The San Francisco call., 1903-12-03
UNABLE TO RAISE
LABORtRS' WAGES
W orks- Board Declares
Appropriation to Be
Insufficient.
Refuses to Lay Off Employees }
TO Make Up Des red
Increase.

The Board Of Public Works decided
yesterday that it is unable for the pres
ent TO grant the petition of the Labor
ers' Protective Union that the wages OF
laborers in the boards employ be raised
from 81 80 to 50 per day. Secretary
Joyce Of the union appeared before the
board and urged that the increase be
allowed under the opinion Of the City
Attorney, who holds that the Board OF
Works has the power to fix the wages
OF its employees.
The board specified three reasons for
denying the petition, although it ex-
pressed its sympathy with the request
Of the union, which il held TO be de-
serving The reasons assigned We're:
First-Insufflciency of the appropria-
ton for wages in the present fiscal
years budget would not permit of the
increase asked for.
SecOnd-If the increase were allowed
the board would be compelled TO lay
on a certain nuraber of laborers 10
make it VI. and this the board refuses
TO do, as it is not deemed TO be a bene-
fit TO the petitioners.
Third-The raise is prevented by the
charter provision which says that en-
ployes Of the city shall not be paid
higher compensation than that paid by
private concerns for similar work.
RULING SCALE OF WAGES.
On the last point Joyce was unable
10 present evidence that the ruling
scale Of laborers' wages is SO per day.
Joyce was urged TO appear before the
Board OF Supervisors when next year s
budget is being made up and have a
sufficient appropriation incorporated
therein 10 pay all laborers employed by
the city 50 per day, beginning July l,
1904
The board rescinded a permit hereto
fore granted TO the California Cement
Company to construct a temporary
roadway on Noe street, between Nine
teenth and Twenty-first streets. Action
was taken on the report Of City En-
gineer Grunsky. who found that the
contracting company had deposited
material so that at points it extends
above the official grade, and that the
street was being used as dump rather
than improving its condition The
board directed the company to level
the surface where material has been
deposited in. mounds.
OPPOSE GRADE CHANGES.
Dr. Emma L. Merritt. executrix OF
the Sutro estate. which has filed a pro-
test against the proposed grade changes
in the Byfield tract, appeared before
the board and asked that action there
on be deferred for one week. Mrs. Mer-
ritt stated that she desired to take up
each particular grade change, as the
Sutro estate would favor only those
which would not damage its property.
The request was granted.
T. G. Crothers and Sol Getz addressed
the board regarding their petition 10
grade II street from FoTty-fifth TO For
ty-eighth avenues, but action was post
poned 10 give the petitioners an oppor-
tunity to confer with General Man
ager Chapman OF the United Railroads
regarding the lowering Of the street
car tracks on the blocks described.
Attorney Shadburne. representing the
Paulist Fathers. asked the board to re-
consider its intention 10 pave with ba-
salt blocks the roadway of Dupont
street from California to Sacramento
streets. Although the petition was
taken under advisement it is not likely
that it viii be granted, as the charter
requires such a pavement on blocks
whose gradient exceeds 6 per cent.