The Evening critic., 1882-05-09
"The Slighted Engineers
he Editor Of The E'cen,n0 Critic: .


In your issue of the 22d ult, and to which 1
have not had an opportunity to properly reply
till now, appeared letter signed by Mr.. G. W.
Constantine whether written by him or not
am unable to say under the above heading,
wherein an indirect charge OF incompetency
is made against the "enlisted machiniss,"
who were sent to the White House to run the
engine which keptin motion the fan attached
to the apparatus for cooling the air before
going to the bed-chamber OF the sick Presi-
dent. The "enlisted machinists" went there
against their wish, at least one OF them did, 1
know, because, upon reporting to Mr.. Bayley,
the Naval Engineer in charge, he Immediately
asked to be excused and allow another to re-
lieve him, which request was complied with,
and he had no more to do with it.
His wish TO leave the White House was not
from a desire to shirk any labor which would
tend to alleviate the sufferings of the sick
President but because a general outcry was
raised by the Yard mechanics (or engineers,
as Mr.. q. calls them) against ''enllsted ma
chinists being sent there to relieve them, in
which they stated "',ris unfair. Now that we
have everything in running order and a
chance to have a soft thing, you fellows are
sent to relieve us. There are four of us doing
duty here, two in the building at a time. We
stand watch six hours, and lay down or do as
we please the other six, and IL l remember
correctly one of them was then locked fast in
the arms of S0mnus on u lounge within room
close to where the boiler stood. So from the
remarks made by those gentlemen 'engi-
neers' concluded 'twould be unfair to de-
prive them of their hard-earned trophies, and
at once made up my mind TO resign all my
claims TO the luxuries mentioned, but forgot
10 mention the waiter full orsandwiches which
appeared occasionally.
However, those ''Yard engineers" did not
mean to let their "cruSe' go without having a
Tight any way, and a delegation was at once
sent to Mr.. j. Stanley Brown asking him to see
the Secretary Of the Navy and get them detail
ed for duty at the White House, notwithstand-
ing the fact (from Mr C.'s letter. that their
services were indispensable at the Navy
Yard" and there was a danger Of having To
shut up the shop down there, unless these
valuable men, who were and are Indispensable
everywhere, could be returned to duty.
left the building pending negotiations, and
on my return at II o'clock p. m. was informed
by the victorious "Yard engineers that the
services Of the "enlisted machinists" had been
dispensed with. 1t was told that something
happened with a belt during the time was
absent from the building, but had been on
the spot should have examined that belt and
probably discovered that a ''Yard engineer
had a hand In 1t.
However, would have let the matter pass,
but it's known that was one OF the three sent
there, dubbed "enlisted machinists," and as
my capabilities are assailed in the running
and care of a small steam launch engine, 1
| wish to give Mr.. c., his superintendent and
| shopmates chance to substantiate the charge
made. challenge him or any civil employe
| of the bureau wherein he is employed, from the
| superintendent to the sweeper, with one ex-
| ception (Mr. George Cunningham, to meet me
engine-room Of q cat-power steam launch or
| 10000 horse power engine, whether high, low
| pressure, compound or Herreshoif type with
out man from Bristol to teach me, as Mr..
Constantine has had for the past few days.,
and If any one Of them can teach me anything
about the care, management and running OF
any OF them, IIi forfeit SIX months wages, and
| give II TO the "Yard engineers " for the ertrd
duty performed at the White House In looking
| for "soft spots in a mattress"
It's strange II such an enormous amount OF
| ingenuity Is required TO run one Of those
| launch engines that n man could drop his
| moulding tools and sand pile In foundry and
| become an engineer at once, which has been
| done within the past two weeks.
The Ill feeling manifested by Mr.. Constan
| TN arI IA apl raI mn
| chfnists" Is only overcome when they wish &c
| get into the Fish Commission, and am aston
| ished that the superintendent would allow his
son or Mr.. Constantine to so far degrade them
selves as to become "enlisted machinists," /" for
no matter what the capabilities as mechanl,
| may have been, as soon as he becomes an ''en
listed machinist' according to Mr.. Constan
| tine his reputation Is gone; but 1t seems they
are anxious TO gobble those places up because
| they never smell salt water (there is one
prominent man in the shop It makes sick
| and TO the exclusion of men tho have honora
bly, and we'll served the Government
at homo and abroad, In peace and II
war. Lest II might be thought ] was
candidate for 'piscatorial' honors, want L
state right here that am not nor have eve
been disposed In that line, but do know o
those who served the Government long TINT
ana tfied TO get one OF those places but failed
,dn1 am occupying more OF your space than IN
the hope that the Committee OF Congress vii
give those yard engineers" nothing. The.
| 'soft thing" and verify believe because the
thought there would be s'sOnethlnq Ia H."
| The enlisted machinists would have worket
for the sick President night and day withou
expecting compensation, and had they bee
sent there in the first outset the engines woui
| have run as we'll, the air been cool, aud Mi
j. Stanley Brown failed to discover whethe
the work was done by a " Yard engineer" o
"enlisted machinist," and If the civil ON
| ployes OF the Bureau OF Steam Engineering
| superintendent and all, were in the Feje
Islands, the world would roll along just a
we'll, and steam launch engines fail TO dis
cover whether a Yard engineer or enlisted ma
| chinist stood by them.
| Regretting 10 so far intrude on your valua
bic space, am, very respectfully yours,
| RICHARD B. SMITH,
| II ( laff IA