The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-09-22
Pipe Line and Reservoir Labor
ers are Still Idle.
WATER COMMISSIONERS DIVIDED
Some Members Want to Take a Com
nonsense View Of Matters
and Others Don't.

the waterworks construction by the Pa
clfic Paving Co. was tine principal topic
of discussion in the city yesterday and
! public opinion was very generally di-
vided concerning the cause OF the trou-
bic, though everybody deplored the ef-
feet. A large number of excited Greeks
and Italians were very much in evidence
on the corners of the principal streets
al day discussing the situation in a live
ly manner. There was, however, very
little show of disturbance and there SEEM
! ed to be a complete understanding be-
tween the contractors and the laborers
| which kept the latter pretty well in
hand. The life of a water commissioner
from very early in the morning till late
East night was far from being an en-
viaIble one, while the clerk of that body
was several times tempted to seek some
secluded spct in the woods and climb a
tree. The city attorney also came in
for a considerable share of public at
tenton and his Office was crowded AL
day Attorneys generally were UP to
their eyes in business and nearly all of
! them had claims" real and imaginary,
against the contractors who had stopped
work. One young limb of the law, in
! his eagerness to assist his clients, got
out a writ of garnishment against the
city, and no doubt would have had the
mayor and city council arrested and sold
for al they were worth IL some oder
heads had not stopped his mad career
in time.
1t was very difficult to get at the true
cause of the suspension of business.
Every second man knew all about f.
of course, and was kept busy telling his
neighbor the real inwardness Of the mat
ter. But the facts were hard to find.
Most of the commissioners decidedly OBJ
jected to being approached for infor-
nation, while the clerk, like little Jim,
didn't know notilink about nothink"
for several hours 1t Is impossible to
say whether work win be resumed to-
morrow or not, but appearances are de-
cidedly against any immediate reopen
ing. The commissioners seem to be
set in their opinions, and it is doubtful
If Mr.. Benin will be able to raise the
money he has gone to Portland to Sc
cure. The general sentiment. among bus
mess men particularly. is that the Pa
eiflc Paving Company should be given
every possible opportunity to continde
and finish their contract, and nobody
yesterday seemed to doubt their honora-
hle intentions or the excellent quality of
their work. The commissioners are d.
vided on the best course to pursue and
it looks as If a failure on the part or
the company to raise the required cash
will cause them to reconsider their ma
jcrity action of yesterday
Below will be found several interviews
obtained by an Astorian representative
with men who are all geratly interested
in the matter. They will disclose the
true facts of the case, in the best posi-
BILE way:
George Parefh, sub-contractor of the
pipe line, who works under the Pacific
Paving Co., and has 1,5 men in his em-
ploy, feels very blue over the occurrences
of yesterday, and states that he is some
thousands OF dollars behind. His men
ade ell dissatisfied hut prepared to do
as he advises them. They worked til
noon yesterday and then laid Off. Pa
re.li was very much excited over the turn
matters had taken and held several con-
suitations with his feiloy countrymen
during the day. Fl ewill keep his em-
p.oyes at the camp as long as provisions
hold out
Harry Uandrons, who calls himself
"transer.ater" who interprets for most
Of the emp.oyes when they want to make
any remarks to foreigners, and who in
cidentaly does a nice little business in
time checks on the side, said in answer
to questions that there were about 24O
men directly in the employ of the COM
pany. These were receiving in wages
sums ranging from $50 to $55 a month
They had always been paid their earn
ings promptly on the 2lst of each month
up to that date in August, when time
check3 were issued on the 2nd of Sep
tember
City Attorney John H. Smith said
The situation is a simple one. The Pa
citic Paving Company took this contract
and they have been giving orders for
mItrial and supplies since the time they
started. 1t has been their set course
right along to reserve enough outside
the amounts ca.led for by these orders
for the payment of the workmen and
they have managed this successfully
right along until this month. In two
orders issued the other day, however,
each for $3.50 and payable to the Alca-
tra2 Al lth1.t Co. and the Foard q Stokes
Co. respectively, There is a misunder-
Standing between the parties as to
whether these orders are payable out of
September or October moneys. The
payees claim the former, the contractors
the latter. That is the whole trouble
in a nutshell. Finding out the cause of
the dissention between the parties the
water commission came to me for my
opinion l looked into the matter care
fuzzy and informed the commission that
as long as the parties in whose favor
the orders were payable claimed that
they Should be provided for out of Sep
tember earnings the commission should
ho,d the money pending a settlement OF
the dispute. This has been done. The
commission has no doubt Whatever of the
h0,,, ,-.eyfxr Of ha l.
to aid them in every possible way. This
is not a technical iega, question. 1t is
matter of business. Mr.. Impression is
that the trouble Will very soon be over |
come. 1t Is probable that the Pacific |
Paving Co.'S bondsnen viii step in and
complete the contract 1t has been Gus I
tomary with the commissioners, follow !
ing out the terms of the contract, to /
pay the Pacific Paving Co. on the 20th !,
of every month for work done during the /
preceding month. Yesterday, however /
by reason of representations made to /
them it was thought advisable to pay
the contractors not only for August Ia |
Dor. but up to the 18th of September as |
well. The Foard & Stokes Co. and Mr.. |
q, w. Louisberry agent for the Alca-
traz Asphalt Co, heard of this intention
and being scared for the stability value
or taCr orders, they demonstrated with |
the commission against paying out any
money earned in September before the
October pay day l believe the action
of the commission in Withholding this
money tiX the dispte is settled is per-
fectly right. The conditions are such
that the greatest caution should be exer-
cised as the chances are mighty good for
getting left. A good many
Portland creditors of the Pacific Paw
ing Company are in town today, and the
general sentiment among them seems to
be that the contractors should be allow
ed to finish their work"
Mr.. G. c. Fulton, attorney for the
Fcaid & Stokes Co, said the claim hos
been put forth so long ago that he bad
forgotten whether it had been drawn
'or payment in September or October
Ae had not understood that fhsrn -