The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-13
The report ana resolutions were adopted.
LETTER From A woRxrNaMAN.

LETTER FROM A woRXINGMAN.
JUNE L., 1875.
TO Tue EDITOR OF THE HERALD
Will you kindly permit q workingman to say
few words TO the Tammany leaders Through the
medium OF your valuable journal ? am a demo-
orat and have always voted the straight Tammany
Hall ticket, and IN all probability would stin con-
tinue TO 90 so but for the acts OF the Tam
many Mayor and his Tammany appointees.
During last year the work in the CITY departments
was pushed forward vigorously. The Dock De-
partment In particular employed many man ana
all the other departments also employed large
numbers. The laboring classes we're enabled TO
live by the product or their honest labor.
Then came the fall election and Tsmmany Hail
recommended William IL W!cKham 10 our favcr-
able consideration and support. Who does not
remember the grand promises he made and the
rose-coored pictures OF the iuture under his
benign ruler His first act was TO appoint Com
missioner OF Public Works. For TINS responsible
position he selected Mr.. Porter resident OF an
other state, man whose political record was IN
oirect conflict with the best Interests U the labor
ing classes. wealthy bondhoder himself what
does he care whether the poor man st2ryes or
has foou the means TO procure it9 He has
money enough TO support his family and what
does he care Tor tue poor man living IN bedroom,
with vile and six or seven childrenY 1.-The can't
support tnem and pay the rent and lay by enough
for the winter (when work Is suspended) out or
Sc per week is Is affair OF his. Yet such Is
delverer selected TO furnish work for me unem-
ployed poor OF New York. How nobly he has iul-
Then comes the Dock Department. A vacancy
occurs and our democratic Mayor nlls II by APP
pointing II. \. Dmock commissioner Previous TO
this the Board stood TWO republicans and one
democrat, but the sppointee being presumably a
democrat II now stands two democrats ana ono
republican. Well .he nrst work OF the new Board
was TO lay up seven out OF the nine pne-drlvers,
discharge about 100 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Ill
their places with about 800 ItalIans-allens.
refer to the work on the Christopher street sec
ton of the stone wall. The next act OF which we,
/ think, very Justly complain, was the reduction
OF twenty per cent from the pay OF the laoorers in
their employ, making their pay 81 co per day, or
calculating tneir average weeks work 10 pc Tour
days (Which on public works Is large ayeragel
in this department is suspended, their average
pay "a II per week for the year. II Is hardly nee
essary for me TO add that II Is an exceedingly dini
cult matter TO support . family such pay, and
even this amount, small az IL is, they 90 not re-
ceive uutl weeks after Il Is earned.
The last order coming nom TINS trio or econo-
mlsts Is that all skilled mechanics or dock build
ers in their employ be compelled 10 labor ten
hours per day, In direct violation OF tue statutes
OF the state. TINS last order IS OF sucn recent
date dune l0) that IL Is hardly known Of outside
OF the department. snort time since petition
was presented 10 tue Board OF AppOrtlonment by
the DOCK Commissioners reciting the high cost OF
living IN this city and praying that their salaries
might be increased from SCI IS per week Is IL
was impossible for them TO subslst upon suen
Ineagre pay. what a vast difference there must
exist between the wants OF the workingman VINO
Il compelled TO laoor at hard manual labor from
morning TIL night and these arist0cratic indiydu-
ais whose work Is done OY salaried clerks
IN conclusion. permit me 70 say there Is no use
know where IL belongs, and there we viii fastsn
it. And II rammany Han does not induce Mayor
Wicknam and the heads OF departments 10 re-
SEND his ard their misery, niggardly order aud
restore the ola rate OF wages, We, the working
men. win show them that without our SURFACES
they are poweress, and, veEily believe, viii be
unable 70 elect an Alderman next iall. Respect
fully, MORkINGNAN.