The record-union., 1895-03-05
BOILER INSPECTION.
A Lively Fight Over Assem- blyman
Iwigg's Bill.

BOILER INSPECTION.
a Lively Fight Over Assem- blyman
Twigg's Bill.
There is lively fight going on between
the bollermakers and steam users over
A. B. 9l9. introduced by Assem- blyman
Twigg of San Francisco. The bill was
backed up by petition signed by many of
the leading boilermakers of San Fran
cisco, the Labor Council and representa-
tives of trades unions. The petition is as
follows:
"IO the Honorable NemberS Of tie
Legislature Of the State of CaEfOimia-
GENTLEMEN: We the undersigned,
manufacturers, merchants and working
men of this State, most respectfully peti-
ton your honorable body to enact laws
in conformity with the appended bill.
And in justification of asking you to do
so, we desired TO inform you that in con-
sequence OF having no such laws in ex-
istence in this State, that many manu-
tacturers In other parts of the United
States, where the condiuons are more
favorable, viz: cheaper labor, cheaper
coal, iron and steel and all other materials
that contribute to the construction of en-
glues and boilers, are sending their pro-
| ducts to this state, and, in consequence of
not being subject TO any standard of in
spectlon, such products as they send are
usually very inferior and of cheaper con-
structlon than the people engaged in sim
liar business here can feel justified IN
selling TO their customers. for the reason
that their personal reputation goes with
each article they make, and whereas, on
the other hand, the products OF Eastern
makers are handled and sold by agents,
| here, and the reputation OF the maker
does not suffer by reason OF their goods
being inferior. but, with being subject
to inspection, as required by this bill,
their products to perform equal service
would require to be at the same standard
OF quality IN material and construction as
ours, and by that means we can success
fully compete and have business for our
merchants and manufacturers and en-
ployment for our workingmen, and
| thereby assist in developing and nourish-
ing manufacturing interests in our own
State. And hoping your honorable body
Will give this favorable consideration, we
will ever pray"
Yesterday committee representing the
interests OF another large body OF steam
users, engineers, machinery dealers and
| boiler manufacturers of the State sent
the following to the Assem- bly, Committee
on Manufactures and Internal Improve
ments:
The undersigned, being on a commit
tee representing the interests of steam
7 y
boiler manufacturers OF this State, were
appointed TO appear before you and other
mem bers of the Legislature now in session
10 call your attention to some of the OBJ
Jectlonable features of Assembly Bill 9l9,
in reference to inspection of boilers.
The several interests REPRESENTED
stand on common grounds in opposition
to the bill as a whole as being unneces-
sary and generally detrimental to each
and all of our and the public interests.
The title is at first glance OF a seductive
and deluslve nature and liable to mislead
honest men as to the real intent and effect
OF the measure should it pass.
THE first and most unnecessary re-
QuiremeDt OF the bill relates to the testing
of steel plates for boiler shells and con-
sequent delay in prosecuting our work as
manufacturers.
ut is fact, not generally known by
people outside OF the trade, that dealers
in steel plate for use in construction of
boilers on this coast are compelled to
carry large stocks in great variety as to
thickness, width and length OF sheets to
meet the requirements Tor the various
sizes and styles OF marine, stationary and
portable boilers. such plates are all OF
grade OF quality to meet all the require
mentS OF the laws and rules governing
boilers built tor steam boats, subject to
inspection by the United States officials,
and IN long series of years we know of
United States Inspectors have shown
these plates to be below the standard re-
quired by the United States Board OF
supervising Inspectors.
'being 3,COO miles from the source of
supply, 1t is necessary 10 have d supply
OF plates ON hand, or in local stocks of a
quality 10 meet the highest test required.
Consequently, the stocks of boiler stock
within our immediate reach to fill con-
tract for any style OF boiler, either marine
or stationary, is of a grade having all the
qualities required by the very stringent
luIeS in iOrce as 10 construction of marine
boilers.
Bill No. 9l9 requires plates to have a
tensile strength OF anywhere between
$1,000 pounds and $1,000 pounds per
square inch. Within these limits ord-
nary tank stock is made, which, for or
dinary stationary boilers, would pass
inspection in any State or Territory hav-
ing similar law to bill No. yI9.
Tests and stamps would be made at
mills having car-tracks running directly
into the yards OF makers of boilers in
any OF the manufacturing centers East
without additional cost for weight of ma
teriai and labor preparing test samples
from each plate used. In fact, the system
would be to test one plate in ten, twenty
or more of a lot and place the official
stamp on each aud every plate in the lot
rolled at no additional cost tothe Eastern
Doller- maker excepting y Otary lee Tor
affidavit, which our State Inspector
would be bound to recognize AMI accept
Our plates would have to be subjected
to an individual test, a sample cut from
each and prepared IN due form, involving
loss of material from to 10 per cent. in
weight of plates and cost Of from 81 to
Sl5 per boiler for labor i'll preparation of
test samples from plates known by all in
the trade TO be of highest quality.
You can readily see that such an in
QUESTION would be ruinous to the trade OF
boiler-making in this State while it
would have a direct tendency TO assist a
class of manufacturers of low-grade steel
and the makers OF stationary boilers who
happen to be located where they can take
advantage of the low-priced supplies to
introduce their manufactures to our mar
ket and crowd a higher class OF boilers
built in States having no such law. and
the product of our own boiler-makers es-
pecially. from the market west of Ogden.
I'VE refrain from reference TO any
other of the very objectionable features
OF the bill, which are many and are of
serious moment to the people of Cali
fornia."