New-York tribune., 1909-04-05

The prevailing rate of wages claims have been
accommodating in the Finance Department since
1909. Collectively. they became hard knot in the
municipal dooryard The Corporation Counsel
would send them 10 the Finance Department and
the latter. with visions of midnight oil and over
exercise OF gray matter. would shuttle them back
to the Law Department.
The first law put through by the labor union
people. requiring the payment By the city OF the
prevailing rate Of wages. 1894. Actions were
Immediately begun under this law. Nothing was
done until after 1887. in which year there was a
codihcation oc all the laws governing the payment
OF employees and fixing the hours Of employment
The claims accumulated from that time. Up to
1901 there were 5.o7+. involving @,enoa. file
in the Law Department. and since that time the
aggregate has risen 10 eight thousand. with
aggregate claims OF nearly sl00nc0.
CoI-ER HELD Up THE CLAIMS.
While Bird s Coler was Controller. Corporation
Counsel Wha!en started 10 settle LOT OF these
claims. The Controller objected alleging tnat
nothing should be paid until there was Il clear
understanding Of the city's liability The Con-
troller said Ghat the Corporation Counsel had
right 20 Settle any the claims without his con-
cent. and got Law prohibiting him from finally
asposlng Of any of them without his approval
The Controller then held UP all the claims
Rogers. a contractor. brought action designed
10 the constitutonality OF the prevailing rate
OF wages Law. The held that it was un-
constitutional in far as fl applied TO laborers
mechanics and workingmen employed directly by
contractors Later came the Ryan agt the City
decision. which held in effect that far as the
law applied TO city employees II was constitutional
That the rights Of working for contractors
on city work should be protected Article XII
Section /. OF the state constitution amended
by vote OF the people at the general election in
1905 Shortly thereafter the labor Law. which had
beer declared partially unconstitutional, re-
enacted and in its hnished condition is known
as Chapter sos Of The Laws Of 1896
So conflicting the rulings Of the up
10 1907 that neither the Corporation Counsel nor
the Controller could his way clear 10 settling
the nountain-tigh claims which had accumulated
Corporation Counsel Ellison and Controller Metz
took mold oc the affair in earnest Conferences
with the lawyers and labor leaders held. and
step by step a basis OF settlement for the old
claims reached
All the old claims were settled on a compromise
basis the city alleging offsets and indicating
determination 10 fight every case unless tho claim
showed a willingness to b fair. Claims
the number of sITl. asking for ns5S.s7o ~,
thrown entirely, the Controller telling the
claimants that they would have TO go court in
each instance For the remainder the compromise
wage scale basis follows:
Engineers. s. so hremen. s. 20: PAYERS. 81 81; ram
Fners s. 80: stokers 81 50; oilers. 50 so painters
g So decorators. 81: carpenters. g 20. blacksmiths
S %: cslkers. 3; mRchnists. 81 %; rfgRers. 3;
helpers. g 90. haggers. 81 wheelwriGhts. s3 30.
masons, s.; plumbers. %: electricians. g 90:
steam filters. g 70: stone cutters. 81 bolermakers.
S5: riretters. S: harnessmakers. 3; tinsTniths.
ste. and well drivers. So
LABOR UNIONS HAPPY
The labor union people are happy over wha, they
believe 20 he substantial fruits OF victory There
Is .yw Incorporated in all city contracts a pro-
vision that the contract shall become void unless
The eight-hou- dGy and prevailing OF wages
Gestures are rigidy adhered il is determined
60 Ste contractors violating the labor law
{. - Ge Controllers duty stop forthwith pay
f.ents on the and take evidence s TO the
alleged violations Of the law. The right OF the
Controller 70 do this has been sustained by the