Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-30
Major of Engineers, Engineer Secretary.


WORKING BY TIDES.
Lest may be accused of misrepresenting
some of the facts, let me state that there are
light houses, fog signals, and similar works on
which nature herself has placed insuperable
obstacles to any eght-hour rule. Light houses
are frequently built in places where much of the
work can be done only at certain conditions Of
tide and weather. In such localities men are
paid by the hour and work as long as they can
do so with safety. During the first year EN-
ployed in co nstructirg the Minot Ledge light,
ony21 hours mechanic work was done. The
lowest neap tides afforded the only opportunity
of working. In many localities, as st Simon's
and other Georgia islands, the situation is so
unhealthy that men will only work on condition
that they remain but certain number of days
and work as hard as they can.
1t can easily be seen that what is true of light
house construction may be also true of river
and harbor improvement in certain localities.
But Gen. HUMPHREYS, at the head of the engineer
corps, U. S. A., under whose direction such
work is performed, assures me in positive terms
that all his officers have the positive orders to
enforce the eight hour law, and that he has no
knowledge whatever of any evasion or nulliica-
ton of the same. Any officer doing so would be
liable to trial by court martial for "diSobedi-
ence of orders" In this bureau, as in the
quartermaster generals and ordnance, soldiers
who are employed at manual labor work only
eight hours, or if they do otherwise, are paid for
overtime.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES WORK.
Most of the manual labor required in connec-
ton with the army is performed under the drec
ton of the quartermaster-general The follow.
ing order is the rule in this as all other, bureaus
of the war department. As will be seen by its
date it was issued under direct orders of General,
not President, Grant. After becoming president,
the two procamations lie has issued, and the
executive policy l am describing, which is his
own, shows that he carries out his declaration
of enforcing ali laws.
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Adjutant-Gener aPs Office,
Washington, July 10, 1868.
General Orders, No. &c.
The following orders, received from the war de-
partment, are published for the government of all
concerned:
Congress having enacted, June 49, 1868, "that
eight hours shall constitute days work for all
laborers, workmen and mechanics now employed,
or who may be hereafter employed, by or on behalf
OF the government of the United States and that
all acts and parts Of acts Inconsistent with this act
be, and the same are hereby, repealed
All officers OF the army, and Others in the military
service, having civilian labOrers, workmen and me.
ehanies under their charge, will be governed ac-
cOrdingly.
The hours should be so regulated as to agree as
far possible with the hours established in civil
work in each locality.
Watchmen, clerks, messengers and others, whose
time may be necessary at any or all hours, are not
n hp aFDh Cd fV NI..t
law.
In cases of great necessity as in military opera.
tons, where men are on extra duty, they must per-
form the necessary service regardless of hours but
in estimating their extra duty pay eight hours will
be counted as a working day
Extra hours Of men on extra duty pay will be re
CURED only In case of urgent public necessity.
By command Of General Grant:
+. d. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adlutant General.
Gen. Megs assures me that the law Is faith
fully executed. No complaints whatever have
come to his knowledge. In the
first year or so after the law passed, Gen.
Pope, commanding at Fort Leavenworth, UNDER
took to cut down the pay, as was done at Spring
field and Rock Island. This was stopped by the
presidents proclamation of May 10Th, 1869, and
at the present time preparations are making to
pay the men who were mulched by Pope's and
other officers, Interpretation, for the two hours
Overtime they then worked to- get full days pay.
think have shown that the president has
fully sustained the law. LIST, as general Of the
army; ID, as president, by issuing two executive
orders, and 3D., as | am assured, by positive
instruction in cabinet to the secretaries,
aud personal supervision over some details.
PROOF DEMANDED.