New-York tribune., 1907-06-17
.JANTTORS Up IN ARMS.
Viii Sue City for $1,000 900 for
False 1rrPSfS.

Suits against the city for false arrest which will
aggregate more than 81 600 900 tho talk last
night at Il meeting Of the Jantors Society ot New
York at its headquarters. No. 20 Fast BROADWAY
Protests made against the further arrest Or
iantOrs on complaint OF the street Cleaning De-
partment for not separating the garbage from
ashes and paper. as required by law. several
hundred janitors have been arrested Illegally ac-
cording 10 the society. for the ohcrcc-
Although the law distinctly says that the garbage
must be separated the janitors say 1t is INJURIOUS
10 their health They argue that the ordinance
does not saw they must separate the refuse hut It
should he separated by the tenants themselves
It Is an ordinance, they say tha5 me Sl.e|'
Cleaning Department is I'm duty found 20 enforce
but being unable to punish the owners. tenants,
lessees or occupants in case the garbage Is mixed
II found solution or the pioolclh oS aIIeS'-
ing the innocent tanitor
They say further that IN separating the garbage
It breeds germs and causes sickness Mlcna"I
Brown. secretary Of the soclety SaIh E'S'elIil
that the contractors buy from the city the paper
and other material and when II reaches the
dump II Is alread sorted, and that the CON
tractors save money by It, as the janitors are
compelled do the work for them:
THE contractors are simply making tools out or
the anitors' said Mr. Brown. where they have
men specially paid for that work.
When the meeting called to order more than
four hundred indignant janitors crowded the hall
Secretary Brown who made the opening address
commenting upon the recent actions OF Commls-
sioner Craven. said that even after the arrest or
one Of his men. caught accepting bribe, the COM
missioner had not communicated with the society
in way. -.
This reminds me- ho continued, 'of the gentle
man from uptown, who had the 'audacity accord
ing TO the commissioner, TO write that his street
was being neglected. whereupon the commissioner
reped that because he complained his street would
not be cleaned until he got good and ready. 1hlS
leinR the case we cannot expect the commissioner
, TO harken to just demands that the janitors
should be left alone. | wish to further that
have seen a statement Of the commissioner TO the
effect that f a person caught grating in his de-
partment was reported him at once the offender
would be Immediately discharged In spite of this
solemn vow, the commissioner still has in his de
part1nent a who was arrested week ago,
caught in the act of taking gait.
This simply goes to show that the Commissioner
IS NOT a of his word. Regarding the Separa-
ton of garbage, with the agitation still resting
rIpon your minds because fifteen 10 twenty Of you
iantors are arrested every day for transportation
of garbage l wish to say it Is outrage. The
law does not say that you janitors have to sep
erate the garbage. 1t is up to the tenants, who
ire really responsible for this violation. In spite
Of this the janitOrs held liable for the wrong
doing of others. The only solution to the problem
seems to be that the Street Cleaning Department
shall take away the garbage as It finds 1t. mixed
or unmixed. If any arrests are TO be made, the
uolice should arrest the drivers of the department
who refuse to take It away.
Louis Iande, attorney for the society, said that
upOn a recent decision it shown that janitor
was responsible for the act of another
LIT was in the of the separation of garbage"
said Mr.. Brown. "and since then the ordinance
was amended 10 that effect But. in spite of the
amendment the tanitors arrested every day
All the janitors want their rights. This section
of the ordinance was adopted by the Health Board
1t was before Commissioner Darlington's time. He
believes, | understand, that the refuse should not
be picked and should be sorted at the gar bage dis
posal station