The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-13
JAMES A. DUMONT RESIGNS;
HEAD or STEAMBOAT MSPEC'
TION SERVICE % YEARS.
His Successor VIII he Georse Usher Of
Philadelphia. President Of the Amer
lean Association Of Marine Engineers
The service 10 he Reorx auized.

| PhiIadeIphia, President Of the Amer
| lean Association Of Marine Engineer
the service TO BE ReorSauized.
WASHINGTON, March Thames A. Du-
mont, Supervising Inspector-General oil
the Steamboat inspection Service. handed
his resignation to Secretary Shaw to-day
and It was accepted. The resignation
marks the beginning Of thorough reor-
paniEation Of this service. which is oil so
much importance to the marine interests
| of the country, and II In Secretary Shaw
| intention to inject new blood into the
service.
Mr.. Dumont has been at the head OF the
Steamboat inspection Service for about
twenty-five years, and prior TO MS eieVa-
ton 10 that Office occupied subordinate
positions In the service. He was APP
pointed from New York.
George Usher Of Philadelphia, president
of the American Association OF Marine
Engineers, will be appointed in Mr.. Du-
monts place. He Is the personal choloe
of Secretary Shaw, but was indorsed highly
by Admiral Melville. Chief OF the bureau
of Steam Engineering OF the Navy, ana
nv other persons prominently identified
with marine interests.
Mr.. Dumont IL 70 years old, and has Tor
many years been a striking figure in wash
in zion on account OF his unusual height,
heavy build and vigorous health in old age.
He remarked to a friend two OF three days
AGO that he had not been sick day Tor
more than forty-five years and had not
missed an hour from duty on account oil
illness or indlsposition during his entire
term of service under the Treasury De-
partment.
Early in the Administration Of President
Mckinley, Lyman j. Gage. then Secretary
of the Treasury. conceived me IDEA o'
Amounting a successor to Mr.. Dumont
believing that the Supervising inspectors
age was against him. He had an inter-
view with Mr.. Dumont., and upon being
pressed for a reason why he should oe
superseded and assigned to subordinate
position, Mr.. Gage told him as delicately
az possible that he thought he was too old
for the responsible position he was theh
holding. a.,
THAT may be a good reason. Mr.. Secre-
tary," replied Mr.. Dumont, but when you
decide what young fellow you would like
to appoint in my place would like TO have
you agree that he and shall walk To George
town and that the fellow who gets back
first shall have the place. agree to make
him work for IL,
Mr.. Gage laughed and said he would
think the matter over. The interview was
ended, and nothing more was said about
appointing a successor to Mr.. pumont:
Mr. Gage said afterward that he believed
II the old gentleman offer had been ac-
cppted, he would have covered the four
miles walk TO Georgetown and return more
quickly than any man that could have been
matched against him..
Secretary Shaw made up his mind several
weeks ago to appoint a successor to MIR.
Dumont He believes the steamboat In
spection service should be thoroughly
rcorganized. not only in Washington but
at several OF the principal ports OF the
country There was some complaint that
the condition Of the steamship st. Louis.
when she came limping into the port OF
New York with leaky boilers several weeks
ago, was due to the laxness Of the Govern
ment's steamboat inspe ctors, and this view
u shared to some extent by SECRETARY Shaw.
The inspector Of huls and the inspector OF
boilers at Chicago were removed from
Office this week, and there Is trouble In the
inspection board at Seattle. Wash, which
may result in similar action.