The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-04-21

In Trying to Make Political
Capital He Antagonized
Workmen.
ONE OF HIS VICTIMS SPEAKS
Would Not Have Been Elected
But for the Men He Has
Now Thrown Out
of Work.

The refusal of Mayor Fagan to pay Tor
work done by day laborers in the streets
and elsewhere has caused general con-
demnation of that official and his RE
form methods. The publication of the
facts in 1.-The News" on Saturday caused
general surprise and much talk in some
quarters and much anger in others.
Even Mayor Fagan was angry. Not even
the poorest and most dependent employe
of the city was more concerned over the
matter than His Honor. The Mayor did
not think before he acted. He forgot
that those seventy or eighty men who are
to be thrown out of employment would
view his action in the light of a personal
attack and that they all have friends who
would share their views He did not think
how hard it would all look in print. and
he was angry when the realization of 1t
all came home to him.
This morning he was In bad humor.
"'Laborers Be Damned" rang in his ears
and unbalanced his usual quiet demean-
or. When "The News reporter called on
him he let his feelings become plain.
rs there. anything new this morning,
Mayor?' he was asked.
Why. you got it all Saturday Labor
ers Be Damned should be enough. l was
misquoted
Weren't the facts, as printed. right?''
''I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING
TO SAY"
The Board of Street and Water Com
missioners again made plain what their
only course is to be. They cannot engage
men to do work when the Mayor refuses
cease at once. The Board has sufficient
money to pay laborers for the remainder
of April, but it has not enough money to
furnish material in addition. After May
there will be money for neither work nor
material.
Chief Engineer Van Keuren has been
instructed to draw up specifications for
work to be done SO that bids may be ad-
vertised for. There will be only few
men retained in the citys employ to patch
up small holes in the streets or to make
minor repairs in sewers.
Contracts will be awarded for all work
that reaches the magnitude of a quarter
of block in the repaving. of streets and
hundred dollars cost in the improving
of sewers.
One of the men. who has been employed
on the streets for some years and who
has a family to support was seen this
morning. He was looking very down
in the mouth" and was glad of a chance
to make public his views on Mayor Pagan
and the new reform movement.
Il have done a good deal of work for
the city and have always satisfied my
superiors," said this hard working man.
81 am strongs as you may see. 1 have
many responsibilities. The support of
my family rests on me and the prospect
Of losing my job is depressing. Mayor
Fagan posed all through election as the
friend of the poor man, the laborer, and
here he shows what he is the very first
chance he gets. l voted for Fagan. but
I wish election was tomorrow. But then
if it was the Mayor would not act as he
is now acting There have been no COM
plants that ever heard Of All the men
the city now employs are citizens. Will
the contractors employ citizens? Yes, if
they will work for ninety-nine cents a
day.
The contractors Italians viii work for
81. There are many men who have been
living in Jersey City all their lives now
employed on the streets but because they
are poor they are not worthy of any con-
sideration al the hands of Mayor Pagan,
| suppose l wonder what Mayor Fagan
would have done in the campaign If the
laborers whom he now throws out of
work had not helped him?"