Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-12-20


at the rate of one dollar per day OF nine
hours, for common labor" Speak
ing to his amendment, Mr.. Wheat
said the proposed work was
not a matter Of necessity or OF ur-
gency on the part of the city. 1t was
a matter of strict charity. From the
best information be could obtain, the
railroads of the city were paying but
one dollar per day, and the mills from
S1.15 to SIPS, aud he thought under
the circumstances a dollar would be
enough. he did not think 1t was too
much TO ask the labOrer to contribute a
quarter day. If the ruling rate was
S125.
Mr.. O'Malley moved to again amend
by making the rate S1.75 day, and
being ruled out, moved to lay the
whole matter on the table. This did
not 60 either, and Mr.. Milligan raised
the point there was none OF the amend
meuts In writing, and offered one 10
writing, for which he claimed prece-
deDce.
Mr.. WHEATON, can have all the
prestige you want, Mr.. Millgan.
The Chair ruled Mr.. MilIigan out.
Mr.. Wheat's amendment, reduced TO
writing and changed 10 eight hours,
was put before the house, and Mr..
Wheat took the floor in its support,
again asserting the proposed measure
was one OF relief, pure and simply. The
question of wages was properly not Ia
it. There was nothing in the question
to effect the present or future rates of
wages paid by the city. 1t was purely
charity, and should be made to go as
far as it would. He said the w. 3. d
I. Co. had employment for fifty men
lately, at one dollar day and had one
thousand applications
Mr.. Milllgan-Were they our own
citizens, or were they Italians and other
foreigners? Applause from the gal
leries.
Mr.. Wbeat-They were our own
citizens and taxpayers.
Mr.. Wheat proceeded with his re-
marks, saying this rate OF one dollar
day would not affect regular city en-
ployes or private employees. His aim
was to do the greatest good to the
greatest mum Der, and ne appealed to his
Democratic friends il that was not
Democratic principle.
A Voice-YeS.
Proceeding he said work was in de-
mand. Many meh had no work, and II
the city offered work at dollar, that
certainly beat no work all to pieces,
and the jobs would be taken. 1t was
far from him to want to cut down
wages, but this was no ordinary occur
renee and ought to be met with extra
ordinary measures. The object was to
employ all men who were actually des-
titute, but If the rate was put at 81. 70
there would be rush, and many de-
serving man might be shut out. Pitts
burg only paid ten cents an hour and
Cleveland a dollar a day. He
plead with members not to look at 1t as
a political matter, or as affecting regu-
lar wages, or as affecting people not
directly concerned, but TO treat it as
purely charitable purpose.
Mr.. Hamilton advocated the amend
ment offered by Mr. Wheat-a dollar
for eight hours.
Mr.. Miligan was glad to see members
of Council taking an interest in the
laboring men. 1t was time. When there
was city work TO be done there
was usually no such anxiety, and men
from other places got the work, and
Italians and Hungarians did IL. Now
our own people had been pushed to the
wall and were in pinch, and dollar a
day was talked OF.
Mr.. Maxwell thought the whole thing
was in bad shape. and he moved to lay
on the table and start over. Lost, ayes
6, noes Is.
MIR. Wheat then replied to the re-
marks of Mr.. Mtlligan, saying this
Council was not responsible for
the acts of previous Councils, and
no such contract had been let by this
body. The proposed act was simply a
recommendation 10 the different Boards,
and he had been told by a member OF
one of the Boards that the adoption Of
the resolution before the house would
be of no effect, because OF the restrain
ing ordinance. II will novel will
ask nv friend Mr.. Maxwell il this will
be in order"
Mr.. Milligan-Oh!
MIR. Wheat-He knows more about it
than | do. You are no authority on
this side of the house. Laughter.
Mr.. Wheat then moved TO suspend
the operations of the restraining ordi-
nance, and then 60 at 1t properly, but
was told that to put it in the proper
form it must be in writing. He started
to write it out but was told by the
Clerk that as the resolutions did not
take effect until January I'd, the ordi-
nance was not in the way. He then
moved the previous question on his
amendment Of dollar for eight hours.
Mr.. Mllligan then offered another
amendment, limiting its effects to ''citi-
zens and taxpayers and barring out
no one because be had not paid his tax
bill. After discussion the word tax
payer" was stricken out. Mr., Wheat
accepted the amendment to his amend
ment.
A vote was then taken on the amend
ments offered by Messrs. Wheat and
Milllgan combined. The vote resulted:
ayes 9, noes 10, as follows.
Ayes-Messrs. Dinger, Filan, Frew,
Hamilton, Hupp. Klleen, Wheat, Zoeck-
Ter and Mr.. President-9.
Noes-Messrs. Brill Britt, Burke,
Del ers, Knoke, Kreiter, MilIigan,
O'Malley, Warnecke aud Zwicker-10.
Mr.. Wheat then offered TO amend by
making the rate Sl.lO, but changed it to
fifteen cents per hour.
Mr.. Milligan-Pll bet you knew l
was going to offer that.
Mr.. Wheat-AIl right, you can have
the credit OF 1t.
The amendment was concurred 10,
and the resolution as amended was
adopted, ayes Il, noes 1, the latter Mr..
Brill.
The resolutions from the Committee
providing for the extension OF the gas
and water mains, B. p. w. work, etc,
were then concurred In. and the mat
tiers went to the First Branch.
Tho resolution Dassed by the Second