The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-03-10

Bobl That cupid, with parti colored
| wings, failed in his duty as far as be was
concerned but then he turned around
| and wove spell for two other people
and perhaps that is as much as cone can
expect of cupid.-Hsuth and Home.
An English Engineer on American
NOrkmen.
An English mechanical engineer now
employed in America writes as follows to
Engineering:
The United States, rs field formechan-
zeal engineering, is subject that will
doubtless interest your numerous readers
Your correspondents twelve years eype-
rience and observation in England, and
three years here, enables him to explain
and criticiSe the prospect Of advancement,
systems OF doing work, etc, of both coun-
| tries, en- gros ct en- detail. MANY persons
may say the difference cannot be great :
but | would advise them to dismiss that
idea lnstanter. The artisan coming here
has twotold task to perform: ii. st, a new
business to learn secondly "A trade already
learned to forget. The former is a task
comparatively easily accomplished; the
latter IS somewhat more difficult to attain
III YOU Will take up pen and try to write
leit-handed, you will have tOlerably ac-
curate idea of the task an Englishman on
his first arrival undertakes, in endeavor-
ing TO understand the American system of
conducting shop and doing work. |
snail never forget my first impressions on
entering the Rogers Locomotive Factory,
at Paterson n. j., and the Pennsylvania
Central Railroad Works, at Altoona; the
quantity and variety OF machines was
bewildering, one in particular which
was cutting small keyways | remark
ed to the foreman that | would
engage to cut two by hand while the ma
chine cut one. The reply was, Will the
Keys being cut in that machine fit the key
ways you will cut by hand:' "Well, not
exactly; but they won't want much fit
ting: They will want some fitting ,"
3" 1es, little "Will the keyways you
cut by hand be llexactly alike ?" "Wen,
OF course, there may be a slight difference;
but that is Of no consequence" That is
Just where your head isn't level; any key
cut here will fit any keyway cut in that
machine; there is no driving them in and
out TO lit them, no marking each piece to
It's place. Ii at any time new shaft, cam,
or Key is wanted, | can send it with the
absolutely certainty that it will fit. 1t
mans skill rs to the quantity or quality of
his work. Those cams ali have TO be
taken oil to have the pins riveted in; i'm
putting them together again YOU have not
got To search for any particular piece; the
ilrst shaft, cam, and key you pick up will
ilt 1t IS not necessary To go to the tool
room for the letters to mark them, to
be told some one else has them :;
and some one else has not to come
to you to know how long you shall
want them; your bench is not strewn
with letters, figures, surface-plates,' mark
ing pots, etc" To resume: Is the United
States desirable place for mechanical en-
gIneers Yes, and no. according to- quality.
III Is not The place for q man whose sole
object IS his pay at the end of the week /;
1t IS not the place for mere animated ma
chinc-He would soon find himself out of
employment 1t is the place for intelli-
gent, energetic and capable men. And |
say most cmphatically, that any man up
to the required standard, may come here
with the absolute certainty that he will
rise in exact proportion to his ability. |
have come into contact with many here
from prominent firms in England, as Sharp
Stewards, the Crcwc Works, Beyer &
Peacock's, Wilson's, Napier's, PENIS, etc.
Some In good positions, others disap-
pointed; and 1 could point out in each
case the cause of failure. Out of every
twelve eight were not qualified; two had
pleasure on the brain, and two hid their
abilities under a bushel The eight I'M
qualihed consist OF some stereotyped me-
chanics, We'll versed in whatever they may
nave been engaged in, but possessing no
idea or resources beyond ; and some labor
ing under the most unaccountable and ex-
traordinary delusion that they knew some
thing; the last two enumerated being
probably individuals who thought to let
people know that they knew something
that would make the world as wise as
themselves; and threw an air of mystery
around their knowledge, intending to con-
yey the idea that they were profoundly
wise in their generation; whereas the i'm
preston actually produced was that, not
knowing anything, they couldn't tell il to
any one.
Nov, permit me to explain why there
is an opening for superior mechanics.
Because American workshops are divided
into separate departments, and the APP
prentices are not put into each DEPART
ment; hence the knowledge they obtain
is limited. Because, there being no an
premiership law or trade custom, an ap-
prentice leaves his shop as soon as he has
learned sufficient to get more money else
where; hence he rarely attains proficiency.
Because the employer, knowing the APP
prentice is liable to leave at any moment,
taxes no interest in teaching him his bust
ness, out puts him wherever he is most
useful Because the machine does here
what the skill Of the workman does in
England. The American artisan is en-
ployed to run machine that does its
work accurately, without leaving any
thing to be done by hand hence he do, q
not get the work to do that would MAKE
him skillful workman. Don't infer that
Americans are, in consequence, inferior in
skill. : will, however, devote Il letter To