The Portland daily press., 1879-05-05
MURCH'S MEASURES.
He Wants the Granite Contracts Investi-
gated and a Bureau of Labor Statistics
Established.

He Wants the Granite Contracts Investi-
gated and a Bureau of Labor Statistics
Established.
WASHINGTON, May b. The House committee on
expenditures on pubic buildings have held a meet
Ing at which discussion arose as to the large
amounts Of money expended in the construction of
public buildings, and majority were in favor Of an
investigation on the subject. Revolutions were
adopted calling upon the Secretary of the Treasury
for statistics and specifications which will aid them
10 carrying out an examination. Mr. Murch Of
Maine, a member of the committee on public build
Tugs, will Introduce in the House resolutions calling
upon the Secretary of the Treasury to transmit copies
of original contracts for cutting granite Tor the
tom houses at Cincinnati and St. Louis the ostof-
ces and courthouse buildings at Philadelphia and
Hartford. and for the new State, War and Navy
Department buildings; al o. copies of contracts uuder
which said work is now being performed, and copies
OF all correspondence pertaining thereto; and to in
FORM the House under what law he has abrogated
the contracts entered into by the Department, and
awarded other and specific contracts without due
advertisement as required by law; whether such
contracts did or did not result in great reduction in
wages paid mechanics and laborers engaged in the
execution of said labor and an increase in the hours
Of labor, and if so to what extent
Mr. Much will also offer resolution authorizing
the committee on public buildings to investigate the
present system of performing work on public build
ings and other public works. and report what legs-
laton is necessary to good and suitable work
at fair and reasonable compensation to mechanics
and laborers employed thereon, and whether there i
any practical difficulty in securing the services Of
competent officers and agents, and performing work
by mechanics and laborers employed directly by gov
eminent and if not why the designing and superin-
tendence of said work should not be awarded to the
lowest bidder. The committee was also authorized
to send for persons and papers, and to sit during the
recess.
WASHINGTON, May AIN the House tomorrow,
Mr.. Murch OF Maine will introduce bill to establish
Bureau of Labor Statistics. 1t provides that the
bureau shall be located at the seat of Government,
and be composed Of one commissioner and four asso-
ciates appointed by the President and confirmed by
the Senate, chosen from persons actually employed
in productive labors that the duties of the bureau
shall be to investigate and at each stated session of
Congress- report upon--frst, wages and hours of
labor; second, division of joint production of
labor and capital between laborer and employer;
third the social, educational and sanitary condition
oflaborers; fourth, effect upon labor produced by
existing systems of commerce, finance and currency
the number Of laborers employed and classification
of various grades and other subjects which affect the
condition of the laboring classes. The Bureau will
be authorized to examine witnesses anywhere in the
United States under like regulations as govern ex
aminatons made by the United States Circuit Court
The measure will be referred to the committee on
education.