Around 800 men were employed by the Mississippi Division in Water
Valley at the height of its operation. The men were represented by 21
different labor organizations often called brotherhoods or orders
instead of unions, according to Bruce Gurner. "You had the Brotherhood
The shop crafts--such as machinists, boilermakers, welders, car
men, pipe fitters and blacksmiths--all had
organizations to represent them as well.
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in Water Valley lost
their charter during the depression period of the 1870's. On October 1,
1880, they met in the home of Adam Fulmer to reorganize Division 99.
"They met in a private home because the railroad was so opposed to
unions that the men had to meet in secret."
The most important man in the Brotherhood was the chairman of the
grievance committee. "When a man got
fired he stood before the lodge and gave his case and the lodge would
vote as to whether the chairman would take up his grievance."
The lodge records show that during one meeting in 1897 seven
grievances were awarded for men who had been fired for minor infractions
of the rules. "Casey
Jones was one of them," Gurner says. "Nine different times Casey was out
of service for five to thirty days for minor infractions. They said this
was a reasonably good record."
of Locomotive Engineers, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, Order of
Railway Conductors, Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen and so on."
The records state that the specific charge was that the brother "did go to the house of a brother and disgrace him in an unbecoming manner and we, therefore, feel it our duty to take action in this case."
It was regular moved and seconded that (the brother) be expelled from the lodge for violation of obligation and unbecoming conduct to a Brother and that the secretary notify him.
"But how noble they were," Gurner adds, "when the lady in question was mentioned." In the minutes of the next meeting one more reference was made to the matter.
"We want it understood," the record states, "that we do not in any way implicate (the brother's wife) or in any way doubt her being a true and virtuous lady."
"How chivalrous can you be?" Gurner asks.
Copyright © 2000 Jack Gurner