The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-14
MOVE THE LABOR BUREAU.
The Business Men Want 1t
Away From the Bank
ing Center.
Comes to the City in
the Winter.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics and the
free employment bureau attached will. no
doubt, be moved from 215 Sansome street
to some place up town not so near the
banking center of the City. The bankers
and business men desire the change and
Labor Commissioner Fitzgerald will be
pleased to grant the request. Yesterday
a gentleman, who does not wish to have
his name made public, called upon the
Labor Commissioner and asked if he in
tended to maintain the free labor bureau
during the coming winter. Mr.. Fitzgerald
replied that such was his intention and
asked the reason for the question.
The gentle man prefaced his explanation
by stating that the business men and
bankers of the community appreciate the
good work the Labor Commissioner has
done in obtainin work for many hun
ored worthy men and women who were
out of employ ment. OF the class of men
who have frequented and are frequenting
the Labor Bureau the bankers have no
cause for uneasiness, but the latter are
looking forward to the winter months.
He went on to state that every winter
the cold weather and rains drive hundreds
of homeless people, better known as
the City the times are duller in the
winter than in the summer months.
With the natural increase of I'M
employed and the rougher element
from all parts of the country greater
care has to be exercised to prevent trouble.
Naturally enough the worthy unemployed
will flock to the States Free Labor Bureau
and the .undeserving idlers, roughs and
tramps will assist in swelling the crowd
the same as in the past when they assem-
bIed daily at the Merchants Exchange
when they were provided for by contribu-
tions from the merchants and business
men. The gentleman said: with the
Free Labor Bureau located i'll the banking
center of the City some of the more reck-
less might be tempted to resort to des-
perate measures. The San Francisco
Clearinghouse adjoins the entrance to the
Labor Bureau, and the sight of clerks pass
ing in and out with money checks and
drafts might cause trouble that had better
be avoided. There are o dozen banks
with money piled up on the counters with
in two blocks of this place, and the sight
OF money TO hungry men is like red flag
to bull.h
He wound up by telling Mr.. Fitzgerald
that the bankers and business men would
feel safer with the labor bureau somewhere
else during the winter months, and asked
if Mr.. Fitzgerald would be willing to move
The Labor Commissioner replied that he
would be glad to do so for several reasons,
but his State appropriation is too short to
permit of contracting additional expenses.
He would like to change to place where
the people would not have to climb two
flights of stairs to reach the bureau and
where they would not have to go so far to
reach the bureau. Besides this he saw the
force of his visitors argument.
The gentleman quickly answered that
the matter of money need not stand in the
way, as the bankers would freely give all
that was necessary for making the change
and even the maintenance of the bureau
further out from the center. The business
men are accustomed to donating consid-
cradle money during the winter months,
and besides standing the expense of NOV
ing they would gladly make Mr.. Fitzgerald
the custodian of any money they may con-
tribute in the cause of charity, as he is in
a position to be familiar with those worthy
of assistance.
The Labor Commissioner said that when
the proposition takes more definite shape
he will no doubt give it his favorable con-
sideration. He would like to move out to
the neighborhood of Stockton and Geary
streets. He will also accept the position of
dispenser of charities. The gentleman said
that the matter would no doubt be salts
factorily arranged by the time the harvest
ing is over and the rains set in for the
Winte