Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-11-09
eTEAMgoATHEg.

TIE st. Louis Democrats commercial
editor does gross injustice to steamboat
men, in an article copied from that paper
into our River column this morning. He
upjustly contrasts the duties Of railroad
conductors with those Of steamboat cap
tains, and suggests the reduction OF the
wages OF the latter to those Of the fCrm-
er also those Of steamboat engineers to
thstpaid railroad engineers; sgeaeral re-
dUction Of the salaries Of book-keepers
and clerks to follow as q consequence.
Now without any disparagement CT the
claims Of railroad employees, we DO not
agree with our cCteDPoTary, 20 to
MS comparison q the duties OF
river and steamboat officers. Il re-
qulces q high degree Of intelligence, Of
experience snd care TO navigate q steam
boat and avoid the dangers that are as
constantly arising on our great inland
is the command Of 9 crew, and the details
incident to constant intercourse with
farmers and commercial men, requiring
3 knowledge Of human nature, an alert
ness and foresight not often called for IN
= conductor. Those who have studied
the varied duties Of 8 modern steam
boat captain are most loud ia their
praises Of them, as they, by a sort
Of natural adsptsbility, accomplish the
three-fold labors Of captain, OF host and
Of business man. OF the clerks il Is
needless, almost, to speak. Theirs is q
cesseless activity, ia and out Of port.
What between receiving freights and
passengers in port and dischargiDg and
receiving way freights along the route
to the port Of destination, the FIRST, sec
ond OF third clerks have little rest, GER
tsinly no leisure. OF the engineers, On
hTst-clsss packets especially, It is ex-
pected that they will be something more
than mere drivers" IS the men are
termed who in England attend railroad
chauics, possessed OF q thorough knowI-
edge Of the capacity and running pow
ers of the engine committed to their
care, OF ceassless vigilance and charac-
terizsd by great caution. II an accident
happen to the craft, in most cases they
are called upon 20 assist in the necessary
repairs, and a consequent display Of skill
in their trade, commencing at the COM
monest piece Of forged WORK, Is expected.
The mates, too, are men VINO require
to be skiiful in their department. They
superintend the loading and unloading
Of the boat, see that she is properly
1" trimmed" and are the officers gener-
ally relied upon to determine the carry
ing capacity Of a boat, and decide between
the peclniary desires Of the owners and
the amount a craft can " tOtsn without
sinking below her "g~uards." With the
Eogineer and Conductor things are diff
ferent. Their trains are made I'd for
them, and only within half an hour OF
starting time are they called upon for
duty; and upon reaching destination
they step of, and shake off rs they step
of, ali responsibilities. While running,
their cares are great. The precious
freight Of human life and property en-
trusted TO their Sstchful care, and the
general a OF security impaired by
their performance Of so onerous a duty
are almost beyond al price or conputa-
ton Of value. Bat they are not so con- !
tipuOusly employed as their brethren Of
the river, nor do their cares wear 50
heavily or their dangers approach by
one-hah those that every twenty-fou
hours sre brsved by the men who nsvl-
gate Dur Western rivers. With the oues-
ton of wages we will not interfere.
That is to be settled by the employer and
the employed. But we do object TO a
comparison that places steamboat cap
tains upon a plane with railroad conduc-
tors, however expert and intelligent.