New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-12
THE TWO-DOLLAR-A-DAYLA LAW
IT'S Effects UPON THE CANALS OF THE
STATE
THE ADDED COST OF Keeping Up THEIR EFF
orENcY-DIScHARGE OF MANY WORK:
MEN NECESSARY.
or TELEGRAPH TO THE TaIDUs

TELEGRAPH TO The I1ubO"hI
Albany, n. Y, June 1.-THE first effect Of the bill
providing that no day laborcr for The sta'e shah
receive less than So day has been TO throw tho
financial accounts OF James shanahan, the supenn-
tsndcnt Of Public Works into such state Of confusion
that only by dlscharging a largo number of canal
laborers and rctrenchng In every dirccuen VIII ne
be able 10 keep the canals open for navigation unnl
the beginning of tho now fiscal year In oct0oer. IL
Superintendent Shanahan were rot compelled by law
10 keep within HIS appropriation the increase Of
wages on the canals alone up 10 October would take
800, 900 out Of the State Treasury. There VIII
probably be an Increase IN the amount OF money ap
propriated for the maintenance OF the canals There
must necessarily be rigid economy In the canal c1-
ponditures until The Legislature meets. Then that
body will be compelled, owing to the s2.aday law
to make an additional appropriation yearly to tho
amount OF 800, 900 for the support of the canals
In other words the so.sday law has increased the
the taxpayers Of this State Of supporting their
canals 70 the amount OF 1900 900 yearly II the present
efficiency Of tho canals is to be kept up
As superintendent OF the canal work whis paying
bis mon liberal wages, Shanahan has not paid them
at such rate e. day; lochendcrs, Tor
instance, receive from $50 90 s35 a month.
Tho legal days labor in this State Is
eight hours. The lockNnders work daily
twelve hours and arr, therefore paid a day and
halls wages. Under the now law they must receive
e5 cents an hour That will make their daily pay ~
900 month. Tie wages Of the locRtenders arc
thus increased from $50 s35 TO 800 month.
The men employed the state have their wages
increased from S35 month 10 800. Laborers who
received cents hour 81 30 day for ten hours
work Will receive 81 so. Watchmen who receive $40
a month arc TO receive at least $50.
The effect OF the passage Of the law IS that Super.
intendcnt ShanAhan IN order 10 keep within his appro
priauon, Will have TO discharge a large number Of
canal workmen Tho money he IS now using was
appropriated over year ago by the legislature for
the payment OF the canal laborcrs for the fiscal year
beginning OctobcJl 1855. superintendent Shanahan
OF course a3portloned the amount among the various
months OF tho year. and made his estimates to the
wages 10 be paid 10 his men But now tho State
upsets his ejaculation, By enormously Increasing tho
amount Of wages to be paid. Having only certain
amount Of money remaining, only Just Sunc lent in
pay his aborcrs, he IS compelled TO dismiss
a large number Of them in order 10 pay tho higher
wages set for the rest b. the state.
II IS 10 DO feared also that the injury thus inflicted
upon a large number OF workers may be permanent
because the Legislature will naturally he unwilling b
increase largely the appropriations for the canals
which are slreaIy a subject OF complaint with many
taxpayers The increase OF $500 900 yearly in wages
The canal laborers does not represent tho entire
financial bucien put upon the state
The state IS also en- gagged in frightening The canal
locks Tho Governor has In BIS hands bill
GpprOpraung 600, 900 for this purposs. In addition
there arc appropriations male last yrar which have
not been used.
Il am afraid the g. aday Law Will largely increase
the cost 10 the OF this work OF hening tho
usual locks said state Engineer BogArt this after.
noon, and in my estimates 10 the probable cost
OF the locks TO 10 heightened with tho 100000 apprO
prated by tho Legislature this year for that purpose
bearing the Increase OF wages In mind. II Is true
have the work Of lengthening the canal locks
by contract but the contractors know that the
effect Of the - Aday Law viii rasn tho prize Of labor
an along ths oRuAl and thew therefor Nll only
sent to do the work at ratio which Viii CllhlC hCm
90 pay their labUrcrs - day tho same tho State
iAborers. We therefore probably shall not bo able
90 engthcn q many canal locks with the money
At DIR disposal would have done n tho s2Aday
bill he'd not been passed In my opinion, the law
win disturb tho rate OF wages 10 other callluSN The
farm alOrcr, for instance who T. now receiving frHn
s2O to S25 a month, will be DISCONTINUED whrn IN
hears tina, the state Is paying IOchtender on canals
600 a mouth and Win demand equal waRni. which tho
farmers Will be- compelled 10 pay
superintendent Shanahan bdN sent oft letters m
all his division supennsndentG requesting them 10 In
form him OF vhA; bills they hove incurred and thr
uumb-r u mcn in their employ whom he obtains
statements he Will know whore he stands financially,
and can toll just what reductions necessary.
81 all dlSniss he said tho least valuable men. but in
any cahs, the canals, | Tgnt b. sAv, will not be 30
well guarded mdntRiDoi a. before tho law was
passed.