New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-02
MAYNARD MANAGEMENT.
GRANTS CIVIL SERVICE REFORM ILLUS
L trf"N TRATED
THE PHILADELPHIA NAYY-YARD LEAGUE IsLANI
STATION RUN IN THE INTEREST OF THE AID
MINIsrRATIoN AS MERE POLITICAL MA


To the Bdifor OF TIE Tribune
SIR: | have read tho communications which
have appeared In THB TRIBUNE from the Kittery and
Brooklyn Navy Yards, and with my knowledge Of tho
present OF the Philadelphia Navy and
League Island Station. have every TO place i'm
pici reliance In the statements Of your correspondents
l am ship-carpenter Of experience extending over
moro than u years in private and Government ship
yards. / am at present employee in the Philadelphia
Navy-Yard. but / soorn tho seryillty with which
many OF my fellow mechanics submit 10 the impernen
dictation Of political trcksters, shall tell what know
about this yard under Its present management
MUCH SHOW OF WORK, BUT LITTLE DONE.
Having this letter In view for some time. have made
II rule going upon business from part OF the
Yard another TO pass through the chops In order to
observe tho men at their work am convinced that
nowhere in tho United States are the workmen them
selves utterly reckless to the amount OF work nc
complished neglected as In the Philadelphia Yard
In all other public works which have seon there Is at
least sembanoe of labor tho part of tho employees
but in these shops have 100 standing literally
idle Their tools lie unused upon the lathes and work
benches. The machinery Is invariably kept In tho live
Hest motion, and visitors passing ON the outside OF the
shops led from the amount OF noise to believe that the
institution Is crowded TO its utmost capacity Within
none busy except the fireman and engineer. Saws
planlngmachines, lathes and drills are kept fully
manned and It admitted fact that the injury to the
shops guncarrage shops construction and model shops
rigging and sail lofts the founderes, the offices and the
ships out OF commission all full OF men, yet nobody
appears have any work 10 do. This wasefulness OF
time realized when the Yard visited by coal boats
owned by private contractors. which are manned bJs
employees who accustomed to work brsky for their
money. Then is the contrast between public and
private employment.
THE CLASS OF MEN on PAYROLL
On July Is there were only $50 men employed in the
Philadelphia Yard. After drawing the new appropria
ton they began gradually TO increase their force until
there at present 1900 on the rolls Not less than
COO men have been taken into the Yard In the last six
weeks. The strongest sdherents Of the Administration
admit that there Democrats or Liberal Repub-
cans on tho force but they boldly declare that only the
winning party entitled to share the bounty OF the
Government. They assert that outsiders" are unwor
thy Unemployment howsOever competent and this stands
as the recognized rule OF the Yard In defiance OF the
Government regulations. These 1900 men, OF whom
an one do not include a body Of picked bul-
lies topers pettifoggers, and election officers to be
spoken OF below The large force Is principally without
work. and those who engaged might as well be Idle
We know that the work is secondary object,
and that the chief guarantee OF favor is
10 be obtained by voting for Hartranft and
Grant Tho most glarlng fact, however. showing
both the extravaganza and strategy Of the present Ad
mnisration ia the quasi employment Of fully 200 men
who do not pretend TO work The majority OF these are
present each morning at mustercal 70 meet the re-
qurements OF the law, and they all report with great
regularity the 2h day OF every month for their pay
These men arc without exception Grant politicians, and
many Of them have other occupations outside the Yard
am personally acquainted with several among whom
may particularize MCGEE weltodO saloonkeeper In
Locustst Philadelphia His saloon is rendezvous for
tho Grant adherents from the sums In the neghbor-
hood A man answering to the name OF Alexander
Smith, who resides in tho Nineteenth Ward, comes en-
trely the city eyery morning to answer at roll
CALL after which he disappears for the day One Saus
bury O blear-eyed man, whom ono needs TO see only
once to remember lifetime, hangeron in this Yard.
He PROCESSES to get living by his WITS and remarka-
BILE for his expertness In begging drinks. He lives In
Fibert st. with his brother both Of whom receive money
from the paymaster OF the Yard He is fair sample Of
the class and Just the character who can control
certain number OF drunken voters
Five TINES AS MANY IN CHARGE AZ IN WAR TINES.
Thus 1000 officers, clerks workmen, and outside cleo
tioneerers drawing large pay from Government for
which 1t is their boast that they do not intend 10 give
equivalent, except by casting their votes for the
Grant ticket Ia any berter evidence wanted OF the
rottenness Of the Administration party In Philadelphia
The extraordinary prodigaiy in this Yard shown in the
creation OF unnecessary work for the apparent employ
men OF electloneerng material demands immediate In
vestgaton by the people. have watched the attacks
of THE TRIBUNE upon the abuses existing In various
departments OF tho Government and 1 am convinced
TO reform the Civil Service. There has been
n revolution In the adjustment OF the bust
ness of this Yard since the Inauguration OF
President Grant. Prior to that time-eyen during
the war-the whole business Of the institution under
one head One set OF officers, stOrekeepers clerks and
messengers was sufficient perform the entire routine
Of duty aud the Yard Is known to have been managed
with strict economy. There are to-day less than
seven distinct services departments each requiring
the number OF supernulneres as the single one OF
buster days. Now have the Bureaus OF Construction,
Equipment, Navigation, Steam Engineering, Ordnance
Provisions and Clothing aud Medicine and Surgery
naming a e has It's allotment Of naval Ocers beside
chief clerk and store and muster clerks whose salaries
are higher than they were during the war; Thus,
five times az many men. at higher pay, In
most idle, there were during the rush OF war times
The department which then cost only 900 per annum
10 maintain requires $4,000. only mention this
IA fair specimen OF the entire management the Yard
under this "mOst economical Administration"
TIE COST OF THE USELESS.
The old frigate Antietam the through
which q large number Of useless employees retained
IN tho Yard. She remained untouched for many
months until late in July, when abe was attacked by
large force OF men, who muster as mechanics but many
OF whom have served at any other trade than cleo
tiODeering The Anetamihas laid the stocks nearly
eight years She was built at great expense, but was
never launched, aud the mechanics anticipate the COM
naeessary have to be rebuilt The unnebaugh is to
be built anew, and the workmen arc now employed on
the hull. The old monitor Ajax, however, holds out the
richest promise the who delight in drawing Gov
eminent money for doing nothing as the estimated cost
OF the 1900 employees enumerated above Is $40 per week
each. Within the IA weeks-from July is to Nov lb the
probable day Of discharge-each employee receives S2o
giving total Of $5320Oo paid by the Administration
party Of tho public Treasury for votes In the Phia
deiphia Navy-Yard alone ! .... ....... ....
PUBLIC WORK AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
Ihave excellent opportunities In my connection with
ts Yard 10 visit the Naval station League Island at
tho junction Of the Delaware and SchuYlkil rivers.
about miles from this city. 1t 10 reached by Gov
ernment tug which makes regular trips between the
Navy-Yard and the Island There are two separate