The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-23
THE Amendment KILLED.
The Common Council Refused to
Raise Park LaborerS Pay.
THOUGHT 81 A DAY TOO MUCH.
The Mayor Has Called the Hoard OF A.
dormen In Special session Next Tuesday
forenoon - speeches In Favor OF the
!. Increased Fay.

The common council met in special
lession at IL o'clock today. In the alb
sence of President Sellew John Il. Kend-
rick was elected president pro tenn. The
warrant of the mayor convening the body
in special session was read and also the
message of the executive announcing the
action of the board OF aldermen amending
the resolution by fixing the rate OF the
city's employed on the Roger Williams
park extension 81 instead OF 20 cents.
Chairman Vaughan Opposes.
Chairman Vaughan OF the finance COM
mittee opposed the amendment, the sum
OF 70 cents having been agreed upon by the
Joint committees on finance and harbor.
Two members OF the committee in the
board had changed their minds, but that
was no reason why the council should not
insist upon the vote fixed by that body.
Mr.. McGann Favored the Raise.
Mr.. McGann favored the amendment.
He thought the city as wealthy cQrpor-
ton should pay their laborers an ade-
quate sum. 1t should not take advantage
of the stringency Of the times,
but pay the laborers as good
rate as they might have received
in other departments. He would ad-
wise paying them 10 cents an hour and
make it nine hours, as is the case in other
departments. There is no trouble met in
voting city officers high sal
aries or granting corporations
valuable franchises, but when
il comes to giving the poor man an equi-
valent for his service his interests are not
taken into fair consideration. He paid a
compliment to the mayor-elect for
going on record in favor Of
Increased wages for the labor
ing man. He alluded incidentally to the
close Of the Olneyville strike which gave
employment to large number of deserv-
ing poor whose claims should have
been otherwise recognized by the
park commissioners. He was
not in favor of class legislation
in favor of discharged employees of
the city departments for condition con-
fronted the city's unemployed where
skilled labor should not be pitted against
those who were in crying need of work
but at just and equitable compensation.
Councilman Dssvy Tavors the Measure.
Mr.. Darcy hoped the council would look
at the matter in broad and catholic
spirit not it the sense of charity, but as
the work is necessity, let them have
wages which contribute to the support of
their families. Messrs. Knight, Ira
Winsor and Thurston favored concur
renee on the ground that the sum of IL
was only fair compensation and the
city would receive benefit more than
commensurate with the outlay
Mr.. Giblin said that he had
studied the wages paid by
other cities and had found that no city
had voted such q small sum as was pro-
posed by the council. j. III. Kendrick
raised the point that the destitute fami-
lies of Olneyville strikers were paid $3.50,
which was deemed adequate to meet their
needs. The council resolution contem-
plated the employment OF these laborers
at the same sum. After further discus
sion the roll-call was employed, and the
amendment was lost by a vote Of II ayes
to 16 nays.
Mayor vctoes Eosus Fire Alarm BilI.
A message was received from the mayor
announcing his veto OF the fire alarm bill
making it punishable offence to
tamper and falsely ring fire alarms as
has been the case supplementing the cleo
tion of Aldermen West. Aldermen Win
sor said that the ordinance con-
ficted with the statute, and on
his motion the bill was indefinitely post
poned This action which sustainsthe point
raised by Alderman West was therefor
sustained, and simultaneously the mayors
veto.
The refusal OF the council to concur in
the board amendment to the vote of COM
pensation will necessitate special session
OF the board which has been called for
Tuesday next at IL o'clock.