The San Francisco call., 1898-07-02
CLOSING IN ON CONTRACTORS Garments for Soldiers Made by Chinese. THE PROOF IS FURNISHED CLOTHING DEALERS sUBLET CONTRACTS TO CooLIEs. A Grand Army Man Gives His Shop Chinese Name So as to Secure
 Some of This Pat
 ronage.
THE PROOF IS FURNISHED
CLOTHING DEALERS SUBLET CONTRACTS TO CooLIEs.

On Thursday evening the Building Trades Council passed resolutions con- demning Major Long, of the Quartermas- ters department, for allowing the work of making the garments for Uncle Sans soldiers to firms who sublet the con- tracts to Chinese When the council passed the resolution its members were satisfied that even at the present time the bulk of this work is being done by Chi nese. In order to furnish proof that their assertions were correct a committee com posed of J. Rose, J. Brumfeld and c. Jackson, of the Building Trades Council, and Ed Rosenberg of the Labor Council, was directed to make personal tnvesti- gation of the matter. Early yesterday morning they called upon Labor Commis- sioner Fitzgerald and asked that the in vestigation be made official by having some representative of the office go with them. Deputies Dam and Green were delegated to this task. Their work was made lighter by the receipt of the fol- lowing letter:
 SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 1898. 3, L. Fitzgerald, Labor Commissioner.Dea firms working Government clothing, with the list. of white firms they get their sub-oon- tracts from
 8lo Washington, street, Charlie Yen. from Greenbaum. Well Michaels; 1014 stockton
 
 Michaels; 1902 Stockton street, Sing Yen, from Greenbaum. Well & Michaels: 1oO4 Stockton Michaels; 4Os Sacramento street. Sam John, from Meyerstein & Co and Greenbaum, Well working on Government work. but do not know the firm that gives 1t to him; 11171s Stockton street, Quong Lung is also doing Government work. I furnish you this list because I am placed where see poor women who need work turned away This week l saw a poor widow whose son Is at Manila laughed at when she at shirts were leaving the factory for Charlie
 Most or all of these Chinese firms are in- soon as finished and they are that way re- ee turned to Greenbaum. Well & Michaes and
 Gfeenbaum Well & Michaels address is Y Meyerstein < Cos address Is corner of Bat tery and Bush streets; factory. Stevenson street. near First. Respectfully
 There is very good reason for omit ting the name of the writer. The com of. the Chinese who are doing work on soldiers garments was correct. Mir. Fitz- gerald said: Before. to-day l was at the extent of the work done by Chinese had been exaggerated, but now I know that no mistake has been made and that the writer of this letter Is correct and knows what he Is writing about"
 The first place visited was 1902 Stockton street Over the door was the Mongolian sign, Wing Lung" and inside dozen or more Chinese were making duck trousers for the soldiers. Hundreds of pairs of these garments were scattered about in all conditions, from the plain cloth to the fully made garment. Attached to every one was tag bearing the initials of the firm. of Greenbaum, Well & Mchaels. A demand was made for the boss, and in a little while that individual made his ap- pearance. He confessed to owning the name of Jacob Kerminsky, said he was Polish Jew and asserted that he was a member of the Grand Army of the Re public. He wears the button of that hon. orable organization. sample of the tagged goods and an order for more clothes were taken as evidence of the fact that he. has the contract and Is getting the work done by Chinese.
 At l9 Webb street, the shop of Quong Yek Lee, several dozen Chinese were at work making shirts for Uncle Sam,s boys. Some of the work was a sight to behold the seams being either half sewed or sewed skirts. The orders showed this work is being done for Meyerstein & Co. The other places visited developed a similar condi- tion of affairs, the work being done ex-
 This decided the Labor Commissioner to make an official investigation, and a number of witnesses were subpenaed for hearing In the afternoon: The Chinese confessed to having done considerable of this kind of work. Leopold Well of Green baum, Well & Michaels testified that he does not know anything about the busi- ness, the working department being under the charge of his factory foreman. Jacob Karminsky acknowledged that he Is the sole proprietor and owner of the firm of ''Wing Lung but that he does not go under that name. He refused to tell the names of the firms from whom he receives the contracts to make soldiers garments, and was threatened with arrest by the Commissioner, who has the authority to compel witnesses to testify in such mat ters.
 The investigation will be continued In the Commissioner office at Il o'clock this morning