The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-12
OUTSIDE MEN EMPLOYED
CONTRACTORS DON'T DISCRIMINATE
ENOUGH IN HIRING MEN.
in Last Three Months-The
Shipments in June.

Last week a Journal reporter talked
with a number of building and street con-
tractors, and the universal testimony was
that there was never more men employed
in the various lines in Indianapolis than at
present, but the trouble is that but little
discrimination has been shown in the en-
ploying of men. Some of the contractors
are more particular than others, and will
question man, if he asks for employment,
as to whether he is a citizen of Indianap-
oils or has just drifted in here, and will
employ only home people. They prefer to
employ married men, who have families to
support, or young men who have relatives
dependent on them for support but ma
jority of the contractors employ the first
man that comes along, if additional help is
needed, not often asking whether he is a
union or a nOnumon man. In this man
ner say Contractor Jungclaus and Contrac-
tor Pierson, large number of men are now
employed in the city and filing places
which should be filled with home people
who have homes here or may have rent TO
pay. For this reason so large a number
of well-known mechanics may be found idle,
not from a desire to be idle, but having
been crowded out by mechanics and labor
ers coming in from other cities and towns
The Indianapolis Water Company is Oft
en- criticised but. with all its short
comings, it has one good rule-that of en-
ploying mechanics or day laborers men
who live in Indianapolis, have families to
support and are interested in the city's well
fare. This is no small item, at no time
in the last four years has this company
had less than two hundred men at work
and much of the time four hundred In
speaking of this a contractor, one of the
most extensive in the city, said he had al
ways made it a point to employ only me-
chanics whom he thought were bona fde
citizens and had families to help, directly
or indirectly. Were other contractors to
follow this rule it would be far better as
IL would give home people employment and
would put stop to mechanics and laborers
drifting i'll here and securing the work
which rightfully should be done by Indian
apolitanS one contractor said he did not
believe 1t an eXaggeratiOn to state that
within the last ninety days one thousand
carpenters, five hundred briclayerS and
three thousand day laborers had drifted in
here, and large per cent. of them had
secured work, as they were fresh in the
field and were more in earnest to get en-
ployment. He thought the contractors and
labor unions or some other body of men
should get together and take steps to- so
far as possible, give employment to home
people and when any outside help is want
ed it could be secured with but little
trouble. Indianapolis is doubtless one of
the most prosperous cities in the Union,
and this, said the contractor, is well noised
about With many railways running in
here about the first move mechanics make
is to strike for Indianapolis and help swell
the surplus labor, He was satisfied enough
business was now in progress in the way of
building streets and alleys, sidewalk inn
provements, etc, to give employment TO
every man who is d real citizen of Indian
apolis and has a disposition to work. What
is needed said hercontractor is for the
contractors to show more discrimination in
the men they employ, find out whether
they have just drifted in to earn little
money and will then move on, or are home