Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-21
White Winged Brigade Out for a Few
Hours.
MAJORITY OF TIE MEN AGAIN At WORK
Answer Of Street Sweeping Con-
tractors to Charges.
BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS

o CLOCK tnlS afternoon many Oh them re-
turned to their watering pots and brooms,
and by tomorrow it is expected that the
entire force of 156 hand sweepers will be
at work again.
The cause of the strike was the failure
of the contractors to pay off on the 18th
of this month. The agreement with the
men is that they shall be paid on the list
and 18th of each month, but last Saturday
the ghost failed to walk. AS the days
passed by and the paymaster did not ap-
pear the men became restless. Many of
them were in dire need of the money due
them and began to think they would do
better to get another job.
The crisis was reached this morning
when large number of the sweeps struck.
The superintendent then laid off the others,
and street sweeping operations came to
halt.
Before noon, however, the contractors
had arranged to pay the men. Word was
sent to the employees to go back 10 work
Immediately and they would be paid to-
night.
tractors headquarters, 18th and streets,
this afternoon, the superintendent was
busily engaged putting up the mems pay
envelopes and sending word to them to go
back to work. 1t was thought that the
trouble would all be over by tonight.
Considered by Commissioners.
The attention of Commissioner Ross, who
has immediate supervision of the matter,
was today called by Mr.. Warner Stutler.
the superintendent of the District street
cleaning department, to the fact that the men
employed by Messrs. Daggett & Dugan re-
fused to go to work this morning, with the
reasons of the men given above.
Commissioner Ross at once brought the
matter to the attention of his associates,
and it is understood it was suggested, in
view of the contractors default, through
the strike of their men, in their contract.
Company of Maryland be informed of the
situation, and notified that the Commission
ers expect the company, within twenty
four hours after receipt of written notice,
to take up the work and perform it accord
ing to the terms of the contract entered
into by Messrs. DaggeIt & Dugan, other
wise the Commissioners would proceed to
do the work and charge the expense there
of against the bond and compensation pro-
vided for in the contract. Meantime, how
ever. Messrs. DaSgctt & Dugan filed their
written answer to the rule issued against
them by the Commissioners yesterday,
which required them to show cause by noon
today why the contract with them should
not be suspended and others employed to do
the work, in view OF Mr.. Suffers report
that the work has not been performed
satisfactorily or according to the terms of
the contract This answer of the contrac-
tors is given below, and appears to be a
denial in general of Mr.. Suffers charges.
The contractors informed the Commits
sioners that they had confidently expected
to receive, as they claim to have received
heretofore from the District, Serni-mOnthly
payments on account of the work per-
formed by them. and that, not having re-
ceived the expected payment the 18th in
slant, they were without funds with which
u pay their men. But, so they stated to
the Commissioners, their superintendent
has been furnished since this morning by
them with sufficient money to pay the
workmen that they are being paid this
afternoon, and that the men will promptly
resume their labors.
Action Postponed.
In view of the statement of Messrs. Dag
gett & Dugan that the men We're being
paid. and would, therefore, at once resume
work, the Commissioners decided to let
matters stand and forego, for the present
at least notice to the contractors surety.
The written answer of Messrs Daggett &
DuSan to the rule issued against them by
the Commissioners will receive due consid-
Ell alton from the Commissioners, and the
question of whether the contract shall
shall not he suspended because of the al
legged non-performance of the work, accord
ing to the requirements of the contract.
Will be decided by the Commissioners in q
few days, it is stated. Before that matter
is decided the Commissioners may give the
contractors an oral hearing. 1t can, how
ever, be stated that the Commissioners are
determined that the contractors shall per-
form the work not only according to the
ter ms of the contract entered into by Them
but also in a satisfactory manner as to
every other particular.
Answer of Contractors.
Messrs Daggett & Dugan, who hold the
contract for cleaning certain streets
and avenues of the District by hand,
today filed with the Commissioners their
answer to the direction of the Com
missioners that they show cause why the
contract with them should not be sus-
pended and other parties employed to do
the work. The reply of Daggett & Dugan
was as follows:
THE first complaint is regarding the fail
ure of the contractors to provide bag car
riers the LIST day of July. This failure was
not through any neglect of the contractors
for, many weeks before the 1st of July and
in ample time to provide these bag carriers
to begin the work on that day Mr. Daggett
had about completed q contract with the
Austin and Western Company of Chicago,
H., for them. At this juncture Superin-
tendent Stutler Informed him that he would
approve and recommend the purchase of a
bag carrier controlled by the National
Brush and Broom Company of which c.
ii. Livingston is president, and that one of
them had been sent to the contractors
stable for inspection. In consequence of
this suggestion of Mr.. Stutler and for the
purpose of procuring the bag carrier which
was recommended by him, the contractors
oiuSicu from MT. llVlngStOn'S COMPANY
n1ty bag carriers. at price s. in excess of
that charged for the ones now in use
Unable to supply Them.
Very shortly before the LIST of Julv
about the 10Th of June, Mr.. Livingston Wis
tied Mr. Daggett and informed him that his
company would not be able to make the
bag carriers, through some failure of the
inventor to get to work. at which he ex-
pressed great regret and dissatisfaction.
Mr.. DaSgett said that he Givingston) had
placed the contractors in a very bad situa-
ton. as 1t was improbable that any one
could supply them by the LIST of July Mr..
Livingston promised that he would explain
the matter to Mr.. Stutler, which he subse-
quently told Mr.. Daggett he had done and
mat there would be no trouble if the bag
carriers were a few days late
within ten minutes of the time that Mr.
Livingston gave notice of his inability to
complete his contract eighty bag carriers
Or the kind now in use were ordered by
telegraph The contractors were Informed
that hfty of them would be shipped the
2'th OF June, guaranteed by railroad COM
pany to be delivered in fifty hours, the
remainder TO follow shortly after. AS a
matter of fact. the first twenty-five were
not delivered to the contractors until the