The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-16
Not Enough Money to Pay
All That Have Been Given
Jobs by Democrats.
FAGAN WRITES A LETTER
Tells Democratic Board That
Only Sc Many as Can Be Paid
Increased Wage Should Be
Retained .- Both Sides
Play Politics.
Especial to the Evening star.l

JERSEY CITY, Aug. 16.-Jersey
'City's street cleaners and drivers of
the street cleaning department went
on strike this morning after being told
by the Street and Water Commission
ers and Street Cleaning Superintendent
Martin Quinn that if they only re-
manned firm in their demand they
could compel the Board of Finance
to keep all the men who have been put
at work through the Democratic or
ganization at work the year through
at a regular wage.
The men had meeting last night
and decided to strike and remain on
strike until the Board of Finance ap-
propriates money enough to keep 1S4
men on the streets each day during the
remainder of the fiscal year and sets
aside money enough to pay the same
number of men $3.50 a week each dur
ing the coming fiscal year, the pay to
be drawn whether the men are ac-
tually employed or are compelled to
loaf through whether conditions. sick
ness or other circumstance.
The force of whitewings had been cut
down to fifty-three men because Of the
fact that the board has only S31 900 to
pay for the work of street cleaning be-
tween now and December. 1t was the
laying-off of a large number OF men
who had demanded recognition for
their party services, which precipi-
tated the strike trouble. The men had
been told that it was the fault Of the
Board of Finance that they could not
have regular and steady work.
The Democratic majority of the board
decided after a lengthy conference this
morning, TO keep all the men at work at
the old rate of twenty-five cents an hour.
and pay them until the money in hand is
exhausted When the money is gone the
say that unless the Board
of Finance appropriates more money
street cleaning viii stop and all the men
employed on the streets viii be thrown
out.
Mayor Mark NJ Fagan had several con-
ferenees with the street cleaners and said
he would help them to get better wages.
AS result of his conferences he sent
communication this morning to the Board
Of Street and Water Commissioners, de-
mandng that they cease playing politics"
and safeguard the interests of the street
cleaners
The Mayors communication in part
reads
NV attention has been called to certain
conditions in reference TO the employ
ment of men and the vases paid In the
street cleaning department. OF your board.
A delegation of men employed IN this de-
partment have called upon me and have
complained that UNDER the terms of their
employment they are not receiving living
wages They say that you pay them
twenty-five ceats per hour. and that I'M
der the system pursued by the superinten-
dent the men so hired can only earn on
an average of from 50 to SO per week
These men claim that this Is not fair
weeks pay, in which | agree with them
Thev however, have been Informed that
the reason why they receive no greater
wages is the fact that the board OF
finance is unwilling to appropriate SUI
ficlent money to pay. proper wages Tor
this work. Your board knows that TINS Is
I expressly REQUESTED your board 10 pay
all men who were hired fair living wage.
Under these conditions it was plainly the
duty Of your board to divide the appro-
priation into monthly nstailments aud 20
iix a reasonable rate of wages for every
man hireu and TO hire only such number
Of men as the appropriation 50 divided
into monthly parts would be suthctent to
pay. II appears that instaad Of following
this plain course your board has hired q
very much larger number of men chan
the appropriation win pay for and If this
practiso is continued the appropriation
will be exhausted before the end Of the
fiscal year. | nm also Informed that the
men have onen put 10 work and dis
charged from WDfk III auch manner LAfit
the average man is not nllOwed to work
sufficient time during each month to earn
n fair nontns pay. Incy are, therefore,
naturally discOntented
/ have given this matter careful con-
sldoration, and to me the remedy appears
to be perfectly simple. In the first place.
the men should be paid, in my judgment,
thirty cents per hour for the time they
work. instead Of twenty-five cents per
hour, the present rate.
In the second place. only 80 many men
should be hired as the board Is able to
keep continuously at work.
Girl naIIoonlst at nin.lae park.