Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-08-31
subdivision of Labor

y
of twenty years ago were superior work
men to those who have graduated of late
years. 1t is boldly asserted that mechanics,
us a class, have deterioratcd. We do not
subscribe to this opinion, but we will point
out briefly some of the reasons why the
opinion is entertained.
Twenty years ago the apprentice TO an
industrial trade was taught all its mysteries
from the preparation of the crude material
to the finish and ornamentation OF the COM
pleted structure. The carpenter took the
rough tree bole, and, by chalk linca and broad
axe, marked out and hewed it to square
timber. With the common anger, mortis-
ing chiscl and mallct, he cut mortises and
formed lemons. He framed and erected the
skeleton of the building, covered it with
boards, made the window-fr frames, the sashes,
laid the floors, worked out the mouldings,
and finished the whole interior, even TO lath-
ing.
The blacksmith forged iron and steel, tenn
pcred tools, tired wheels, shod horses, ironed
carriages, and repaired agricultural impe-
mcnts. The machinst sometimes chalkcd
out designs, made patterns, and, perhaps,
moulded them, filed, Clipped, planned, turned,
bored, polished, estimated on work, built and
repaired every sort of machinery, from a
steam engine to a whcclbarrow, from loom
to ships pump.
All this is changed. No more do carpen-
tiers hew their timber; one machine mortises
and another forms lemons. Houses are Of
ten erected without single mortise or ten
on. Joiners finish the interior. The doors
window-framcs and sashes are made at a
factory Even the glazing is done in large
establishments devoted exclusively to that
one branch. Lathers are an industrial COM
munity by themselves The farrier shoes
horses, the carriage smith irons carriages
the forger hammers away on n special class
of work. He may manage the heavy Jobs
for marine and stationary engines, restrict
himself to forging and tcmperlng steel, or
form the thousand and one shapes intended
for cotton, flax, or woollen machinery; or he
NAV confinc himself to the business of forg-
ing and fitting tools for working the metals
and in this specially he becomes an expert
as much above the man who FORCES and tom
pers stone drills and chisels as the machine
forger is above the country blacksmith Tho
machinist is ''bench workman" Il 'planer'
On a turner" lie may he an excellent man
in mandatory of cotton machinery. and
comparatively worthless as a builder of To-
comotivcs. He mty understand thoroughly
the construction of looms, or the process o.
making good spindle for spinaing. and be
unable to set Il valve on Il steam engine
The valuable man in a marine establishment
would be almost worthless in gun shop.
SO there is no parallel by which the york
man of twenty years ago can he gagged Will
the workman of to-day. The whole trouble
of comparing the past with the present con
sists in the necessity which our mechanical
progress has compelled of sub-dividing tn,
departments of labor. 1t cannot reasonably
be expected that those who have been edu
Gated to perform a certain department o
work, can be thoroughly booked up in othel
departments, which, perhaps, may be closely
allied to their chosen speciality. In versa
tility of talent, undoubtedly, the men whC
learned their trade when the arts were com
paratively young, have an advantage. They
were compelled to prepare their work, anC
consequently are the sort of men who ar
invaluable in crisis. They are fertile il
eXpcdients. They understand what shoult
be done under trying circumstances. The
can devise 'make-shifts," but net always cal
they produce a good job.
But our mechanics have not deteriorated
Those who conGne themselves to one brancl
are usually better workmcn than those VIII,
have spent fifteen or twenty years in prac
Using at dozen differing processes. Tn
lather, who makes that his specially excel
the carpenter who turns from hewing tim
DEF 10 lalnlnS rooms. Inc lOrScr OF uOOl
can work and temper steel better than tn
blacksmith, who, in one day, forges the cranl
for saw-mill, tires wheel, and tcmpers
knife-blade The machinist who has spen
years in the construction Of engines, know
more about steam and its agents for trans
hitting power than he who never repaired
an engine.
We look upon this subdivision of labor a
direct means in the improvement of me
chanics as well as sure method of pro
crossing in the value Of our products. lie
man-an apprenticc-alter learning tn
general principles of his business, devote hi
time and energies exclusively to that brancI
of his trade for which he is best fitted b,
education and natural taste, and there vii
in time be no means of drawing a compari
son between the mechanics of twenty year
ago and those of to-day, to the damage Q
the latter.-SciGntitic American.