[Footnote 31:  Switchmen’s Journal, Vol. 1, p. 244.]

The present International Brotherhood of Maintenance-of-Way Employees has suffered many vicissitudes in its development.  It was organized in the summer of 1887 as the Order of Railway Trackmen, and admitted into membership foremen in the maintenance-of-way department, road masters and bridge and building masters.[32] In October, 1891, this organization, with a membership of 600, united with the Brotherhood of Railway Section Foremen, an organization with 400 members.  The new union took the name of Brotherhood of Railway Trackmen of North America.  Prior to 1898 the Brotherhood was almost exclusively a fraternal insurance society, but in that year collective bargaining was added to its functions.  In 1903 the organization became the Brotherhood of Maintenance-of-Way Employees.  It admits to membership “persons employed in the track, bridge and building, water and fuel department, and signal and interlocking service.”  During the last five years the membership of the Order has shown considerable increase.  In 1903 over 15,000 members were added, making a total of over 40,000 on January 1, 1904.

[Footnote 32:  Advance Advocate, Vol. 7, p. 106.]

Originally the insurance was compulsory.  At the convention of October, 1893, it became optional and remained so until October, 1894, when it again became compulsory.  Owing to opposition from members carrying old-line insurance and from the uncertainty in the number of assessments levied each year, the St. Louis convention of 1896 reverted to a system of optional insurance.  Previous to the adoption of this plan the Order had paid death, total disability and partial disability claims to the amount of about $75,000.  From January 1, 1897, to September 30, 1904, $74,909.66 was paid to beneficiaries, making a total paid since organization of about $150,000.

The National Association of Letter Carriers of the United States of America was organized at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1889.  In 1891 the Association was incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey, and on February 26, 1892, was reincorporated under the laws of the State of Tennessee.  The aim of this organization is “to unite fraternally all the letter carriers in the United States so as (a) to secure their rights as Government employees and to promote the welfare of every member, and (b) to found the United States Letter Carriers’ Mutual Benefit Association."[33] The first annual session appointed a committee to draw up a plan for an insurance system.  The report was published in January, 1891, and was considered by the National Association at its second annual session in August, 1891,[34] and the Mutual Benefit Association was instituted.[35] The insurance has always been voluntary and consequently the membership of the Benefit Association has been only a small part of that of the National Association.  On July 1, 1905, there were 5318 members carrying insurance to the amount of $13,866,000, while there were 19,000 members of the National Association.