Evening star., 1898-12-06
THE CENTRAL LABOR UNION
Letter From Secretary Long Respecting AL
legged Violation of law.
Employees ON Telegraph Line Work.
= u
ing Overtime-Bii1otO Regulate Paw
II
on Government Work.

President Szegedy occupied the chair at
| the meeting last evening of the Central
Labor Union, and Mr.. J. L. Feeney was
secret tary.
A letter was read from Secretary Long in
reply to letter which was sent to the
latter by Secretary Feeney, calling atten-
ton to the alleged violation of the eight
hour law in the construction of govern
n.ent telegraph line between the navy yard
and Indian Head. A copy of Mr. Longs
letter is as follows:
The department is in receipt of your let
ter calling attention to the violation of
the eight-hour law by the contractors for
the construction of telegraph line between
the Washington navy yard and the naval
proving ground at Indian Head, Md. and in
reply you are Informed that the bureau of
ordnance, to which your letter was referred
reports thereon follows:
This case evidently refers to the tele-
phone line being erected between the Wash
ington navy yard and the naval proving
g1 ound, Indian Head, Md, by Elmer L.
Morris of New York city, under his con-
tract of October 1S 1898. The labor thereon
is not employed, mustered or paid under the
supervision of officers of the government.
but is employed directed and controlled
solely by the contractor, who alone Is re-
sponsible for any violation of the act re-
lating to the limitation of the hours of daily
service of laborers and mechanics employed
upon the public works of the United States
and of the District of Columbia, approved
August 1. 1892. which may be involved in
the employment of such labor or in the
hours of service required while engaged in
said work
From the above report it will be seen
that the labor employed upon the work in
question is not under the control of this de-
partment."
The communication was placed on file
and the committee of the Central Labor
Union having the matter in charge was in
stcucted to secure, II possible, sufficient
data upon which to prosecute the offending
contractor for his alleged violation of the
law.
A communication from Erving Winslow,
secretary of the Anti-fmperiaiist League
requesting that you will place inclosed
copies of a petition before the members at
their next meeting" was tabled.
Regulating Wages.
The Central Labor Union indorsed a bill
to regulate the rate of wages paid to en-
ployes on public work in the District,
copy of which states:
From and after the passage of this act
all mechanics and laborers who shall be
employed on public work In the District of
Columbia by authority of the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia or any SUI
perntendent or foreman having charge of
such public work, not under contract. shall
be paid for service the maximum rate of
wages paid per diem jn- the District of CO.
lumba by those doing the same class of
work by private CONTRACT l.
That the Commissioners yef the District
of Columbia shall by terms pf contract re-
quire that every persan or firm doing work
for the District of Columbia under con-
tract or subcontract shah pay all mechanics
and iaborers employed on any public con-
tract work for the District Sf Columbia the
maximum rate of wages per diem that is
paid in the District sd columbia to me-
chancs and laborers for doing the same
class of work under private contract.
Amy contractor on subQontractor who
snail violate or permit any one having
charge of work under their control to vio-
late the requirements of section = of this
act shall be deemed guilty of a misde-
meanor. and, upon conviction, shall be liza
bic to a penalty of Si07 foraeach and every
OnenSe. ara No 7
The bill was Also referred to the legisla-
tive committee, with instructions that d
copy of it be laid before the District COM
mittee in Congress-.
Lodge Instituted.
The delegate from the Machinists' Union
reported the organization of a new lodge
of machnists. in Alexandria, Va, by B. G.
f.add, organizer for the machinsts and r.
ii. Lewis. the Central Labor Union district
organizer. 1t was stated that twenty char
ter members Were enrolled The occasion
was made more pleasing by the visit of
forty-two members of Columbia Lodge of
tins city, who were entertained by their
Alexandria friends. After the organization
d !uncn ana smoker We're given, during
which Mr.. J. II. Hamerstron made an adj
dress.
Credentials were received of delegates
from Columbia Musical Protective Union.
and Journeymen HorSeshoers' Union, and
were favorably reported