New-York tribune., 1908-02-27
CITY EMPLOYEES HOURS.
H4FFEN STILL ON STAND.
Says Men Can't BE Expected to
Work as Hard as for PriUafe Firms.

Louis F. Haffen President CT the Borough of
The Bronx, has TO work hard hirlself-in fact.
sometimes from fifteen TO twenty hours day
put he frankly admitted yesterday that such
pace too hard for all city employees and
was not to be expected of them. Mr Haffen,
who settled himself into the witness chair for
the third successive day in the investigation
which is being held into the conduct OF his Of
fee by the Commissioners of Accounts, said
fatty that city employees. as rule, did not work
hard working for private parties, and
moreover could not be expected 10 do so
Does your opinion apply only to the laboring
force" said Commissioner Mitchell 10 which
Mr.. Ha1fen replied that city employees don't
work hard as Italian lehorers working for
private contractor AIr. Haffen's declaration
came in the course OF Commissioner Mitchers
probing into the cost of various classes Of mu-
nicipal work done by employees on the Bronx
payroll The commissioner wanted TO know
how il that city employees didn't have TO
hustle much private contractors men.
and asked whether it was because Mr. Haffen
did not require the same standard Of efficiency.
Yes We do was Nj. Haffen's reply but the
men don't work as hard" Then ne added. in
reply 10 Commissioner MitcheIs question, that
the statement held good OF all employees, from
the head OF the force down MI Haffen and
Commissioner Mitchell both Joined in the laugh.
and then President Haffen explained by saving
tnat the men We're chosen from the Civil Service
lists and were not expected TO make slaves OF
themselves, whatever the standards asked of the
employees OF private contractors.
some Of us" Mr.. HaTen hastened to add.
.'iike myself. work from fifteen TO twenty hours
= day sometimes" 1t could not be expected,
however. he intimated. that a like tax could be
made upon every employre of the city
In going over the subject of the letting Of mu-
r1icipal contracts under President Haffen's su-
pervision. Commissioner Mitchell elected the IN
formation that there was a clause, in the city
contracts which rendered it possible for a cor
poration inspector" who was appointed by the
Borough President 10 prevent time running
against a contractor for his failure 10 live up
10 the terms % the contract. a corporation in
spector'' is supposed to 60 over the work accom-
rIished each day, bat If he fails TO do 80 every
dav SO overlooked cannot be charged against the
contractor as elapsed time NJ Haffen would
not commit himself To say that Borough Pres
ident had this power. and he said il was not
the intent Of the statute 10 give that official
power - hold 4 contractor immune from the
1oeualrv involved in his failure 10 complete work
as contracted for, but he said that it was pos
sibIe 10 put such a construction on the section.
Mr. Hatfen denied knowledge Of irregularities
in the methods OF providing salaries for city
these employees had no connection. The Civic
League. Of The Bronx in is charges against
Nj Haren. has asserted that in 1902 certain
employees of the Typographical department
were paid ty means Of assessments against
property owners for street openings. President
Haren declared ignorance Of such state OF
affairs
When the question Of the laying Of sewer
IN East lsqth street was brought up II came out
il the investigation that William J Brennan,
the successful bidder. contracted To lay 30-inch
pipe for SO a foot against the chief en-
sineers estimate of cost which Sc; for
24-inch pipe the contract price was IS le as
opposed 70 the estimated cost Of 81. In like
manner g 50 was named IS the price for laying
1s-incn pipe. whereas the chief engineers esti
mate had been only SO 80. For 15-fnch pipe
8 40 was bid an excess Of 81 % over the esti-
mated cost. For 12-inch pipe 81 80 was bid.
whereas the estimate had been -. Manholes.
which had been estimated at $50. were bid Al
ss5. and receiving basins were quoted At 81 30,
five cents more than had been estimated. For
the removal Of rock which the estimate Of the
chief engineer figured to cost g 50 a cubic
ward no charge was made When these figures
had been gone over. President Hafen asked 70
have the totals Of the contract and the estimate
compared. The figures showed that Mr. Bren-
mans bid was 5000 below the estimate Of the
chief engineer
The assignment Of three foremen to a gang
~ twelve Iaborers was one Of the other things
Commissioner Mitchell wanted explained Pres
tdent Hanen explained by saying that under
certain conditions 4 gang might be split into
two or three different sections for work AZ
various points but he could not say in how
-aanv instances this had happened