Burlington Strike, 1888; Labor unions -- United States; Railroads -- United States -- Employees
Grand Trunk on the American side, and the Detroit Branch of the Michigan
Southern. At the Convention, the Michigan Southern & Northern Indiana
was represented by F. Avery, L. Wheeler and John Kennedy; the Detroit
Branch of that road by T. Wartsmouth and E. Nichols; the Detroit &
Milwaukee by H. Higgins; the Grand Trunk by B. Northrup; and Geo. Q.
Adams represented the Eastern Division of the Michigan Central, and W.
D. Robinson the Middle Division of the same road. With but little
formality in their organization, these delegates entered upon their
duties. A Constitution and By-Laws, embodying the fundamental principles
of our present organization, was adopted.
The necessity of something further on the part of engineers than the
common consent to become and remain members of this organization so long
as suited their convenience, and no longer, became apparent to minds of
the delegates, and an obligation, as a bond of union, was unanimously
adopted, and on the 8th of May, 1863, a band of twelve engineers, the
delegates included, joined hands and pledged themselves to support the
Constitution and By-Laws then adopted, and to resist the wrong and
maintain the right. Officers were elected, and Division No. 1, of
Detroit, Brotherhood of the Foot-Board, stood forth as the pioneer in
the work of the regeneration and elevation of the locomotive engineers
on this continent, eager to extend the hand of fellowship and alliance
to all worthy members of the craft who had any faith in their rights as
a class and a belief that in organized action alone rested a hope of
vindication. The organization of Divisions soon began, and in three
months ten Divisions had sprung into existence.
At this time, the Chief Engineer of Division No. 1 issued a call for a
meeting of one delegate from each Division, to meet at Detroit August
18, 1863, for the purpose of forming a Grand National Division,
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. At this meeting, the Constitution
and By-Laws were changed and provisions made for the formation and
government of a Grand National Division. W. D. Robinson was elected
Grand Chief Engineer of the Order, and served in that capacity until
August 20, 1864, at which time there were thirty-eight Sub-Divisions,
covering the railroads from Michigan, through Indiana, Illinois, Ohio,
Kentucky, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. Charles
Wilson, the second Grand Chief Engineer, was elected to succeed W. D.
Robinson, and continued in office until February 25, 1874.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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