Scope and Content Note

The interest in Mr. Empey's career centers about his activity as a State Capitol lobbyist for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen and about his many years of “grass-roots” campaigning for the Progressive party in Wisconsin. The Empey Papers contain correspondence concerned with his political activities and correspondence concerned with union grievance work. Practically every year of the correspondence has some material on union grievance work; apparently Empey was very diligent on this. In some cases he worked many years with railroad officials to get men reinstated in their jobs. The political correspondence reveals the strong ties between the trade unions and the Progressive Party. In the two years (1931-1933) of his State Directorship of the U.S. Employment Service, the problems there, of course, dominate the correspondence. Finally, for someone interested in the technical aspects of railroading from the operating man's viewpoint, there is material concerning the condition of equipment, engines, and stations.

Following is a list of some of the high points in the papers, which are arranged chronologically:

1922	Delegate to the Brotherhood Convention in Houston
1922	Long federal inspection report on the poor condition of equipment after a strike
1925	Information on pay for union activity
1925	Correspondence with Attorney General Reynolds and Governor Blaine
1926	Correspondence regarding support of Blaine for U.S. Senate
1926	Letter of Congressman Peavy illustrating Progressive interparty bickering
1927	Correspondence on Green Bay city politics
1928	Correspondence on the election campaign of State Attorney General Reynolds, Congressman Geo. F. Schneider, U.S. Senator Robert M. La Follette, Jr., and Al Smith for President
1928	Statements of pay for political work
1928	Attendance at Brotherhood Convention in San Francisco
1929	Correspondence with Congressman J. D. Beck, Phil La Follete, J. F. Chase of Oconto, Wisconsin Railroad Commissioner McDonald, and State Treasurer Sol Levitan
1930	Activity towards election of J. W. Reynolds to State Supreme Court, opposing Fowler
1930	Correspondence on the question of harmony between Catholics and Protestants in Green Bay local politics
1930	An opinion by U.S. Senator Blaine on the granting of bank charters
1930	Correspondence in support of Philip La Follette for Governor
1930	An invitation to escort Attorney General J. W. Reynolds to Capitol rotunda for oath taking
1930	Letters with regard to the appointment of Dr. E. E. Kelly of Green Bay to the University Board of Regents
1931	State Director of U.S. Employment Service correspondence
1931	Letters of cooperation from Gov. Philip La Follette and Treasurer Sol Levitan
1931	Correspondence with Wisconsin Chambers of Commerce for cooperation
1931	Listing of pay for Union lobbying work from 1924-1931.
1932	Correspondence with J. D. Beck, a Wisconsin Commissioner of Agriculture
1932	Correspondence indicating Wisconsin Republican Stalwarts question his support of Hoover in 1932 and therefore his fitness for a Federal job
1932	Correspondence indicating that the Northwestern Railroad is refusing to extend his leave of absence
1932	Correspondence with Gov. La Follette and Senator Blaine
1933	Correspondence regarding Labor Secretary Perkins' dismissal of State Directors of the Employment Service
1934	Invitation to Gov. La Follette's inaugural
1935	Correspondence regarding the appointment of Dr. E. E. Kelly of Green Bay to the University Regents
1936	Recommendation of Empey for a position on the Wisconsin Public Service Commission by the Green Bay Trades Council
1936	Correspondence showing interest in the Farm-Labor movement
1937	Empey recommends R. F. Green for position on Public Service Commission; Green appointed in 1939
1938	Aids Orland Loomis campaign for Attorney General
1942	Correspondence regarding campaigns of “Young Bob” La Follette for U.S. Senate and Orland Loomis for Governor
1945	Correspondence concerning his pension rights starts and continues until he retires
1947	Correspondence deals with reminiscences about Governor Blaine and Congressman Beck on a trip to Boscobel
1947	Comment on “Young Bob” La Follette's campaign
1948	Correspondence regarding a derailment in his experience
1948	A little campaigning for Ralph Immel
1949	Correspondence with Publisher William Evjue of the Madison Capital Times against Assemblyman Catlin
1952	Correspondence with Evjue regarding Senator McCarthy's reelection

Names that figure frequently in the correspondence include A. P. Hansen, local chairman of Lodge 266 of the B.L.F.E. at Green Bay; R. F. Green, Chairman of the B.L.F.E. State Legislative board, in references by Floyd; and A. R. McDonald who was a member of the Railroad Commission of Wisconsin and a personal friend.