Natchitoches populist., 1898-08-12
LABOR AND INDUSTRY
SOME ITEMS OF INTEREST TO
UNION WORKMEN.
Stcccss of Direct Employment - The
Obnoxious Contract System Cannot BE
Compared to the Better Way-Penn-
Sylyanis Labor Men.
Direct Employment.

Direct Employment.
The substitution of direct employ
tneht for the contract system in many
branches OF municipal work has been
found in several noteworthy instances
to have produced good results in sew
eral directions.
One instance is afforded by New York
city, where few years ago MIR, War
ing, who was at the head of the street
department, undertook the great task
OF having streets cleaned by men di-
recty employed by the city, instead of
letting the job to contractors, and
further decided to demonstrate that he
could obtain better service and save
money by almost entirely discarding
machines, and going back to the broom
and shovel. Mr.. Warnings experiment
was derided at the time he commenced
It, but before his term of office had ex-
pired he conelusively proved that in
that particular branch of municipal
undertaking there was economy in d.
rect employment and the rejection of
the machine.
In his speech before the Commercial
club OF Chicago, Mayor Quincy, of Bos-
ton, told Of the progress that Boston
Is making in the direction of the sub
stitution of direct employment of labor
for the contract system. Last year the
city established a municipal printing
ofiee, which employs from so to 100
hands, and has. in the first year of its
operation, saved the city over $11. 600,
IN comparison with the prices which
sne city was formerly paying for Its
printing. In the installation of new
electrical work and In the making OF
electrical repairs the city successfully
substituted the work of special de-
partment for the contract system, and
now has force of twenty-five to fifty
men constantly engaged in this work.
Boston has also started repair depart
ment, which will make all repairs or
small alterations needed upon munich
pal buildings. including work in the
mechanical trades, such as carpenter
ing, masonwork, plumbing, steamfit-
ting, etc Proper store-rooms and shops
have been fitted up for use in connec-
tion with this branch of work. "Per-
sonally," said Mr.. Quincy, in bis speech
Il believe that wherever the contract
system can be replaced by the direct
employment of labor under proper ad-
ministrative control an advantage will
be gained not only in the better quality
Of work secured and in the greater re.
sponsibility for It's proper execution
but Ia the elimination from politics o1
the demoralizing influence of the small
contractor"
Going to England, there is a recent
record that contains an argument O
equal force. In the parish of Batterse;
in London the contract for pub
lie work is unknown, all OF tn,
work of the parish since October, 1895
being carried on by the vestry's owl
men, whether it is the making Of ;
main sewer, laying of pavement, O
the construction of a public building
Batfersea Is ahead of all other Englisl
communities in this respect, for no
even Birmingham, Manchester, or Glas
gov have dispensed wholly with tn
contractor. Battersea is also first L
establish municipal workshops, an
the building just completed contain
shops for carpenters, wheelwrights
wagon-makers, plumbers, blacksmith:
painters. masons, harness-makers an
other trades. All sorts of tools are pro
vided. At least 16O skilled mechanic
will be employed within doors. Me
employed by Battersea work eigh
hours day, are paid trade union rat
Of wages, are entitled to a weeks holi
day each year. sick pay, and a pensio
in cases Of accident during employ
ment. From October, 1895, to Januar
/, 1898, work has been done to tn
amount Of Ell, ,SS1, and it is noteworth
that this was 1883 below the est
mated cost.