The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-17
RIGHT TO THE POINT
Mayor Denny Gives a Straight
Talk to Agitat0r Cummings.
Visit of the Unemployed to the Board of
WOrks-Men at Work Cleaning
the Streets.

The unemployed, or that portion which
mas been holding meetings in the Criminal
Court room each week for the past two
months. were again in the basement Of the
courthouse yesterday under the leadership
or Cummings. a committee from the I'M
employed had reported that contractors at
work constructing sewers were employing
foreign labor in the work. The contractors
complained of were VI. ]. Griffin, who is
constructing the East Wash-ingtOn-street
I'VE and Wilding & Derheimer, who are
constructing the main intercepter. The
board had asked the contractors TO come
before it and answer the charges that they
were employing foreign labor. Mr.. Griffin
showed that he employed 124 men. and of
this number but eight resided outside of
the city. A man employed by him said
that most Of those In the employ were resi-
dents of the city. Mr.. Derheimer said that
all or his shovelers were residents of the
city. He employed eighty men, and gave
local labor the preference. He said the
brick work had been sublet, and he did
not know where the WORKINGS employed
were from. He offered to submit his pay
roll To the board, and the offer was ac-
cepted. President Wildman, of the board,
said he wanted the contractors in the
future TO employ home labor, and Der
heimer said he would do so.
During the explanations being made by
the contractors some of the men became
bitter In their den~unciation OF the con-
tractors. One man shook his fist at Der
heimer and said to him, IF you don't take
the outsiders off your work we will come
down and take them off, The feeling
which prompted this remark was prevalent
IN an in n4NcrNn 80 .-l aA-,A - 80
outside sent q telephone message TO Super
~intendent Powell TO send officers to the
basement. In a short time a half dozen
patroImen and three or four detectives, un-
der Chief Splann, came into the crowd
The agitator, Cummings, then came for
ward again and asked about the use of
money now III the hands of the city for
giving employment to the men. A demand
was a made that the money derived from
the vehicle tax be spent In shoveling snow
OF the streets for the sake of furnishing
work 10 the men. Mayor Denny. who was
present, spoke 10 the men and told them
that the charter expressly. provided that
pairs, and that he did not believe shovel
ing snow would be considered street re-
pairs under the law. He said he would
consult the city attorney and see If the
Ehoney could by any means be transferred
from one fund to another and thus make
1t Immediately available for relief.
Cummings Immediately proposed that the
entire crowd then assembled return to the
basement OF the courthouse at 10 O'Clock
ILLS mOTniuS IOE the answer OF the CITY
attorney. Mayor Denny then turned to
Cummings and told him that he was doing
wrong in misleading these men. The May
or told him that he knew the condition of
affairs, and knew that the city was not
able to use the money for any other pur-
pose than that for which it was expressly
provided it should be used. Knowing this,
as he said, the Mayor told Cummings he
was doing harm in making misleading
statements TO the men and leading them
to believe that the money could be used.
The Mayor said that such crowds would
not be received daily, as was the intention
OF the unemployed. He would gladly re-
ceive a committee this morning, but would
not see these crowds every day. He said
this continual agitation was not accom-
plishing any good for either the men or
the city. y motion was then put and car
ried that a committee of seven call upon
the Mayor and Board of Works this morn
ing to learn what the opinion of the city
attorney was. Late yesterday afternoon
the Mayor, Board OF Works and Messrs.
Lilly. Fortune and Hanna, of the CONNER
cial Club, were in consultation as to the
method TO pursue in providing for the UNI
employed. The city has heretofore acted
in concert with the club, and it was de-
sired that the ommitte which has the
work in charge for the club be consulted.