Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-18
TOUGH ON AMERICANS
City Chiefs Decide That We, as a Peo.
pie, Have Weak Stomachs and
A DISLIKE FOR MANUAL LABOR.
Controller Morrow Makes an Inquiry Into
the Residence and
CITIZENSHIP OF CITY EMPLOYEES

A writer who suffered more from bilious
ness than brilliancy once declared that
Americans are nation of dyspeptics, but
il has been left for j. o. Brown, Chief OF the
Department of Public Safety, to put q
clincher to this statement by asserting that
Americans have weak stomachs. CHIEF
Bigelow, ot the Department OF Public
Works. also intimates that the native OF
this country dislikes to tickle Dame Earth
with O shovel and pick that she may laugh
with o crop Of 1s-ineh sewers and Belgian
block pavements.
City Controller Morrow, who believes that
when Law cannot be successfully enforced
it should either be repealed or amended TO
suit the case, IL the moving cause Of these
attacks upon the digestive and muscular
systems Of our people. The Controller has
had his attention called 10 q section In what
IA known ~ The charter ordinance, which
provides that "aii heads NJ bureaus, ems
pioyes and clerks Of the city shall be eltl.
spns of the United States, shall be residents
of ths city, and shall reside therein during
their term OF service and employment, ana
shall have resided IN the ely ~ lsAst ala
months prior 10 their employment"
roo MueH ~ A Ge6D THING,
M, Morrow believes thai this pFovlsleh ID
loo faTsFssehihg, and In order 10 secure The
views Of the persons Interested IN The sub
jeet, addressed letter 10 the Mayer ana ths
heads Of zach department asking for llst ef
their nonresident subeTdiRatssr h6 IaT ne mas
received but twa answers, from the Treasurer
fha iaf
stated all 10 he residents OF PlttsbgTg ana eiti
zens OF the United States,
Chief RF0wR, in speaking Of the subject, said
he had but one emplaye who ala not i've W Lhe
city ana he had moved 20 sWlssVale IoF tAa
heated term, This man will have 10 get right
into town again, or quit, Continuing, lhe
Ohiet saidi "so far as | know this 10 the only
case in my department, but there may be more,
We have TO hire men to run the garbage fur
naoe, and they are not easy people 10 secure,
We do not ask them II they are residents or
oitizens-all we want are men with strong stom-
achs, don't believe the average American
would OF could perform this work."
Chief Bgeow, in conversation with the Con-
troller, said; ~ could not operate my depart
ment If that rule was rigidly enforced. We
employ large number OF men who work with
pick and shovel, and you don't md many
Americans who care for that kind of labor. In
deed IL is difficult To secure enough OF that
kind of labor of any nationality, have in my
employ q draughtsman and a chairman. The
former is not an American citizen and the lat
ter lives In Allegheny.
HARD TO GET.
81 needed draughtsman and advertised, but
could not secure one. finally obtained this
man by answering his advertisement for po-
sition. The chairman employed because he
is a good man and understands his duties. His
is a difficult position to fill, because the rail-
roads snap up such men and pay them bigger
salaries than the city allows. So far as possi-
BILE my department lives up to the laws, but IN
this instance we are forced 10 deviate from it
slightly"
Controller Morrow agreed with the Chief,
and mentioned the fact that the employees at
the City Farm, under the control of the De-
partment OF Charities, were forced by the loca-
tion of their post Of duty to be violators of this
law. If they are employed at the farm they
cannot keep their residence in the city, and If
| they keep their residence they have no time to
| work at the farm.
Mr. Morrow will draft an amendment to the
| ordinance for presentation at the next regular
| meeting of Councils He does not desire tha:
the provision be entirely repealed, but will ask
that it be so changed as not to conflict with the
| proper operation of the city departments.