The sun., 1896-10-24
STREET CLEANING STOPS.
TARTNG SirS FIICH ToN,r PAT
COATRICTORS

Waiting for the Comnt-oiier to Come or
Hi= Perch" Tate Is the Contrse,or-
MIR. Fitch says He Did Not Refuse 60 Pny
Tate, but snEErstcdn n Civii Service Point
The Street Cleaning Department has shut M
shop Not stroke of work will be done by the
men to-day. Commissioner Wnring stopped all
the wheels at o'clock last evening. lie will
start them again wnen lo has obtained in
dcmnitY for the past and security for the fu-
ture," or something Of that Kind especially the
security for the future. He sent out at o'clock
last evening the following statement:
COMPTROLLER FITCH STOPS ALI WORK or Tnu
DEPARTMENT OF STREET CLEANING.
Comptroller Fitch having to-day given mo
his decision that a contractor working for THIS
department cannot receive pay for cuntract
ihVolring the payment "f men unless those men
have been regularly employed according to the
ctv'i service rulss. cannot continue any OF the
contracts necessary 10 the work OF this depart
mrht without making myself at least morally
liable for the compensation due TO tile con-
tractor.
This means that we can hlre no tugs to tako
our material to sea, can hire no cunt ractor 10
unload our scows ut sea- can hire no carts to
collect ashes and garbage in the annexed uis-
trict. anu none 10 collect paper and rubbish. us
heretofore. in the city of New York. II means,
too a suspension OF the contract for cleaning
lower broadway.
If We can send scows to sea We have no
way to get rid OF the products OF our .wsepiuE
and ash collections
IL have, therefore. no alternative but to sus-
pend all work until soms means shall be pro-
vided which will enable us 10 carry it OH With
out personal liability.
''GEoHGE +. WARING. Jr., Commissioner"
When the day forces in all branches OF the
department except the stables finished work
last evening they were told that they ould not
be required for work to-day. but they were
asked to report and be in read mess for work aE
O'Clock this morning; again at lo O'Clock
noon and at O'Clock in the afternoon. They
were then to remain around until O'Clock, and
If they had got no orders for work at that time
they were not to report again until Monday
morning at o'clock. The order affected ali
but the men employed to look after the horses
in the stables; in other words. about 100 mon
who average ~ a day. II also suspended work
IN the annexed district aud ON the dumps. scows.
Col. waring said, through his secretary last
Comutroer Fitch came e0G down s'1n1 from u1ts his
perch" The secretary said the men in the de-
Nhrlng dlu not want the men employed by the
contractors to work unless he saw that they
were going To get paid for It. Col. WarinR had
absolutely no control over the men employed by
the contractors who were at liberty to employ
whom they chose 80 long ns they carried out
the provisions Of their contracts.
Comptroller Fitch knew nothing about Col.
Warnings order until after O'Clock in the even-
ing, when a reporter took n copy OF the procla-
nation 10 him. He was surprised at IL and
could not believe, he sad that Col. Waring in
tended to carry his threat into effect. Mr.. Fitch
said that Col. wnring came into his ONCE be-
tween 4 and O'clock in the afternoon and
asked why some bills Of Contractor Herbert
late's were not paid. Mr.. Fitch described thus
what followed:
II told him that during his absence in Europe
the question had been raised neither not the
civil service rules applied TO the men employed
by Tate, contractor employed by the Street
Cleaning Department. The matter was brought
10 my attention BY a letter, audi said to Col.
the opinion OF the Corporation Counsel or tho .
Civil Service Commission on the matter. and
that wOuid be glad To be guided BY his advice.
/ did not refuse to pay the bills OF AIR.
Tate. and am personally Of the opinion that the
civil service rules do not apply in this CASEY hut
am anxious to treat with caution all questions
involving the civil service law, and have II ex-
ecutcd ia letter and In spirit The bills for tho
tows ana the o.her property hired by the de-
partmcnt have always been paid and the de-
statement headed Comptroller Fitch stops tho
Street Cleaning Departments Work. is aston-
ish!ng."
Mr. Fitch snid that he made no decision such
tervew Col. Waring seemed to agree with tho
Comptroller, and left the office apparently to go
to the office or Corporation Counsel Scott. That
WAS the last that the Comptroller heard from
him.
After reading Col. Warnings order, Mayor
Strong said
This is none OF my business-it is Col. War
ins's II applies TO his department. He has alb
solute charge over the affairs OF his department.
have nothing 10 say in the matter at ALL"