Evening journal., 1892-08-13
The EIGHT HOUR LABOR LAW.
IT WILL SERIOUSLY AFFECT WORK
ON FORT DELAWARE.

Major Raymond Says That the Passage
of the Law VIII Certainly Have Ten
dency to Increase the Cost Of All Gov
eminent Work Fully one-Fourth-its
Eject on the Breakwater work.
The new eighth hour labor law, passed
recently by Congress. went into effect on
August l. and ever since that time there
has been endless questioning of its mean
ing. The attorney general. says the
Philadelphia Record. has now been
called on to interpret the statute. and his
verdict viii be all important.
The Record further saws that there is
no question that this legislation estab-
fishes an eight hour day for the navy
yard in that city, the Frankford Arsenal
and other similar establishments; also for
the contractor for the new Philadelphia
mint and all other public buildings
throughout the country. and 1t applies
likewise, according to n dispatch from
Washington last night, TO work in rivers
and harbors similar to that now in pro-
gress in the Delaware. OF course the
law cannot operate retroactively on
works already contracted for.
Major Raymond, in advertising for
bids for new work, calls the attention of
contractors TO the new act. In speaking
of IL yesterday he said 1.-The passage of
this law will certainly have tendency
TO increase the cost Of all Government
work fully one -fourth, as contractors. in
view of its restriction, will add from 20
TO % per cent TO their bids for work Il
will also work a hardship in many in
stances upon mechanics and laborers en-
ployed on Government work.
Take, for instance the men engaged
on the Notifications at Fort Delaware
Eight hours has always been practically
deemed days work. yet these men very
often work ten and more hours day.
and in making up their time at the end
of a month, the number of hours worked
is divided by eight. and the result is that
they very often have several extra DAYS
in a month. Under the new law | will
not be permitted to allow them to work
more than eight hours per day without
making myself amenable to the penalt,
prescribed for a violation of the act The
same will apply TO every other contractor
engaged on government work
THE new law will also seriously affect
the Government work to be done at the
new Delaware Breakwater, the contract
for which has nearly expired and will
have to be renewed. In the work of car
rying the heavy stones required in the
construction of the breakwater, the con-
dition of the weather and the tide must
be favorable before the barges can be
moved in position to unload. IL is i'm
possible to unload one of these barges in
eight hours, yet when once moored in po-
sition, few hours more work would dis
charge them. When eight hours have
been worked, however, they must be
hauled off, and it may be DAYS before ia
vorable conditions win permit Of com.
/ pleting the full discharge of the cargo,
thus consuming time that could be other
wise utilized
Major Raymond was of the opinion
that the new law would develop some
very fine points as to what really consti
tuted a mechanic or laborer. and what
did not Take for instance, he said
"the men employed on dredges engaged
in Government work. These men occnpy
the dual capacity Of mechanics and sea
men, as they operate the dredging
machinery and also navigate the
dredges. If seaman is classed as
mechanic, the captain of a vessel under
charter to carry Government supplies Of
materials could sail but eight hours each
day, and then be compelled to haul TO un.
til the next day"
] Ia.