The morning call., 1894-09-14
Df SQOAKE fANOO.
Street Sweeping Will Be
Figured That Way.
A QUESTION OF MEMS PAY.
Willing to Work Nine Hours, but
Want ST so.
SPECIFICATIONS IN DEMAND.
The Street Committee Considers the
Important Subject-AIso the
Bicycle Ordinance.
A QUESTION OF MEMS PAY
SPECIFICATIONS IN DEMAND

President Dohrmar of the Merchants
Association was before the Street Com
mittee of the Board of Supervisors yester-
day afternoon, and explained at length the
proposed plan for cleaning the streets by
hand labor.
The room was crowded with persons in
terested in the matter. the workers OF the
association being well represented, and a
delegation being on hand in behalf OF the
laboring men, who. under the proposed
plan, will be ca!Ied upon to do the work.
Mr.. Dohrmann presented the plan and
the figures that make part OF it, as given
at the Chamber of Commerce meeting held
the day before.
The subject was discussed at some
length. The question of the rate of wages
to be paid the men came in for consider
able attention, although one member of
the committee raised the pint that the
committee had no power in tue matter. 1t
was for them to get the work we'll done
and cheaply, and they could not 90 be-
yopd that.
Mr.. Dohrman said that the plan of the
merchants proposed the raising by Indi-
vldual subscription of $40, 600 to the city's
100000. He was perfectly willing to pay
81 80 for the eight hours labor fixed as
days work by the city ordinance. He
thought it was none too much. The asso-
citation was not inclined to be niggardly if
IL had money enough. But the question
was wholly one of money-how far could
1t be made to reach and how far it would
spread over the city streets TO make them
clean? The higher the wages paid, again,
the fewer men would be given employ
ment. In the matter of the individual
subscriptions much of it would be given to
secure work to the unemployed as well as
10 clean the streets. For that part of the
fund the donors had right to consider
how it was to be spent, and people would
give more readily If they knew it was to
benefit a greater number. just how the
city's fund and the donated money could
be separated with this regard of paying
wages he was not prepared to say. Sut did
not want to be bound in the matter,
although, he repeated, he was in favor of
paying 81 30. The work that had been
already done was based on 81 %. They
paid 81, 81 % aud 81 so, according to the
ability of the men employed.
Michael Lafferty. big man with full,
long beard, was present as spokesman for
euO ldOOt6ics duu was DOW gwen cDaDce
to be heard. He said that he did not come
as representing class OF agitators or SOUP
house dependents, but a class of men
'who would have done credit to ancient
Rome in her palmiest days" He said they
| appreciated the efforts OF the Merchants
Association on their behalf aud of the
board in having postponed the street.
cleaning contract, but he urged that they
(the laborers) be not forced 10 work at
pauper wages. He thought 81 90 should
be maintained as the wage for the days
work and for which, he said, The men
would be willing 10 work nine hours.
He was reminded that the law fixed the
days labor at eight hours. at which he
said the law was peculiar thing and tha
common saying was to the effect that a
horse and carriage could be driven through
it when it was thought necessary. The
| hand work on the streets would not only
keep the streets clean. but result in a saving
20 the merchants. their goods being re.
leased in great measure from the damage
! of dust.
| Mr.. DOhrm2n was instructed to have
| specifications prepared so that they could
| be presented TO the board next Monday
| and bids advertised Tuesday, and q m ore
| time be lost. The specifications will re-
! quire that the work be- done by the square
| yard.
Otto tum Suden also appeared before the
committee on his bicycle ordinanc and
urged its favora BILE report to The board.