The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-27

Edward T. Smart. a smart 4 To-,
which is cutting down the First avenue
Hill from Pike to Depot streets. was ar
rested yesterday afternoon BY Policeman
Iverson on the charge Of violating the city
charter and ordinance No. 4ffa by work
Ing his men ten hours . day. Mr.. Smart
was released on his personal recogrizance
b. Justice Austin. with the consent OF City
Attorney De Bruler, until this afternoon
a o'clock.
TIE prosecution has been Instituted by
a committee. appointed by thu Western
Central Labor Union 20 see that this par.
ocular provision OF the city charter u no
knxer violated. Nokicea have been sent to
all prominent contractors doing city work.
n,sifying them that they win be prose-
c,ited unless they adhere strictly to the
law.
The matter Of working men more than
eight hours . day mas been under consid-
Grafton by the s.ssse-a Contra: Labor
Union for tvo or three weeks Article =
OF the city charter provides that I'm all
public work done by or for the city, either
by days work or BY contract, eight hours
snail constitute = days work. No en-
pioye Of the city on city works. OF Of any
contractor or sub-contractor q such work.
snail be required 10 work longer than eight
hours In any one calendar day. provided.
however. that this article shall not be 80
construed as to in any manner apply to OF
affect any contract entered into by the
city prior TO the adopting OF the charter"
1t is provided further that the city council
shall enforce this provision by ordinance.
The ordinance which was passed COM
plies with the provisions OK the charter
and provides further that any violation
shall DO punished by a fine OF not more
than SIS or less than $40.
At the meetings of the Western Central
Labor Union |; was claimed that no a.tesl-
ton had been paid to this provision OF the
charter or the ordinance for over a year.
A week ago Wednesday evening a COM
mittee consisting of +. II. Pike. Mr.. Tur-
ner and w. q. Armstrong, was appointed
TO make a further investigation and take
such steps as were thought necessary to
enforce the ordinance. April q the COM
mttee sent Contractors Timothy Ryan.
chairman OF the county commissioners;
Stirratt < Geetx. Dow Il Co.. Roseieaf &
Wald. c. j. Erickson and Smart & Co. tho
following letter:
Acting under instruction OF the Western
Central Labor Union we hereby call your
attention to article q of the charter OF
the city Of Seattle, relating to the hours
or labor and ordinance No. 447s covering
the same subject. The eight hour law en-
braced in the Aforesaid article of the city
charter and ordinance has been, and is
at the present time being violated. The
time has arrived when this must stop. We
hereby give you notice that unless the
eight-hour law Is complied with by next
Monday. April .. legal action viii be
taken to enforce the same"
Under date Of April Q. Smart & Co.
sent the committee the following letter:
II viii say In reply that / am very IA
miliar with these two articles and consider
that we are at present and will continue
to abide by their provisions In every sense
OF the word. Thanking you for your coar-
tesy In calling our attention to this mat.
ter"
The committee was satisfied that Smart
4 Co. was working its men ten hours
day, so +. III. Pike, chairman of the com.
mittee. swore on. warrant yesterday att
ernoon in Justice Austin's court, c,rarg-
Ing the firm with violating the city ord.
nance relative TO the number of hours
men should work on city contracts.
Policeman 1verson placed Contractor
Smart under arrest and brought him to
court, where he was released on personal
recognizance to appear this afternoon at
o'clock.
When seen by Post-Intelligencer re-
potter Mr.. Smart said that his men work.
ed by the hour instead OF day. 20 he ala
not consider that he vas violating the or
dinance.
Mr.. Pike said last evening that he un-
derstcod that County Commissioner RYAN
and st.rratt & Goetz were complying with
the law. As 10 the other firms he had
nothing to say at present.