The Portland daily press., 1897-08-12
THE STREET WORKERS.
They Explain their Grievances to the Com
mission of Public Works.


The adjourned hearing of the Commits.
sion of Public Works, was held yesterday
afternoon. Mayor Randall presided and
there were present Alderman Rounds,
and Councilman Smith and Bryson. AL
derman Kehoe was absent.
The object of the hearing was to listen
to the complaints of men who claim that
they have been Disseminated against
in the employn ent of labor in the streets
The plan pursued by the commission of
public works is to have all applicants for
work register. Then from the list men
are employed for few weeks at time,
and then are laid off to give place to 9TH
ers waiting on the list. The object is to
possible.
John O'Nein was the first man who
had grievance. He said that in draw
ing for work he got five days on the
first card last spring, but on the second
call he did not get work.
"Were you in town when you got the
card?" asked the Mayor.
The complainant replied that he was
out of town and so did not report until
Tuesday when he should have reported
Monday. When he did come he was told
that there was no work.
Michael Feeney complained that he had
work only two periods since the draw
ings began, and then only for short
time. He said that he had never been
arrested or sent to Jail or even offended.
He was as good citizen as any one and
thought he ought to have it.
Then 1t happened by questioning of the
complainant that he had been put at
work with pick on Portland street, but
had found the work too hard There were
some picks that were very heavy, and he
got one of them. They were man killers.
"Why didn't you keep on picking, even
if you didn't raise the pick more than
once an hour?" asked Alderman Rounds.
Mr.. Feeney replied that he did not
want to do that, as the superintendent
would not accept such work and would
discharge him. He did not want to give
them the satisfaction.
Mr.. Thomas +. Gallagher complained
that he had not got card for ten weeks
and had been on the loaf ever since. An
inspection of the lists showed that Gal
lagher had been notified to appear July Z,
but had failed to appear. Therefore, in
accordance with the rule he had been
dropped from the list. Gallagher ex-
planned that he was prevented by death
in the family from reporting. He had
| told Mr.. Staples and Mr.. Rounds Of this;
but had not asked to have his name re-
stored, although he had been advised by
Alderman Rounds to ask Alderman Ke-
hoe to have it done.
| Gallagher complained that there were
men working steadily whose names were
not on the list.
"Will you give us any such na1nes?, -
was asked of him.
| II don't want to call Names" replied
Gallagher, "but there are plenty Of
them
Gala gher's name was restored to the
| list.
James McShea thought he had not been
| treated fairly in the drawing; but it
was found that he had been at work at
| Cape Elizabeth and 60 missed his chance
At this point there was dearth of
compliments. Come up here,'' said
Alderman Rounds. ''Here is the place
to tell your troubles, not out on the street
corner
Mr. Rounds then explained that there
were now only 115 names on the whiting
list. This fixed it so that some man had
to be given four weeks of work at time
Now if anyone knew Of man who had
been favored more than four weeks of
work they ought to step forward and tell
of it.
James Harrigan said he had got his
card and had gono to work Mr.. Staples
put him up on Mayo street grading; but
blamed him SO much that he got out.
Harrigan said he could do as good work
as any man. He had nine children to sup
port, and he thought it was bad to be
forced out that way. He had job now
and didn't want to work under Staples
anyway.
The commission concluded from the
complaints that much of the trouble
arose from misunderstanding as to the
methods of being registered and Of report
ing when called.
MESSENGERS Notice.