Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-07-30
The Change at the w. i. Asylum.

Editor indicator
Under the head of s'More Partisanism'' !,
the "Valley Virginian'' sees ct to criticise
the asylum authorities for the removal of
Mr.. O'Donnell from the position of chief
engineer at the asylum, and the appoint
meut Of Mr.. Dinneen in his place. Under
the bylaws of the institu tion it is the
duty Of the Steward, with the consent of
the superintendent, to hire the employees
and to discharge them if he sees fit. AS
for this reason the remarks Of the ''Vir-
giniano apply more directly to me than to
any one else, propose to reply to them.
The statement of the "Virginian" that
Mr.. O'DOnnell had voted the anti primary
ticket was the first positive information I
had that he had done so. His vote had
certainly nothing to do with his removal
as it had been contemplated long before,
provided we could secure the services of a
more experienced man. have none but
the kindest feelings for Mr.. O'Donnell
Our relations have always been, and are
now most pleasant, and / regret very
much that | am likely to injure him more
than any one else by this public defense of
my self and the asylum authorities from an
unfounded charge. He has reason to ask
w U0 ucllptlEu IIOu DlS llIOuQS.
He is a temperate. Industrious, and con-
scientious man, and his inability to fill
the place satisfactorily comes more from
want OF experience and previous training
than anything else. He came to the asylum
something over two years ago. with little
or no previous experience with machinery
or steam heating, and took the second
place in the steam-house. The discharge
Of the chief engineer within year after
wards threw the responsibility of this i'm
portant department upon him. He man
aged to run it with the assistance of Mr..
Woodscn, a practical machinist, who re-
Gently resigned the position of assistant
engineer to take charge OF the city gas
works. But as might have been expected,
his want Of experience told against him.
offered HIM the place made vacant by MI.
Woodson's resignation, and would have
been glad for him to have accepted it,
but for reasons satisfactory to himself, he
declined it.
l will state for the information of the
public thab the position Of engineer is by
far the most difficult and response BILE
subordinate position in the asylum, re-
curing OF its occupant not only thor
ough practical knowledge of machinery,
but ali amount Of study and calculation
little short OF that used in the exact
SCIENCES, fer he has to solve the impor
tant question of heating the large build
ings Of the institution by steam at mini
mum cost to the State. Not only are the
health and comfort of nearly 800 people,
but the lives of the inmates and the prop
erty Of the State are dependent upon his
successful management Of bis department..
It was plainly my daty to secure the ser.
vices OF the very best available man that
could get for so important place, and in
employing Mr.. Dinneen | think that
have done so. He had charge OF the steam
works for twenty years under Drs. Str1b-
ling, Baldwin, and Fauntleroy. and had
their entire approx al and confidence. Dr.
FaunJleroy. after his reelection at the
end of the ReadJuster administration,
showed his appreciation Of his services by
trying to secure them again. But be was
at that time superintendent of the city
water works, and the city council showed
their appreciation of the man and of his
work, by refusing to accept his resigna-
ton, or to release him from the obligation
he was under to serve them.
can hardly think. from what | know
of the gentlemen who edit the s'Vir-
g1nian," that they would Intentionally do
me the injustice to publish such an article
il they had not been misled, in regard to
the facts of the case, by parties who had
chesnuts to pull out of the fire, or private
feelings to crafty. Upon this presenta-
ton of the actual state of the case, |
shall expect thsm to make the anlende
honorable.
JOHN w. BLACKBURN,
Steward w. L A.