The herald., 1894-12-25
II THROWS THEM OUT Of A job.
Engineers Must Pass a Rigid
Examination.
Enforcement Will Deprive One Hun
dred Men of Work.
Provlsions OF the Ord nance as Pass ed by
the Couucll and Approved
by the Mayor.

The ordinance passed by the city
council on November 5, and approved by
the mayor ON November II last, proyid-
ing for the appointment OF board OF
engineers and the licensing OF engineers
in charge Of steam boilers, is causing a
great deal OF apprehension among the
engineers employed at the oil wells in
he vicinity of Second street oil well
district, and among other engineers OF
the city as well.
The ordinance provides that the
board of engineers shall convene for
business once in each month to ex-
anime into qualifications of applicants
Tor engineers licenses. The boilor ins
spector shall have power to call special
eeasion of the board if deemed neces-
sary. A majority OF the members OF
said board shall constitute q quorum for
the transaction Of business. The eecre-
tary shall keep register OF the nemes
of all applicants. designating thoae
found qualified and those not not quail
fed. Said board shall grant certificates
OF license, charging therefor each appli-
cant the sum OF s5 for the first certii
cate, to bs deposited with the clerk OF
the board, each applicant to be allowed
three trials. If he then fails to
pass q satisfactory examination. the
applicant shall then forfeit the money
deposited with the clerk OF the
board; but if the applicant has the
capacity, skill, experience and habits Of
sobriety requisite 20 perform the duties
Of an engineer aud shall pass examina-
uf,lt, ~, Ill
him license for thu term of one year
without additional cost. And any per-
son thus qualified shall not be refused
license. Renewal OF license will bs
granted to applicants upon payment OF
two dollars and fifty cents (s2.50), if re-
newed on or before the next regular
meeting OF the board OF engineers after
its expiration, ead regular meeting to
take place on the first Tuesday OF each
month. All certificates of license granted
shall be signed by not less than two,
and may be signed by all members OF
the board. The board of engineers may
adopt such rules and regulations as they
shall deem proper, not inconsistent
with this ordinance and the general law.
A full board Of engineers, by unani.
nous vote, ahali have power to revoke
an engineeI'n license for inebriety, dis
honesty or neglect oil his duties when
il charss OF an engine in use. and may
order the reiaspection OF any boiler
whenever they shall deem il necessary
for the public safety, but no license
shall be permanently revoked for cause
without frs. giving the accused party
en opportunity TO be heard in hin own
defence.
Every owner oT user OF any boiler or
boilers, or steam generating apparatus
of over five hOrae power, when the
boilere are III Cse, muss employ a COM
petent engineer having certificate OF
licenee from the board of engineers
and every owner or user, as aforesaid,
who shall neglect or refuse to employ
licenaed engineer, es herein provided,
shall be deemed guilty Of q msde-
meanor, and, on conviction thereof,
shall pay "a fine OF not less than twenty
five dollors ($25) nor more than $780, or
ehGll be impriBioned in the city jail for
G term not exceeding two hundred days,
or may suffer both such fine and i'm
prisonment.
Every applicant for license who
fails to pass tho examination OF the
board is required to wait four az weeks
before again making application for a
license, and the board shall then give
him another examination; any appli-
cant failing to peas the examination
after The third tnal shall not be permit.
ted to again appear before said board for
six months. Every engineer licensed by
the board, and every engineer whose
license is vised by the board, is re-
ourod to notify the boiler inspector
when be accepta nploy ment, and with
in three (3) days thereafter the name of
his employer and the location of the
boilers in his charge; and every en-
gineor who shall neglect or refuse to
comply with this rule shall be deemed
guilty OF a misdemoauor, and, on con-
victon thereof shall pay a fine of not
lesa than five nor more than ten dollars.
The statement OF one Of the most ex-
tensive operators in che Second street
oil district i5 that fully 100 men will be
thrown out OF employ when tho
provisions Of this ordinance are en-"
forced.
"rheee men are all workingmen with
families to provide for; not skilled en-
gineers, but fully capable of running the
small engines in use in the district and
other parts OF the city. The ordinance
simply leaves them without jobs and
the owners of the wells will be COM
pelled to cease operations until such
time as they can secure skilled en-
gineers and afford to pay them skilled
engineers wages" he said.
The ordinance went into effect De-
cember lst but no meeting of board of
engineers has been held for this month,
and it is not likely any will be. Chas.
Walters. boiler inspector, has filed hia
bond, but the other members OF the
board are not in evidence as yet.
1t is generally understood that noth-
ing will be done until the beginning of
the new year at least.