The herald., 1896-12-12
| 4 WAR OF WORDS
Before the Board of Public
Works
WORK|NGMEN VERSUS CONTRACTORS
Laborers Claim Wages Have
Not Been Paid
THIS IS STOUTLY DENIED
After Hearing Both Sides the Matter Was
Continued Week
At Which Time There VIII Be Full and
Complete Investigation
A Large Number Of Recommendations
Adopted by the Board for Submis-
sion to the Council Monday.
City Hall Notes
At Which Time There Will Be Full and
Complete Investigation

The monotony of the usual proceedings
of the board of public works was re-
lieved yesterday morning by an ami
mated discussion between number OF
laborers and street contractor over the
alleged failure of the latter to pay the
former their wages. The matter came
I'D in the council some weeks ago on
a petition, in which it was asked that
no more contracts be awarded the con-
tractor in question until he had liqui-
dated certain indebtedness to his en-
ployes. At the meeting of the board
yesterday the matter came up on the
reading of the following communication,
signed by Richard Albright and w. r.
Drodie, laborers:
about two months ago petition was
sent to your honorable body in regard
to Putnam & Co., who had the contract
for the improvement of Twenty-seventh
street, and who did not pay their en-
ployes. Your body recommended that
no contracts be awarded to Putnam &
Co. in the future. Among the bidders
for street work at the last session of
the council, November 16, there was the
name of ]. p. Mccormick as one of the
bidders on Ninth, Santa Fe avenue and
Twenty-e eighth street. Said gentleman
was a member of the firm of Putnam &
Co. when they had the contract for
Twenty-seventh street. We hope that
you will protect labor from unscrupulous
contractors who have no means to pay
their employees, and especially any of
the firm of Putnam & Co."
At the conclusion Of the reading Of
the communication, the chairman stated
that remarks were in order, and several
Of the laborers addressed the board in
support of the petition. They insisted
that they had worked hard for the money
which had been withheld, and declared
that they had been robbed by the con-
tractor.
Mr.. Mccormick, the contractor re-
ferred to in the petition, declared that
he had always paid all just claims
against him, and declared that he owed
no man a cent
One of the sub-contractors, who stated
that he had been unable to pay his
men because Putnam & Co. had refused
to settle with him. denounced that firm,
and insisted that Mccormick and Put
nam were to blame for all the trouble.
He then proceeded to make some state
ments concerning the methods of the
firm, which had the effect of bringing
MCCOrIIlck 10 MS Ieel anu d nedIeu
colloquy between the excited men fol-
lowed. For a time it looked as though
there might be trouble, but when the
talk got too hot Chairman Munson called
a halt.
The board then took hand. Chair
man Munson, as we'll as Councilmen
Kingery and Pessell, declared that they
were in favor Of affording full protec-
tion to the workingmen, and If such a
ic hot
would see that every dollar earned was
fully paid On the other hand, they did
not wish to do an injustice to any one,
and If the contractors had any proofs to
submit they should have an opportunity
of doing so. Accordingly, next Friday
was set as the date for a full investiga-
tion.
RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED
The following recommendations were
then adopted by the board for submis-
sion to the council Monday:
In the matter of petition No. 1890.
from E. K. Green ct al, in the matter of
the improvement of CASTELAR, street, rec
ommend the same be referred to the
city engineer.
In the matter of the specifications for
the construction of macadamized streets
herewith presented, recommend the
same be adopted.
eenth street between Grand avenue and
Hope street, we recommend that all pro-
ceedings be abandoned, providing prop
erty owners in the assessment district
pay expenses of the commissioners and
the clerk, the city to pay the other ex-
penses.
In the matter of the abandoning of
the alley in the Beaudry Water Works
tract, recommend that the ordinance
herewith presented be placed upon it's
passage.
In the matter of petition No. 1886, from
8. A. Kendall ct al, asking that Eleventh
street from Alvarado street to Hoover
street be opened and established as a
public street sixty feet wide, recon-
mend the same be referred to the city
engineer to furnish the city attorney
with the necessary data for the opening
OF said street; the assessment district
70 be all property fronting upon said pro-
posed street between Alvarado street
and Hoover street, and the city attor-
ney instructed to present the necessary
ordinance Of intention
In the matter of petition No. 1887, from
David Myers ct al, asking that Bauchet
street be graded, graveled, curbed, side
walked with cement sidewalk five feet
wide, and severed between Avila and
Date streets, under the bond provisions
of the VrOOman act, recommend the city
engineer be instructed to furnish the
necessary estimate Of cost, and If the
same exceeds the amount required by
law, then to present the necessary ordi-
nance of intention
In the matter of petition No. 846, from
the Mateo Street and Santa Fe Avenue
Street Railway company, for franchise
over certain streets, recommend the
same be referred to the city attorney to
present the necessary draft Of advertise
ment, with clause inserted that the
franchise shall be imperative unless the
purchaser shall build and operate said
road upon Brooklyn avenue, Seventh
and Ninth streets before they have any
rights upon other streets where car lines
are now operated; also lay rails of not
less than sixty pounds to the yard, to be
approved by the street superintendent
and board, Of public works.
In the matter Of petition No. 1893, from
G. A. Fudicker ct al, in the matter Of the
boulevard between First and Sixth
streets, recommend the same be re-