. G. Harahan; he looked upon the members of No. 58 swinging the steel trusses and columns in place, with machine like rapidity, and we do not wonder that he seemed well pleased.

Brothers, we may be able to stagger such men as represent Principal, but so far, we have only succeeded in making Mr. Charles Mitchell, of the A. B. Co., run his slender fingers through his once "golden locks," and shift his uncomfortable position in a well-upholstered chair, padded by the toil of the Iron Workers of the days of yore, before Unionism found its way to our tightly locked prison cells, and turned the rusty key which moved the time lock, and forced the mighty bolts of the hoarded vaults of the American Bridge Company, but our Infinite God knows we are right, and He will help us in the future as in the past. So struggle along Brothers, and if you have no other place to go, come to New Orleans. You will meet Brother Thomas Coughlin, Superintendent for the Bedel Iron Works, also some of his subordinates, who are running the following jobs:

Brother Joe Butts, Consumers' Sub-Station, on Elk Place, near Canal, a seven-story building; Brother William Cornelius, on Napoleon Ave. Church Steeple; Brother John Burke,

KELVIN, ARIZONA. Editor Bridgemen's Magarine:

We have been working here in the wilds of Arizona for the Missouri Valley Bridge Company since April 20th. We will finish here in three days and then we go forty miles north of Phoenix, where we have about four weeks work.

William Prescott is foreman and E. Archer assistant. The men employed are Geo. Gordon, Mike Doran and High Tinsler. The latter has taken up a mining claim here, which he thinks will make him a millionaire very soon. With best wishes, I am,

Fraternally yours,

JOHN MCLEAN.

A transporter bridge is being erected over the River Usk at Newport, England, the design of which is that of an ordinary suspension bridge, with the girders placed at a sufficiently high level to permit shipping to pass under them. A line of rails is laid on both sides of the web of the bottom boom of each girder and on these rails a truck 104 feet long, is operated. A platform, or car, 33 feet long and 40 feet wide, is suspended at the level of the river banks from this truck by 30 steel cables, which are crossed so as to form a trussing which prevents the car swinging either laterally or longitudinally. The car is designed to carry a live load of 66 tons, its own weight being 51 tons, making a total load of 117 tons on the suspended trusses. The truck carrying the car will be propelled by electric motors which are controlled from the moving car. The approximate cost of the bridge is $350,000.-Engineering Record.

An unusual bridge project is now under way for bridging the Mississippi river, at St. Louis. By a recent public vote the project of a free municipal bridge was approved by a large majority. Under this ordinance a sum of $3,500,000 becomes available for "the construction and maintenance of a municipal bridge for public use by railroads, street cars, vehicles of all kinds, and pedestrians over and across the Mississippi river, and for the purchase of land to be used for approaches thereto." It is not yet stated what length of span

will be employed in this structure, nor what will be its capacity as to railroad tracks, roadways and sidewalks, but undoubtedly it will be an unusually heavy structure. The Mississippi River is already well bridged, so to speak, at St. Louis, but the project to construct additional facilities of this class has long been agitated. Apparently this new structure will be so located and designed as to give the freest possible accommodations for not only railroad traffic but other classes of business. Engineering Record.