The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1860-01-06
To Mechanics.

ing article clipped from the Baltimore Sun,
we consider excellent, and would respectful
ly recommend it to the attentive perusal of
the "boss" as we'll as his journeymen or ap-
prentice:
CARE AND NEATNEss BY MEcHANICs.-Man
a fair mechanic tolls all his life, together
with his apprentices and journeyman, and
never gets beyond bare competency. He
never wins popularity, special considera-
ton, good business name. He never ac-
quires that place in the public mind which,
when job in his line is to be done, brings
up his name first and promptly as the man
to do it. He makes good show, perhaps,
and throughout his whole career succeeds in
keeping up tolerable appearance. Conse-
quently, he occasionally secures paying
contract; and he enjoys the custom of GER
tain class who are not particular about his
work, or inattentive to his defects; that sort
of men, who, generally easy-going, are rather
disposed to overlook positive blemishes than
to point them out and have them correc
ted.
There is another class of mechanics upon
whom so many people in the community are
accustomed to call, when job is to be done
in their line, that it is not easy to command
their services. 1t is not, perhaps, that they
one may be just as expert and as capable in
the actual labor performed as the other;
and it is barely possible that the man in
least favor with the public may eally be the
most clever and ingenious of the two. Yet
he can never rise, and is half his lifetime en-
barrassed in his circumstances, while the
other advances to competency in a few
years and thence to fortune.
We cannot entirely account for these
things, but the fact is applicable in part by
the observation of most men. General quail
tiles, such as discrimination, perseverance
and punctuality- Especially the latter are
exceedingly influential in working out the
difference. Discernment, readiness to COM
prehend, and to do just what is wanted, are
great recommendations. But nothing, we
believe, has more effect in winning the way
to public favor than care and neatness in the
execution of work especially is this appli-
cable to all cases in which the work done is
under the eye and subject to the inspection
of the party for whom it is done. These are
cases which make or mar the success OF the
mechanic.
We do not intend to illustrate what we
mean by special instances /; but we could do
so, both from our own experience and that
of others. We have known persons called
upon to do Job of work, and they have
done it, but after such bungling fashion
that single glance assures you they were
either incompetent or that they did not care
how they did it. Yet you know very we'll
that the principal in whom you confided was
capable enough. The inference you draw is
"like master like man," and you cannot re-
sist the concluion that however capable the
principal, there is some defect, or he would
net be represented by such work.
1t not unfrequently occurs that man call
ed in to perform some little job, manages in
the execution of it to do more damage to
could narrate several instances directly in
point illustrative of this fact. Such men are
Indifferent to or incapable of appreciating
the value of property, and think only of do
ing the work they were called upon to do
regardless of pretty much everything else.
Another matter in which we have had ex.
perience, consists in requiring a man to do
a piece of work in particular way, and he
insists upon doing it in another way. 1t is
doubtless the duty OF an experienced me-
chanic to correct, by suggestion, errors of
Judgment, when called to do specific thing,
in a way disadvantageous to the party re-
knowing the possibility with the wishes ex-
pressed, all he has to do is to provide against
responsibility of failure, and the consequent
ces are not for him to consider. We know
q case in which man was called upon to
correct flow of water in a particular way.
He maintained that another way would be
be better, and he did not choose even to
make an estimate of the cost of doing it in
the way proposed to him. Another party
was called upon who did it in the manner
proposed, made good job of it, and nothing
could be better.
The influence exerted by the habits, in
IF no
upon iourneymen and apprentices, is all i'm
portant, and is sure to be felt. We could
point to master-mechanics in Baltimore upon
whom we can rely with confidence that
lob would be done just as neatly and care.
fully by their youngest apprentice or any
journeyman in their employ, competent to
do it, as if the principal did it himself FOR
personally superintended it. And it is as
tonishing how soon this influence is made eff
fective. An instance familiar to us is worth
narrating to this point:
A gentleman OF our acquaintance sent an
order to master-mechanic some two or
three years ago to do certain piece of
work. A man came to do it and made
complete botch of it. He sent to another
man in the same business and it was we'll
done. Some two years afterwards job in
the same line had to be done, and he sent to
the latter whom he had frequently employed
since the first time. Always with the same
result-a neat job. On the last occasion the
job was done during the absence of the pro-
prietor of the house, but he returned just
as the workman was leaving the door, and
to his chagrin recognized the very person
who had made botched piece OF work for
him two years ago. "Why, sir" said the
proprietor, al sent to Mr.. - to attend
to this matter" ayes, sir" was the reply,
al work for him now" "Well, before you
go, step in with me, and let me see what
YOU have DONE" said the proprietor, fully
expecting another specimen OF botch. To
his surprise and qualification it was para
gon of neatness. GLOW long have you work
ed for Mr.. -" "About two years, sir"
"Well, thought miracles had ceased, but
this is one, and we'll worth halt dollar"
which he handed to the wondering crafts
man. The change from one employer to an
other, and practice under rigid and SER
viceable system had merely brought out the
good qualities of competent man.