The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-12
BAH OF A CITY
CAVANAGH TAKES CHARGE
OF JERSEY CITY Hall.
Business Agent of Street Cleaners Put
Guards at Doors of Chamber and
Proceeded to Legislate.
Especial to the Evening start

JERSEY CITY, Aug. 12-William Cava-
nagh, who Is not a street cleaner and
does not handle the shovel and broom for
a living. but who is paid by the Jersey
City street cleaners to act as their bust
ness agent, literally took possession of the
City Hall this morning for a time.
Cavanagh marched 1874 street cleaners and
drivers of the street cleaning department
into the assembly chamber in the City
Hall and, seating them. took his place
within the rail and announced thai the
men had assembled to denounce the action
of the city officials in not properly paying
them and give them "a living wage scale"
w don't want everybody to know our
business. so I suggest that we appoint
doorkeepers TO keep outsiders from coming
in," he said, seriously.
None of the organized street cleaners
said a word or sanctioned Cavanagh's
suggestion, but he went right ahead and
appointed two keepers for each Of the
five doors to the assembly chamber. The
men took their places.
Many citizens attempted to enter. and
were repulsed by the doorlkeepers. Among
those held up at the door was James j..
Mulligan, clerk to Mayor Pagan. Two
men. taxpayers, pushed their way past the
watchers at the main entrance and en-
tered the Assembly chamber Cavanagh
grabbed them by their coats and attempted
to eject them. He didn't succeed. Some
one of the men repulsed went 10 City
Treasurer Ely, of the City Hall Commits
sion. and told him what was doing. Ely
sent his assistant. Frazier Sofeld, to see
Cavanagh and tell him to desist. After
talking to Sofeld, Cavanagh again took
the rostrum, and, without consulting any
of the members of the organization, said:
1T is the sense of this organization that
the meeting shall be an open one, and
that everybody shall know just how the
street cleaning department of Jersey city
is run The doorkeepers then ceased
stopping citizens from entering the assem-
bly, chamber.
their seats and said nothing. They left
everything to Cavanagh, or, rather, Cav
anagh took everything upon himself. Cav
anagh is of considerable Importance in the
day time as organizer Of the street clean
ers and their "business agent At night
he slings beer as n waiter at Greenville
Scheutzen Park.
One white-haired street cleaner who is
glad that the city has given him a Job
went up to Cavanagh and said, "Young
man., you have got a whole lot TO learn.
You are too hot-headed."
The strike was really called this morn
ing by Street Cleaning Commissioner Mar
tin Quinn He didn't desire to usurp any
of Cavanagh's prerogatives, but Cavanagh
was late In arriving at the stable, where
the men report for work. and knowing
Cavaragh's wishes in the matter, he con-
veyed them to the men. Saturday Quinn
decided that in view of the fact that he
had but 10000 left to spend on street
cleaning to November 8, it was time for
retrenchment. He called the street clean
ers together and informed them tina as he
was unable to get the money necessary
to keep them all at work the remainder
of the fiscal year. he would have to re-
duce his working force by half.