The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-01
NAVY YARD DISMISSALS.
FOURTEEN HUNDRED HEADS OF
F.IMILIES our or UORK.
Men = mt OF Tint the thiofs May Have Va
cntioust Tint Friends should be Ap-

thousand men were discharged IN Saturday last,
and the gap et In the lines Monday. as the labor
ers we're drawn up, was dreadfully visible. II was
like the loss In a single battle OF two.thirds OF
brigade. The sound Of the hammer and adze
stied and the hum Of voices was no longer
heard. The watchmen were startled by the
echo OF their footsteps, and to
,ccusomcd to the eess activity and whlrr OF
the busy yard II seemed as II Sunday had drawn its
sleepy h,cd over the busy, ever changing Gec Of
Affairs People are blue enough in the yard, and
more than me ancholy outside. Tie discharged
workmcn are occasionally hopeful, but to those who
know the immedia future. the prospect Is not
bright for them. All the appropriations for the pre-
sent fiscal year ere expended In the Bureau
Of Construction ana Engineering Unless
special appropriation Is made by Con
gress, no more money can be expended
by either Of those Departments, aud oonseque ntlS
DO more men could be engaged until amer the 1t
day Of next June. In the Bureau OF Ordnance and
Equipment there remains certain sum unexpended, 4,
suncicn, not only to take them through the year
but to ed the Bureau OF Docks aud Yards to get
through It's work. There has been deal Of money
espeudc thus far, aud the cash box has
hrustcd Just at the time when money is greatly
needed to keep up our squadrons abroad. Congress
only enable the Department to 60 on with n,ces.
sary work.
THE MEN ARE TREATED.
There seem to be many grievances experienced
by the employees, and their complaints have b, en-
made public on more than occasion. They have
been subj ct TO treatment tina. be regarded
very harsh ind ed The non say they have bocn IL
able to 1nts for almost anything and everything by
those in power. hmust here be admitted that The
naval officers in charge OF the yard are not % much
blamed b. them Us the civilian. who are their oyci.
secis
THE IMPOSITION or FINES.
Yet I cannot be understood why such course o.
&C ion can be pursued by the civilians who are sub
20 the naval authorities. Il appears from c,uyc..
sation held by a Sun reporter with one Of ;U
men that the naval officers Of the var.
entirely l. more them. and listen to appeals from
The Mt OF the bosses. The fact is sr," sal
this mar, that plain workman has no chance Will
the OF ,crs who would believe the bo.se.' word N
preference to their oa,n." They say that the slight
ate d-iri sal or heavy fine; and tn t matter how
heayY , ne hnc the worsmen prefer paying y to
late a, tines whss thew % ycrs nshs n pisr S
regular hour vet they dare not COMPLAIN as that
would only get them into greater trouble and enta
It's lid also that more rlid discipline is enforced
wi9 ne worAlngmen than nth enlisted sailors. bu
emily tie lesser grievance.
THE CIVILIAN bosses.
These men. who draw large pay and have many
chances, ere mostly local politicians OF no oI-
occup.'.on Many Of those now filling lucra-
i've Offices have been appointed by the la,
Administration and continue under that Of Gen.
Grant. Others have since obtained their place.
These men. the majority Of them, It Is alleged were
never In any position TO gain for them any great eA
perence IN the management OF treatment OF any
large. number OF workingmcn. On the contrary,
mtser- OF machine shops employing but very few
They are charged with cruelty injustice and tyranny
6y tie men, VIC also accuse them OF doing then
utmo.tto natr The work unplenssnt, and Of maSiHL
changes IN the Operation of affairs apparently most
unmp rant to the Governm, mt, but certainly ad-
yantEtOus 10 themsc.yts.
HOW MEN ARE DISMISSED.
Al times the officers are Afflicted with strange Gts
81 economy, but It Is noticeable that the economical
movements scarcely ever affect themselves bot Hl
ia on the workmcn. Nashingtou occasionally re-
coiyes iutimaton that \ reduction Is needed
th,n an order for ~ INQUIRY Is made, which gene
rally develops itself In asserting that there j.
