St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-05-07
BOMBSHELL In THE BOARD.
Mayor Ames Asks the Eight Hour
System for Water Department..
inspectors E1ected-Water for the Ma
tatorium-RoutineB Business.


tatorium-Routine Business.
A bombshell was thrown by Mayor Anne.
among the dry bones of the water commits
sion last evening in the shape of a resolu
ton declaring for eight hours and so {
day for employees of the board. Commits
sioners Andrews, Farnham and Foote were
present and gazed at each other as thu
mayer offered the following:
Whereas, The laboring element of our city
has looked towards us for relief in the shape
of employment on our public works; believ
ing and recognizing that it Is the duty of al
wise legislators to SO conduct the public bust
ness that it shall be conducive to the best in
tereStS of all citizens; convinced that idlenes:
is the greatest incentive to lawlessness, ant
that no community is so strong and healthy
in it's body polite as that blessed with indus
triouS and cOntented citizens.
Whereas, Thousands Of our best citizen.
are now vainly seeking employment, and on
neighboring cities are reaping the dire results
of frenZied idleness and its consequent dis
ruptions; therefore, be it
Resolved, That the board of wat err con
missioners for the city of Minneapolis give
employment upon Its works to an Increased
number of our citizens by constituting eigh
hours as full days work under said board
and paying therefore not less than 81 so pei
day.
Resolved, That to meet the consequent in
crease of expenditure SO ordered necessary
this board shall in all practicable instances d.
away with the contract system as now il
vogue, and employ the labor directly under
authority OF this board. purchase all its owl
Supplies, and divert the profit formerly giveI
to contractors into the proper channels O.
labor.
The mayor followed these resolution.
with short address, saying he did this il
good faith toward his constituency and il
carrying out the foremost plank in th,
platform On which he was elected to tn,
presidency of this beard. He believed tn,
additional help could be employed and tn,
new rate paid without additional cost, i
the expensive contract system be abolished
Money should be left in the city and n,
article used by the beard should be pur
chased outside Of the city when obtainabl
here. The money would be retained a
home and in additional taxation the boart
and the people would profit. The adop
ton OF the resolutions meant the prosperit,
Of the people and the increased good of
larger number Of the laboring class
Mr.. Farnham opposed the resolution or
the ground, first, that contracts had al
ready been made for ten hours, at Low
prices, and second. the example would Worl
hardship On lumbermen, iron men ant
others. He had worked sixteen hours
day at so cents, and did not think it har,
days work, either. He did not believe tn
eight-hour system would work in the man
ufacturing industries, using the one argu
ment that it was an arbitrary increase of q
per cent in pay, as it made the product O
labor worth 20 per cent more, without in
creaslng the selling price.
Commissioner Foote thought this matte
should come before only full board, ant
moved it be referred to special COMMITTEES
Of three for report.
Mayor Ames said it was not his inten
ton to interfere with any contract worl
already let. Nine-tenthS Of the work ha:
been let, and one-tenth is yet to be give1
out. He believed the time is fast ap
preaching when there must be more
nearly equaliZed state between capital anC
labor. In this city many men have be
come rapidly rich upon the profits of labor,
and he Beloved organized and intelligent
labor would pull capital down to where
labor would not starve, nor capital be piled
up in such rash quantities. What this
board might do, will be but one motion in
thousands. He wanted calm and deliberate
action, and did not wish to spring the
matter and ask sudden action.
Commissioner Foote said the board was
already acting in the spirit of this resolu-
ton and was paying at the rate called for.
1t was more liberal than any other branch
of the city government and for that liber-
ality he gave due credit to Mayor Ames
At the close of his remarks, the resolutions
went to special committee, composed Of
Commissioners Foote and Farnham.
INSPECTORS.
The board went into executive session
and elected the following inspectors
Charles Reece, Joseph Ellis, W. II. War
rington. A. D.. Onion, Robert Blake, L.
r. Robertson. Daniel Watt. The engineer
was instructed to discharge all men not Sc
lected by the board and to take charge OF
the inspectors just elected.
Commissioners Andrews and Foote were
appointed to investigate all salaries and
wages paid under this department and re.
port at the next full meeting any desirable
change.
ROUTINE WORK.
The committee Oh extensions reported il
favor of charging 5 cents per 1000 gallons
Of water used by Prof. Duplessis in the ma
tatorium, corner Third avenue and Sixth
street south, which is half the usual rats
rate, made Oil account of the sanitary feat
ure Of the swimming school. Commissioner
Andrews made the report and urged its
adoption Oh the ground Of the public ne
cessity of such an institution and the cheap
ness and Righteousness of city water
Prof. Duplessis explained the nature OF the
natatorium and the report wa:
adopted. The same committee reported
in favor of allowing George A. Bracket tt
make a siX-inch connection for two eeva
tors. which was granted, with the provis(
that he put in a meter when desired
Privileges of tapping mains were granted tt
Jeremiah Spear and G. A. Spear. A rebate
OF So. 81, enormously assessed, was granted
G. A. Penniman. The petition of j. E,
Scott for rebate was refused. E. G. Cannot
j. S. Kearney & Co., Strusk, Hobart d
Willis. E. Button, j. A. Kusick. j. j. Nc
CURE, NJ. II. Heffner and Jordan & KIitgen
plumbers. were recommended for license
other applications being referred for exami
nation. Bills amounting to S11. 105. II wer,
ordered paid. Hangar u Stanchfield were
awarded S359.53 for water pipe delivered
and distributed. Engineer Waters pre-
scented claim for S475, the last installmen
on the latest pump. Warrants wer
ordered drawn for water pipe extensions t,
to the following: John Gleason, sci. Is
F. L. Balch, S65.56 Fl. G. Nelson and c
Thompson, $500; Fred Yungren. $685.
MaS1ZIs1zkA