Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-19
Municipal Affairs
URGE YIN. c. A. WORK
ON OWENS AQUfDUCT
COUNCIL CONSIDERS PLAN TO
RETAIN W0RKMEN
Planned to Install Reading and Writ
ina Rooms, Games, Music and
other Features of Harm
less Nature

Y NJ. c. A. "welfare" work as an
economic measure in the construction
of the aqueduct was the proposition
made to the council Yesterday by u.
e. Luther, secretary of the Y. M. 7. a.,
and Gen. A. r. Chaffee and William
Mulholland.
General .Chaffee, who is the member
of the board of public works in charge
of the aqueduct, and Mulholland, the
chief engineer of the municipal water
project, are anxious that the welfare
work be taken up among the employees
on the aqueduct. There are now more
than 5000 men employed on this work,
and before the water reaches Los An
geles it is expected 5000 will be en-
ployed.
These men work eight hours day,
and the other sixteen hours have MOTH
ing to do but grow disseminated. AS
result employees are constantly leaving,
and new men must be engaged to take
their places. Mulholland told the coun-
Gil yesterday that this was especially
the case in the last six weeks, and was
due to the better industrial conditions
throughout the country.
An instance was cited of one gang
where 100 men are employed. The rec
ords showed that twenty-three of the
members of this gang had left in one
day.
Plan Is Liked
To remedy this evil it is proposed to
introduce the social work of the Y. NJ.
C. A. D. e. Luther told the council
Yesterday that his plan provided for
establishing athletics, billiard rooms,
reading and writing rooms, games, mu-
sic and other features of harmless
nature that would entertain the men.
His program provides for the employ
ment of one secretary and three assist
ants. For the first year he estimates
the cost of salaries and equipment will
be $500. After the first year less
equipment will be needed and more
men.
1t was announced that d. ]. Des-
mond, who has the contract to feed
and lodge the employees of the aque-
duct, was so impressed with the plan
that he had agreed to board and lodge
a dozen men employed in this work.
free of cost. 1t is not expected this
number will be employed at one time.
The council. as a whole, was favor
ably impressed and recommended the
matter be referred to the budget COM
mittee for action.
This committee is composed of Wal
lace, Dromgold and Blanchard, all
three of whom are in sympathy with
the plan, and it is assured that the
budget, which will be ready in July,
will contain provision for funds. The
board of public works is so anxious
that something of this kind be done
that it started a movement to provide
the money from the aqueduct funds,
but the city attorney and w. B. Math-
ews, aqueduct attorney, agreed that
the Owens river bond money could
not be used for this purpose.
To Submit Estimates
Yonkin was opposed to the measure.
He declared he did not think it right
the city should spend money to send
men up to the aqueduct to teach the
employees how to play games. Clampitt
declared that if this money was to be
spent it would be better to spend it at
home in the employment of men who
are out of jobs
The Y M. C. A. work which 1t is
proposed to establish on the aqueduct
is exactly the same as has been adopt
ed by the railroads and other indus
trial camps, and ii Is said to be worth
many times the cost in the increased
contentment and consequent; greater
efficiency of the employees. When Taft
was in charge of the Panama canal he
caused an appropriation of S250,000 to
be made for this Y. NJ. c. A. work,
and the authorities believe this money
is we'll expended.
Mr. Luther is to submit a detailed
plan of the work and a close estimate
of the cost before the council at its
meeting next Tuesday.
In addition to Luther, j. e. Carr and
D. X Edwards appeared before the
council yesterday as representatives OF
the Y M. c. A.. and urged that action
be taken. Mr.. Edwards said the Y
M. C. A. proposed to send one man uT
on the aqueduct whether or not the
council did anything. and he expected
to pay a portion of the cost from his
own pocket if this was necessary.