The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-06
Contractor Smart and the First
Avenue Regrade.
FOOD DEPARTMENT ABOLISHED
How the Wages Paid on street Con-
tracts Compare With Those in
other Lines Of Work-Advanco II
City Salaries Has Given . General
Upward Tendency to Wages
Throughout City and Vicinity.

Just now very little progress Is being
made N the work OF regarding First ay-
enue, all because OF the arrest Of Con-
tractor E. T. Smart for violating the eight
hour labor law and the strike which was
.naugurated by his employees last Monday.
Contractor Smart admitted in an inter-
view yesterday that he had but eight men
at work. and stated that they were max
that in his absence the strikers intim.dated
the workmen and attempted to induce
them 10 quit work.
THE truth is. said the contractor, THAT
II 1 am compelled TO do that which the
labor union wishes me TO do, / will lose
money on the contract. That is the truth
and nothing bat the truth. / can't do ~
they want ME 10 do and come out even.
Il have decided to abolish the food de-
partmsnt in connection with the work.
AS a matter OF fact. did not create it for
the purpose of making any money, but
simply for the convenience OF the men
and OF myself. By having them there at
ali times l was In a position to make
much better progress on the work, while
at the same time they were nearer the
scene OF their labor, and consequently had
had to go great distance to their homes
/ wish TO say that they men were better
led than they would have been had they
gone 20 restaurant. They had all the
FOOD they wanted at very reasonable
cost. l have seen men take meat five
and SIX times at a meal. Had they been
IN a restaurant they would have paid ac-
cordingiy. l don't know yet what will be
my future movements in the matter. /
told I. hot I al
viii undoubtedly win; but have not yet
decided what l shall do
other Day Laborerx.
Since the trouble among the laborers
on the irst avenue regrade eliminated,
the question of day iaborers their hours
and compensation, has naturally received
more attention Careful inquiry on the
part OF the Post-Inteiligencer yesterday
developed the fact that the recent increase
in the pay of men employed directly by
the city has given an upward tendency
to laborers' wages generally, though there
Is no general agreement az to an eight
hour day, and In fact most of the con-
tracts that are let by private corporations
or contractors are let on the basis OF q
ten-hour day.
The iaborers employed directly by the
city, under the provisions of the revised
salary ordinance, get 81 per day. This
amount is paid them in cash on the 10th
day OF each month. The pay rol; for these
men Is made out by Gen. Banks on the
basis Of time records for the various
forces. which are placed in his hands by
Foreman A. L.. Walters, CT the street de-
partment, and Foreman Il. r. Andrews.
of the water department. The laboring
day for the city employees Is. of course,
as fixed by city ordinance eight hours
hs. 1ah h.
pick UP an odd job. say at working on a
railroad, shovel.ng dirt or digging ditch
es. does not fare so well. either In pay OF
hours. The hundreds who have been sent
out from Seattle to work on the various
railways tributary to this city are paid
on an average $40 per day OF ten work
ing hours. Strange 10 say. even these
extra laborers are better paid than the
regular members OF the section gangs
on the various roads. who get only SIS
per day and have TO pay 81 per week board
in the section boarding house. Both these
rates OF wages apply only TO men en-
ployed directly by the railroad companies
When the meg are employed by railroad
contractors, who have undertaken gwen
amount OF construction. they are paid
from $3.50 to si.7s per day: but in that
case they pay more for their board tnan
they do In the regular railroad section
boarding houses. Inquiry among laborers
employed by railroad contractors shows
that they are charged from s. to SOS per
week for board.
On Government Contracts.
A. present there Is in the vicinity OF
Seattle large force of laborers al work
on various government contracts. Some Of
these ara directly in the employ OF gov
eminent officials, but most OF them are
IN hss Of n+rac
undertaken 10 do the work for the govern
ment. Among these It Is interesting TO
note that both wages and hours differ.
The laborers now working az the Puge,
Sound naval station have a iahoring day
OF eight hours. for which they receive
sl-51 each. Their board at the mess table
costs them 81 per week.
There las been more or less complaint
from the laborers employed in clearing the
size for che army post ar Magnolia bluff
under the direction OF Contractor l. s.
AntonelE. Laborers who have been EN-
ployed there al.sge that they are COM
PEELED 10 work ten hours per day. If this
statement be true * would seem 10 he in
d.rect antagonism TO the requirements Of
the eight-hour labor law. which. as stated
In the United States Revised Statutes for
INN title A.. section S.7ss is az follows:
Eight hours shall constitute q DAYS
work for all iaborers. workmen and me-
chan!c. who may be employed by or la
behalf Of the government % the United
States"
Il has been held by she supreme court
az the United States that tha terms OF
this statute do. not forbid n contractor
from employing hts men at their own
choice 10 do extra work during extra
hours al extra pay. In deciding the case
of the United States vs.. Martin, the court