May men employed. Then hundreds or thousands
OF honest worklngmcn are at once thrown out II
employ meut, and their families sent to stafye while
but few, IN oompar!-on, OF their well paid Dosscs
are requested TO yacatc the premises The workmcn
have indeed. Informed ruH . ~ reporter that one
grand O,sire the part of officials TO have large
numbers Of workmoh DISCHARGED lies In the fact
that period OF rest iom work and is respon .ihili.
ties Is desired by the Aforesaid bosses. ono ais, &c
anu there ore over the gangwI y the men musi 60
TnE LATE DIsAlssAIs, AND THEIR RESULTS.
II the authorities in Washington were better sc.
euanted WITH tie fcts, and lcys guided by the re.
presentations rom their officers in New York there
would not e 20 much misery occa-oned IN this city
and Brookyn. Since the lst Of December, there
nearly fourteen hundred men the greater portion OF
whom were married and had large families depend.
season o. the year, and at perod, as the men al
lcge, wien there was at least much work 10 be
done as woull employ them until the cold Wtaler
had disappeared.
CONDITION OF THE MEN.
a numecr OF these people reside in the immediate
,lciS.ty Of tie MY Yard while 4 majority belong
TO New York. To the former place our reporter
made visit Yesterday. aud ttcre witnessed scrncs
tai Nerc truly touching. There arc up TO the pres.
tnt hut Few clscs Of aileet royolty although any
Lelrly alrroach that climax o. misery; fol- the mr.
na all Of the letter class AMI have been prudeu.
snd snVnr whiii 1T work. lney ,tl onieavor to
retain theI O!l sen.iltf,' Dnt the inrJais mad
ulon their little sNins are easily apparent ",
r,Ir ~ this to the mechanics no received far pay
but as to the laborrr their modest pitance has Dis
sppeared, ahd wan, already sarcs them IN the face
AN ENGINEERS OPINION.
7HH SUN representative Lad a conversation with
an ensinrer, now residing In Grand street Ask.
discnargcd the reply was: "Y,s sir; but there Is
piGny to do in The yard, 9od for one, would never
kErorTER-Then why did the Government make
the largest
ESGiSEER-I do not blame the Government, for
they acted On the information they received
REroETkR-Then can you tell any reason why
heie Should be a suppression Of the real facts -
tNGlNEKE-Becluse sir, there ID stun IN tie yard
hhd engine houses that should AT once DO used up,
or el.c II wiz be injured before the cold, damp
REloRTER-Is that your reason; do you know any
othCil
N.,"iHLhh-htl' lne Utn tl'nk tndt when they
GO lLrr work properly and there Is desire to dis.
lOn
hEloRTER-Nhy should there be such a desiret
EhGlhLEh with knowing wink)--You know
uhl vhcn thousand or two thonsand men are put
on ~ few Of the old men are among the nun Der
ana sometimes man out Of work rs content 10 pay
lrine for goud employment
EtrpHT ER-lhat - YOUR op.nionf
fftIhiER again ylyJ-OA, no. don't say that
ptl the men think o.
OFFICIAL FAyOHITIsN.
Evtr} New York man worhin3 In the Navy Yard
iecr g." nearly one dollar Per week less Gaming,
NHn l- blooklyn 'Onlrerc, msomuch that his ferTi.
ego .' car iare, TO and fron work, entail an cx.
ltNso " about sIKte,n cents per day. The men
Gh'lgc that the majority of the favored men arc
democrats OF Brooklyn, and some from New York
"h' IN boss WIN Droie'scs to be a Radical Rcpub,
leln is inclined to favor for some reason best
EIoWn 10 himself 1t IS also said that the ward
Hhoh has the distinguished honor OF owning this In.
Aiuual mas proportion Of the appointments In the
suo OF twenty 10 three four OF the others both
sucs. " ~
EUhBER or DISCHARGES.
xIir'y'eght thousandI men were discharged last
Tr,k lh I various Navy Yards OF the United States
nVst remaining ure engaged In the Engineers and
equipment Department No more ships c IN be con.
'"1e'eu or repaired under tho present regulations.