Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-03
ENGINEER HAMLlN
ANSWERS CHAINMEN
SAYS WAGES PAID BY CITY ARE
ABOVE STANDARD
Men in Municipal Employ Given $40
Month, as Opposed to $40
and $50 by Corpor-
ations

City Engineer Hamlin and the chain
men in the engineering department are
arrayed against each other in the mat
ter of an increase of salary for chain
men. Several weeks ago the chain
men made a demand on the council,
asking that their salaries be increased
from $40 to $50 a month, declaring they
did not receive as much as men in the
same employ received from private
corporations.
In reply, Mr.. Hamlin quoted figures
showing that the city chainmen are
paid as much and more than some Of
the private corporations. The chainmen
retaliated by quoting other figures.
The last inning is with the city engi-
neer who yesterday presented a re-
port to the board of public works Civ
ing the exact amounts paid chainmen
by railroads and other corporations
around Los Angeles. His report FOL
lows:
referring to the communication
from Messrs. Harrington and Comport
ohainmen in this department contain
ing a table which purports to show the
relative amounts paid by the southern
Pacific and other companies to cham
men, would report as follows:
S. p. Schedule Told
"The Southern Pacific company pays
its chainmen $40 a month and its rod
men $50 a month When the work is
close to division headquarters so that
the men can return home at night, no
allowance is made for expenses. H.
however, the work is at distance, so
that the men are obliged to pay board,
the company makes an allowance for
such board. The company has few, II
any, employees whose duties correspond
exactly to those Of our chainmen and
it Is probable that owing to the rae:
that considerable time is spent in work
away from the division headquarters,
the compensation in general exceeds
somewhat the figures named above.
"The Santa Fe road pays its CHAM
men $40 a month. If the men are sta
toned at the division headquarters no
extra allowance is made. If, however
the work is at a distance, so that the
men are Obliged to board themselves.
an allowance Is made to cover board.
As matter of fact, it is probable that
quite a portion of the time is spent
away from division headquarters, 50
that the compensation of the men real
" exceeds somewhat the $40 actually
paid.
THE Salt Lake railroad pays its or
binary chainmen sac a month and its
allowance is made when the men are
working at division headquarters or at
places from which it is possible to get
home at night. If the work is carried
on at a distance so that the men arc
put to extra expense the company
makes an allowance therefor.
p. &. Schedule Better
1.-THE Pacific Electric starts its green
men in as aXmen, giving them $50 Il
month After they have had some eX-
perience they are paid $50 month,
and its good men get S65, and in some
cases $40. / am told, however, that the
company would not expect to pay $40
to men unless they were able to handle
the level. No allowance Is made for
expenses. If the men are working az
a distance from division headquarters
the company boards them and deducts
$50 a month from their pay to cover
such expense, regardless of salary
paid
THE Los Angeles railway pays its
men from $40 to $50 per month, few
of the best ones. however, receiving as
much as $50 No allowance is made
for expenses unless the men are sent
TO a distance so that they cannot read
lily get home at night. The county
surveyor pays $3.50 a day No other
working at a distance. in which event
the county stands the extra expense
involved
"The county highway commission
pays it's rodmen $3.50 a day, which is
the total compensation received, as
long al the work is near the city 50
that the men are able to come and
go at night As in other cases, how
ever if the men are sent to a distance
so that il is necessary for them to pay
board money, the county stands such
extra expense.
"The Los Angeles aqueduct pays its
chainmen $40 a month and deducts
from this pay So a week for board.
"a comparison Of these figures with
those shown upon the communication
referred to- would indicate that but
little reliance can be placed upon the
letter. As a result Of this inquiry I
feel safe in saying that the compen-
sation of $50 a month paid by the city
of Los Angeles TO its chainmen is If
anything, in advance of the standard
wage for such service"