The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-05
LARGE SUM PAID FOR LABOR.
ToILERS GOT NEARLY $4,000 FOR
UNDERGROUND WORK.

/ The Work Was a Boon for Business
Men-Besides Labor Item, the Con-
tractors Turned Loose Lots of
| Money for Material aud other Snip
pIies-The Edison Electric IlIumi-
mating Company Paid Out About
$4,000 for Labor, Having COntin-
| ued Its Operations for Two Months,
Day and Night-AIderman Dixon
Pleased With Some Streets the
Companies Have Cleaned, But Will
| Call Attention to Any Flaws He
May Find on an Inspection He In
tends TO Wake.
| Nearly $4,000 has been spent In Sayan-
nah during the past few months for labor
alone by The companies engaged in under
ground work There is no doubt about
this sum having already flowed through
the regular channels, as it was paid to
class who not only find it necessary to
spend what they earn, but who are liberal
with their money. That the city has been
benefited from this and other large ex-
penditures is evidenced by the general
prosperity to be seen everywhere.
Besides the item of labor, the contract
ors engaged in this work have bought ma
terial in Savannah, which has been a great
hep to foundries and the supply houses
Hundreds Of barrels of cement, iron cast
ings of all kinds, tools and other things
needed in connection with the conduit and
drainage work, has been bought in Savan-
nah, or ordered through local firms. What
the expenditures for material have
amounted 10 is not known, but it will
easily run the total spent in the city to
the 5000 mark One of the conduit
companies did not buy a great deal of its
material here, but the Georgia Telephone
Company gave local dealers to understand
before operations were begun that 1t in
tended 10 give the preference in every
event to home concerns.
The largest item spent for labor was by
the contractors for the Edison Electric
Illuminating Company, which, 1t is es-
timated. let loose between $1,000 and $4,000
for unskilled labor. 1t is estimated that
the house drainage contractors spent about
$27, 600 while the Georgia Telephone Com
pany is said to have spent about 5000
for it's labor. On all the work negroes
were employed at 81 a day, the price paid
for labor of this kind. In some instances
the men got more for work in ditches
where they had to wade in water, or
where il was more difficult and firing
to work. The contractors started in at
this price, and as no effort was made
to cut pay while the work was in progress,
no inconvenience from strikes was suf-
fered end little trouble of any kind was
experienced by the contractors with their
| laborers.
Aside from the house drainage contract
ors most of the underground work just
completed was done by the contra
for the Edison Electric Illuminating Com
pany, which kept its laborers going day
and night for nearly two months The
company started in at West Broad and
Indian streets with about 100 men, and
added TO the force until it numbered about
200 men. A part of this force worked
during the day, while a large number
were on at night.
Miles & Bradt, the drainage contractors
| have kept their large force of laborers
constantly engaged from Dec l. the time
the drainage work was resumed, until May
l, the time it was closed The contractors
are well satisfied with what has been ac-
complished during this time, though they
feel assured that they viii he able to push
the work along with more facility next
year, since they VIII he more in touch with
the work, and will probably have the ad-
vantage of getting many of the trained
CaboreIs they have just discharged. 1t is
a great drawback 10 the contractors where
they have an entirely new force, notwilh-
standing this was the case with ali these
companies when they started the opera
tons which have just closed.
Chairman Dixon of the street and lane
committee said yesterday that he was well
satisfied with the way the streets have
been put in their proper condition. There
| are still some finishing touches to put on
some of them, but in the MAN, he says
the companies have put the streets in the
condition in which they We're found which
! is all they were required to do, Alderman
| Dixon was particularly pleased with the
! prompt manner in which the Georgia Tel
ephone Company has restored its part Of
| the streets. They wound up yesterday
| afternoon. but before doing So called on
him to know if there was anything left
| undone to which he desired to call atten-
| ton
There are several streets on which the
| finishing touches will have TO be placed
! and some of them are in the busy sec
! ton Whitaker street in some places Is
! piled up with cobblestones. and st. Julian
| street. opposite the express office, is not
in proper condition. Alderman Dixon in
| tends to look around the city however.
| take notes Of all places not in satisfactory
condition, and call the attention of the
| contractors to IT.
While the underground work has been
| attended with considerable Inconvenience
| to the people, the city has nevertheless
! prohted greatly by these operations 1t
has given the city a season of prosperity
! the business men would like to have re-
peated every year, If such a thing were
! possible
FOURTH GOES OUT TOMORROW.