The Washington times., 1895-06-20
LIFE SAVING The OBJECT
Laboring Men Appeal to the
District Commissioners.
WANT THE LAW ENFORCED
Attention Called to a Recent Fatal
Accident Due TO Imperfectiy Con-
structed Sea affolding-If Regulations
Cannot BE Applied, Remedial Leg
islation WIN Be Sought.

The accident OF Monday whereby two
cornice workers lost their lives by the
falling of a scaftold, at No. 1924 Twelfth
street northwest, was called specially to
the attention OF tie Federation of Labor,
at its meeting Tuesday evening, and the
secretary was directed to confer with the
District Commissioners as to the appli-
cation Of remedy against such occur
rences.
Under the instructions given Secretary
Potter has requested the Commissioners to
enforce the regulations concerning the
proper construction of scaffolding, and if
for any reason they have not the power
10 do this, they are asked TO cooperate
with the labor organizations in securing
remedial legislation.
FAULTY SCAFF0LD.
The fact is pointed out that while the
two workmen, Rogene Davis and Robert
Phillips, were assisting in attaching the
cornice to a new building now being
erected for FERDINAND Smith, at the num-
Der given, the scaffold gave away, be-
cause of its imperfect construction, and the
men were thrown to the ground and killed.
This might have been avoided, it is al
legged, had the regulations been enforced.
a bill was introduced at the last session
OF Congress by Senator Kyle, known as
the Employers liability act" which labor
representatives sought to have adopted
1t failed of passage, how ever, but this
or a similar measure Will be introduced at
the coming session, and united effort
made 10 have il enacted tits similar in its
provisions to the law upon the same sub
Ject in nearly every State in the Union and
under il contractors will be made liable
for the results of an accident shown to be
due to neglig euce.
PROTECTION TO employees.
There are.many reasons, labor men say,
for the enactment of such a measure. the
chief being it's protection to employees on
contract work No builder will place men
in position of peril To life and limb with
the knowledge that in case of accident he
will be responsible for damage
At present, il is alleged, contract work
is so hurried, often as a necessary economy
because OF the low price at which ii is
being done, that due caution cannot be
observed IN providing safeguards, and
contractors habitually take risks that
would not be thought OF if they knew
sure penalty awaited the results OF care
lessness.
The District Commissioners viii be asked
to approve of measure similar to that
before the last Congress.
IL is understood that the families OF
the two workmen no were Killed on Mon
day are left practically destitute.
RELIEF OF THE WIDOWS
movement for the immediate finan-
cial relief OF the widows was started
with q generous subscription yesterday by
the workmen with whom Davis and
Phillips were recently employed, and at a
meeting of Carpenters and Joiners Union,
No. /, held last night at No. 419 Tenth
street nor thw est, it received hearty
Endorsement and response. The members
individually gave quite literally aud the
union made a donation from it's treasury
Aside from the sorrowS Of bereavement,
the family are distressed through their
practical helplessness, aud an appeal is
made to all the tradesunions in the District
for contributions TO the fund. The sub
scription paper viii be presented 10 the
unions and assemblies with request fora
liberal donation from each.