Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-31

Testimony Before the Senate Com.
mittee To-day.

witness, and he stated that the price for setting
the rule and figure work is s1.2o per thousand
Government Office. A fair days work is two
pages a day, for which they received "a per day
The average is good so far as work is concerned
The Office would pay as much as thirty per cent
higher If paid for by the piece. He had never
held any conversation with MIR. Clapps son in
relation to the competency Of Messrs. Otis and
Brock. Mr.. Swami holds the position OF
chief drawer hand; previous to Mr..
Clapp's coming to the Office he could not
say how many drawer hands were en-
ployed. Mr.. Swami is absent sometimes
ard during his absence there is no occasion to
employ an extra hand. Mr.. Kerr is a clerk in
the office. The business of Mr.. Clements is to
take the time of the hands; this requires about
ten minutes each day. He has two assistants
but the exact duties of these assistants witness
did not know He had been appealed to to al
low men for time when they have been idle, but
Ii has always been the practice of the Office
during previous administrations to discharge
men who were shirks. For the purpose Of ex-
pediting business work has to be assorted. He
worked for Mr.. Wendell in '56 and 81, and did
no figure work for year at time. In job Of
fees the rule is to divide the fat work among
the hands. In rule and figure more mechan-
ism is required than in plain work. 1t is the
rule i'm job offices to draw for the fat work
The average Of the men in the Government
Ofce can not earn $50 per day on solid matter.
If good compositors are retained it could b.
done. Why such men are not employed h
could not say. HIS impressions are that Mr
grounds. He had known men to be discharged
from the office who could set up 1900 ems per
hour; Mr.. Briscoe was one and Mr.. Tinney
another whom witness could call to mind. These
men were discharged by Mr.. Otis simply be-
cause they had voted contrary to MIR. Otis ideas
A disposition had been manifested by some to
force the Typographical Union to take action
on the admission Of the colored man These who
have been mentioned were among those who
were opposed to colOred mems admission to the
office. Some of the most competent men had
md ma ,plor
ed much inferior to them. Such state Of demon
alizatOn existed in the Office as 10 call for an
order from Mr.. ClapP. This office had been
very much demOralized at different times since
he has acted as assistant foreman. 1t has oc-
CURED at several times to a small extent. The
cause was ascribed to the fact that there was no
Otis was not on good terms with witness, and
did not correct these things because, as il
appears to witness, he did not want to- Some
men had been discharged for leaving their
frames on business, while Others were per-
mitted to go all about the office. A
system OF terror had at one time ex-
listed there, he himself had been frequently
threatened with discharge by outside parties.
better state of things now existed since Mr.
Ethel came there. 1t is necessary that proof
reader should be good compOsitor The man
who keeps the time-bOOk has no knowledge
whether the amouDtsof work returned by the
hands is correct; this is a matter of honor with
settlement with the hands. There was no man
employed to measure the work He could not
say that these returns are reliable, but his i'm
preston is that they are not This certificate
applies to the piece hands as well as the day
hands; but the piece work is all measured after
wards. He had known MIR. Ethel since he be-
ceeded Col. Otis. Mr.. EtheIs general man
ner had convinced witness that he was
incompetent to act as foreman. Some
times he required work to be done in
a given time that was impossible to be done In
the time required. Other evidences of incompe
tency had come under his observation. He is
member OF the printers union. The union doe
not act on mans qualifications entirely i'm the
matter of membership. Witness had not been
an applicant for the position of foreman, by
word or letter. The general policy OF the oftice
has not been changed since Mr.. Clam cam
there His opinion is that s.. so per day Is fair
rate OF wages at 90 cents per thousand.
Mr.. G. Wendell was recalled, and said if he
was employed to carry on an office of the ca
pacity of the government Office he would not en-
plOy a man OF the competency Of Mr. Clapp He
did not consider him competent. He knew moth
ing personally of the competency or the qualifi-
did not en 5nD% SSi
thought he could run the Office cheaper than
Mr.. Charles d. Parsons testified that he is a
pressman; was foreman of the government press
room; has worked with Mr.. Ethel, bat does not
think him competent to run the press room.
George w. Bowen testified that he had been
employed at the Government Printing Office
since june last: Worked at the case and as
proof-reader. Did not think the proof readers
employed by Mr.. Clapp now were competent
men. One reading of copy by a competent
prOof-reader should be sufficient, as q general
thing.
Mr.. Madison Davis testified that he had been
employed in the Government Printing Office
since its establishment in various capacities,
and was at present preparer of copy. Mr..
ment of the duties of the chief clerk, but he
could not conscientiOusly make the afidavit
desired by Mr.. Clapp, and had declined to do
so. "The Fessenden Memorial" was designed
to be an octave book a bunder had been
made in 1t, and 1t was afterward changed to q
guarto, costing the government . large sum.
He believed the Government Printing Once
could be run with much more economy than it
Is. The appointment Of incompetent men had
much to do with this state OF things. He could
not say that the chief clerk is incompetent. The
cessary. but is of advantage to the Off ce.
Mr.. Z. p. Rowell testified that he has been
employed at the Government Printing Office
since 1868; He could not say that the ofice had
been conducted fairly since Mr.. Clapp had been
there. Too much had been required to be done
Of some of the compositors. He was one of them.
Mr.. Otis had been in the habit of cursing and
abusing the men. Mr.: Brock had always been
regarded by the craft az incompetent for the
duties he performed. Mr.. Otis had been ais-
charged from the Globe office for incompetency.
Mr.. Breck had acknowledged to him that he
knew nothing of rule and figure work. There
are more prOof-readers employed under Mr..
Clapp than under the former printers. Some
were absent about half the time, and he had
knew of q rebel, by the name Of Callahan, who
was employed in the Office, and another who re-
fused to take the oath OF allegiance. The pres
ent foreman is totally incompetent to perform
his duties.
Mr.. Jeremiah w. Knott testified that he had
been employed as . printer in the ONCE ever
since it had been established. Had known of
blunders having been committed there under
Mr.. Clapp. Mr.. Ethell Is o gentleman, and he
thought that by experience he might make Q
competent oficer. He thought there were more
blunders committed than under former print
ers. An error had been committed In the Land
ONCE Report which had to be rectihed.
Frederick b. Stitt testified that he u proof
reader; thought there were sOme incompetent
proof readers employed there under Mr.. Clapp.
He did not think tho number Of readers was In
excess Of what Il needed.
Thos. B. Penicks said that he preferred not 10
testify; Is foreman of the folding-room. Mis-
takes had occurred under his observation; not
very serious ones, however. Knew Mr.. Ethel
well. His work Was well performed, and thought
him competent. He knew Of no waste In the
ONCE.
r. w. CLAYTON testified that he had been en-
ployed about fourteen years In the ONCE. Knew
very little Of Mr.. Otis, but more OF MI. Brock.
Could not say that Mr. Otis u not competent to
perform his duties. He thought tho once gen.
erally might be conducted moro economically,
though Nj. Clapp does about as well a. his pre-
decessor.