The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-02-19
Editorials by the People.
Boiler Maker for Inspector.

To the Editor OF The Times: In
reference to article i'm a Detroit paper
regarding appointment OF city boiler
inspectors. wish to reply particular.
~ to the question why must boiler
inspector be a boiler maker"
First. l would state from my ob5cr-
walton and experience there is not a
department In any large city which Is
more important than the boiler In
spection department.
This being self-evident and the Inn
portance OF this matter being conced-
ed, the burden OF conducting this Of
nee In a proper and efficient manner
devoives on the people who make the
rules, regulations and laws for the de-
partment and who are also responsible
for Its financial condition.
The duties OF the department OF
boiler inspection are inspecting boil
ers and passing upon their safety and
condemning them IL they are not safe.
IL is obvious that this Is highly i'm
portant- matter aHathat consequently
mere should be no incapable man en-
gaged TO I'LL these positions, and fsar--
Their, with good men in these positions.
they'should have ample time to prop
erly inspect the boilers with these Two
important factors in mind
would then like TO consider first
WHO snail make these Inspections aud
second, how they shall be made.
ask in the name of the citizens OF
Detroit, Do you wish TO risk your life
and the lives OF your relatives md
friends in the hands OF incompetent
boilers inspectors, men who never In
all their lives had experience In the.
construction or repairing of boiler?
should answer. No. Who knows bet
ter than practical boiler maker That
a boiler Is made OF? Who knows bet
ter than a practical boiler maker now
boiler Is made? Who knows better
than a practical boiler maker aow
much abuse they will stand? Who
can tell the condition Of plates by
sound better than boiler maker?
VINO can tell better than boiler
maker where a boiler is In dangerous
condition? The answer Is, NONE.
They themselves positively know
from the experience they have had
in the shop that no living man could
learn from books what 1t has taken
them lifetime to learn in shops ny
hard work and hard knocks. There is
only one class of mechanics in the
world today who are actually capable
of inspecting steam boilers and that
| class is the practical boiler maker.
and he alone. The man who has built
boilers. who has repaired them, who
| has worked in and around them, un-
1 der all conditions, who has acquired
a knowledge of the strength Of the
material of which boilers are made by
actual working. bending and breaking
of the plate and rivets; men who are
acquainted with all the kinks OF the
trade. men who are familiar with the
chief merits of manufacturing; men
who know good workmanship from
bad; men who can tell the thickness
of the plate by sound. which alone re-
quires years OF actual working OF the
material. as the sound changes with
every thickness OF plate. MEN Who
have had years OF experience building
and repairing boilers know exactly
where TO looa fof defects and how
they should be repaired. His ear for
this work is trained like that of a
piano tuner. and from working on the
various thicknesses OF material In the
shops he is capableAto determine by
. oCuoC Vi lttiihS anu SOuHu aiAuoSh lily
exact thickness OF the material at diff
ferent places. No man can do this
except one who has been trained In a
boiler shop. Flues are sounded for
thickness. rivets are sounded TO find
out II defective or broken, braces are
sounded for weakness or defects
In testing the strength Of tubes and
fiues he strikes them in such man.
ner with his hammer that he Is able
to determine their toughness for hold
ing power. He has worked many sets
OF fiues and has evidently broken on
many beads which to an ordinary per-
son other than a practical boiler max
er would look perfectly safe and
sound. but from his practical expert
ence he Is able to judge their actual
holding value better than any other
man who has not had years OF prac-
tical boiler shop experience.
OLD TIMER
Detroit, Feb. II, 1908.