The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1888-10-17


contract labor and trades, which some of
the inmates would like to establish here,
such as making toys brushes, harness,
boots and shoes. etc.
l have a trade. l learned it in the east
twenty-five years ago. and if the young
man of to day, who is anxious to learn a
trade, could go back and trace the changes
that have taken place since the close of the
war, as to the difference in the mode of
learning trade then and now. he would
then know why there are so many poor
mechanics and low wages, which is the
direct cause for so many strikes in this
country.
| now wish to call your attention to an
article saw in a pamphlet published in
Minneapolis, called Wood and Iron," re-
regarding mechanics. engineers, etc.. of
the eastern and western states. 1t says
that there is very prevalent idea among
the eastern mechanics that all the western
mechanics are poor mechanics. In GER
tain sense this is true. and to what do we
attribute the cause? Too much machinery.
The eastern mechanic is also falling below
the standard for the same reason. Let us
see how we may classify the mechanic of
the east. west and also the Englshman. Ii
the Ohio mechanic thinks he is better me-
chanIc than the Minnesota variety, so does
the Massachusetts representative believe
himself better than the OhiOan. and the
.Englshman thinks himself better than the
Massachusetts man. Doubtless the English
man thinks and believes that the whole
series is in the exact order named, but each
of the others think that the order is all
right, except that a change occurs at his
particular locality. The true answer rests
upon what is considered the definition of
good mechanic. If the good mechanic of
the present day is the man who has learned
to do just one thing exceedingly well, to
the exclusion of any particular knowledge
of other branches. the best mechanics are
east and the poorest west; but if the good
mechanic is the man who has acquired a
vast variety of experience and can do a
great many things fairly well, though moth
ing exceedingly WE'LL then the reverse is
the truth and the best mechanics are west
But the most skilled mechanics of the west
to-day are the men that learned their trades
in the east under the old school. The cir
cunStances surrounding the two classes are
what make the difference. The longer
period in which mechanics have been at
work in the east has caused them to be
specialized, while the necessities of COM
paratlvely new west require a general ex-
perlence. The expert specialist of the east
who commands the highest wages there.
would find himself very poor specimen
Of mechanic in the west, while the west
.ern man with less perfect particular
knowledge, would find himself at serious
disadvantage in the east but the west is
fast catching up to the east and the chances
for learning all all around trade are growing
smaller. and soon the mechanic OF the west
and the mechanics Of the east will stand on
the same footing.
What is bringing this about but machin-
cry: 1t speaks OF engineers Of the west
being the best, but think can show Won
that there is a vast difference in the man
who learned to run an engine in the east
and the man who learned in the west. The
engineer hrst serves as fireman, before he
can become a thorough engineer because
there Is Just as much necessity for man to
understand combustion and the nature of
gaSSeS and steam. as there is for him to I'M
derstand the different parts of the machine
in his charge. The fireman in the east.
where l worked twenty-five years ago. had
TO serve from four to six years 1t was his
duty to wash out the boiler clean the fines
an help the engineer at each end of the
DIVISION TO Go such work as he required of
him. He had to work three months in each
year i'll the shops, helping put I'D engines.
learning to file brasses, face valves. clean
and set out cylinders. packing, ETC., and
then had to undergo thorough eXamina-
ton by the master mechanic before he
could get an engine. Now, | would be safe
III saying that there is not one engineer out
OF two hundred in the west who could do
any of these things that have mentioned.
here IN the west there is a set of men en-
ployeo at the round house to do this work.
hence the engineer of the west is rightly
named engine driver Now how, :; - ;.t