Evening star., 1900-04-17
CEN RAJ LABOR UNION
MOVEMENT TO SECURE ADDITIONAL
BUILDING INSPECTORS.
Carpet Contracts of the Treasury De-
partment Considered-WOr at
Indian Head.

At the weekly meeting of the Central La
Dor Union held last evening at Typograph-
ical Temple. delegates representing thirty
six unions were present.
The legislative committee submitted the
draft of bill Ito authorize the appointment
of additional assistant inspectors of build
ings in the District Of Columbia, which
was indorsed. The bill, which will be sub
mitted to the District Commissioners. pro-
poses the appointment of three additional
inspectors, at s1.2oo per year each.
A letter addressed to the District Com
missioners relating to the subject of the
proposed bill was read and indorsed by the
union. and the legislative committee was
directed to forward the same to the board.
Necessities Pointed Out.
The letter, which is attested by President
II. W. Szegedy and Secretary Jno H. Brink
man. is as follows;
ION behalf of the Central Labor Union of
the District of Columbia, the inclosed draft
of bill which provides for the appoint
ment of three additional assistant building
inspectors is submitted to you for consld-
Grafton. The measure is unanimously in
dorsed by the efficient and experienced
building tradesmen of this city. They are
aware that the present force of assistant
inspectors is not sufficient to efficiently
cover the cons! !aptly increasing field of
building operations in this District. From
their experience and personal observation
numerous cases can be cited of defective
construction which seriously affects the
stability of the work. Thus because of an
insufficient force of inspectors the construc
ton of inferior and scamped work is pos
sible and the building department is unable
to remedy the evil.
Year after year the area of building i'm
provements increases, thus enlarging the
duties of the inspectors many fold, yet
there is no proportional increase of force
and. without any fault of the building de-
partment much of the building construc-
tion in the District cannot be given that
attention which would secure better gen.
eral results than in the past.
I'VE are reliably informed that, consid-
ering the area of building operations in this
District the number of assistant building
inspectors is much smaller in this city than
in any other of its class in the United
States. 1t may be reasonably presumed
from this fact that In a general sense there
is a larger per cent of defective work
constructed in this city than in those local
tiles where suncient force of inspectors
are employed. As stated no blame for this
attaches TO the building department.; 1t is
the result of an insufficient number of in
spectors and the increase of building con-
struction. which long ago has outgrown the
ability of the comparatively few inspectors
to devote the time necessary to secure bet
ter construction.
This Is matter which not only the
property owner, but the general public
should be vitality interested in as it in
wolves not only stable, safe construction
but proper sanitation; the health and COM
fort of the people.
The small appropriation which will be
required for salaries, in the event of three
additional inspectors being provided for
VIII be insignificant when compared with
the benef1ts which would accrue. For the
reasons stated, We believe that no local
measure which should engage the attention
OF Congress will be more important and
necessary than the bill suggested. 1t is.
therefore. respectfully submitted to yollr
honorable board hoping that it will receive
your favorable ana early consideration"
Treasury Carpet Contracts.
The letting Of thr contract for laying car
pets in the treasury and the branches
throughout the country for the coming fis-
cal year was brought to the attention of The
union by the delegates from Carpet Upho!-
sterers' Union. No 1897, who reported that
THE present contractor, who is doing the
work for less than half the price it should
be done for, is now bidding for the work
for the next fiscal year; that the letting of
contracts by the government at such ey-
trrmely low prices that the cheapest labor
must be employed tends to reduce the
wages of others of the craft particularly
those who arc employed by competing
parties
AT the request of the upholsterers. the
matter vas referred to a committee of the
Central La bOr Union, who Will request the
proper officials of the treasury TO let the
contract to a firm working under union con-
ditions
The secretary was directed to inform the
secretary of the Navy of the alleged VIOLA
ton of regulations at Indian Head, Md. in
the matter of the employment of mechanics
at the naval proving grounds 1t was an
nounced that data is being obtained which
Will be the basis Of charges which will be
made against the superintendent of con-
stIuction at Indian Head
The committee having in charge the ar
rahgements for a lecture by Eugene V
Debs announced that the Grand Opera
House had been secured for the occasion,
and that Mr.. Debs will deliver his lecture
the evening of May 6.