The herald., 1897-11-14
Alleged Cheating Of Labor
ers by Contractors
THE ELYSIAN PARK APPROACH
) GROVES A STORMY SUBJECT FOR
CITY COUNCILMEN
Report of the Inspectors on Street
Signs-Proper Fees for Ex-
perts-Good Milk Now

For several months it has been a mat
ter of wonder among the city officials
who have to do with street improve
ments how some of the contractors
could afford to make bids for work which
were considered so low as to make it
almost impossible for them to realize
any profit and at the same time do good
work. Whenever any of these low bids
secured a contract, the street superin-
tendent has carefully watched its pro-
gress to see that the specifications were
fully complied with. Few cases were
discovered in which there seemed to be
any attempt to slight the work, but the
inspections have been kept up The real
reason for the low bids made by some Of
the contractors has been discovered, or,
rather, the city attorneys assistants and
the street superintendent think they
have discovered the reason. 1t is that
some of the contractors have failed to
pay their laborers.
During the past few weeks a number
of men who have been employed on
street work have complained to the SUI
perintendent of streets that they have
found it impossible to secure the wages
due them. Some of them have repeated
ly visited the city hall, in the hope
that they might be able to stop the de-
livery of the warrants for the work to
the contractor until their claims were
paid.
Most of these complaints have been
made to the street superintendent, but
he is powerless to withhold the money
due the contractors because of their re-
fusal to pay their help. When some of
the defrauded laborers appealed to the
city attorneys office for sadvice they
were informed that they could get no
relief, as the law under which street
contracts are let contains no provision
for the holding up of warrants pending
thessettlement of contractors bills. The
only relief suggested to the unfortunate
workingmen was that they might attach
the warrants and prevent their payment
in that manner. The only reason why
this action has not been taken is that the
amounts due the workingmen have, as
rule, been small, and those to whom the
money is due are invariably poor men
who are unable to bear the expense of q
fight for their wages in the courts.
All street contracts contain the pro-
visions that bills for labor must be paid
and that no Chinese labor shall be en-
ployed. These provisions, according to
the views of the city attorneys assist
ants, canot hold. Another reason why
the contractors cannot be reached in the
courts by attachment and other kinderd
proceedings is that it frequently occurs
that as soon as they secure a contract
they assign it to some other person who
backs them financially for the material
with which to do the work. When it is
completed the assignee steps in and col
lects the warrant from the city and then
settles with the contractor. In this
manner the payment of the laborers is
often evaded.
"It is an outrage" said Street Super
intendent Drain yesterday, that men
who work at laborers' wages should be
thus cheated out of what they have
earned. If I can possibly do so intend
to put stop to the practice. which is
becoming common among certain class
of contractors. OF course there are COLI
tractors who are as honest as any other
person, but there are others who would
not know what can be done in regard to
the matter, but will find a remedy if
have to appeal to the city council for
assistance. One thing we can do is to
refuse to give a second contract to any
man who has not paid for the work done
by his labOrerS on first job.