Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-08-09
SWEEPERS FIGHT
! FOR RAISE WON
BY EVENING STAR
Works Board Grants
n-H0ur
Increase
~EXTRAyAGANCE CHARGES
PRODUCE DESIRED RESULT
Reorganization of All Depart
ments Under Board Also
Decided Upon.

championed by the Evening Star
In their fight for a living wage the
street, cleaners of Newark are today
victorious.
They have been granted by the
Board of Works the increase Tor
which they asked-hve cents an hour.
1t was only after sensational
charges of extravaganza and misman-
agement had been made by one OF
the commissioners that the members
of the board agreed to grant the
sweepersstheir demands.
But the charges thai forged n
cleaners struggle to an issue had a
far wider effect than tina They
forced the board to order a complete
shakeup.
All departments under the Board Oh
Works, will be reorganized. The engi-
neering department, under Morris X.
Sherrerd. was empowered at the board
meeting yesterday to make e the
other departments.
This drastic action was taken only
after DR.. Charles F. Kraemer had as
serted that the city's money was be-
ing used to maintain positions for
unnecessary men In the street, light
ing and garbage departments.
An extravaganza of S23, 800 in the
city's payroll is involved in the state
Snents made by Commissioners
Kraemer. That mount Is repre-
scented in the salaries of the twenty
one inspectors or foremen in h
streets, lighting and garbage depart
iments controlled by the board, which
he said are entirely unnecessary for
the proper supervision of the work.
Commissioners William Mungle,
Harry B. O'Connell and Arthur R.
Dehman, constituting the Republican
majority of the board, did not agree
with their colleague and voted
against the dismissal of the twenty
one. Nevertheless, they passed a mo
lion to reorganize every department
pnder the board and prune where
needed.
SUSPENSION OF three inspectors in
the lighting. department receiving
u, 200 a year each; ten inspectors in
the garbage department, receiving
s1.04o. and eight foremen in the street
department. at $1,000, was advocated
in DR.. Kraemer's motions.
Dominic Collino. representing the
white wings" appeared before the
board and said that what the men
wanted was not an extra hour of
work each day, but a raise of five
cents an hour.
The board had insisted that 1t had
no funds with which to pay this in
crease. 1t urged: Granted that the
average wages of the laborers is $32S
q year, of the foremen 81, 200 and of
the superintendent 50, 100; granted
that 30 per cent. of the street clean
ing funds is spend in supervising the
labor the remaining 70 per cent. pays
kor-how could the board pay the
sweepers hat additional five cents? ?"
Points Out Way to Solve Problem. y
DR.. Kraemer promptly pointed out
a way. He asked that eight of the
inspectors in the street cleaning de-
partment should be put on the sus-
pended list. leaving fifteen to super
wise the 800 laborers.
you are seeking to take the liveli-
hood of some men to give 1t to 9TH
ers," broke In Mr.. Denman. THAT
Is robblng Peter to pay Paul"
MY motion is not based solely
upon a desire to help the sweepers.'
'retorted DR.. Kraemer. II feel 1t my
duty to the taxpayers to demand cur-
tailment. Need of economy prompts
me to suggest this action. 1t is the
psychological moment to curtail and
we might as well face it."
Not Too Many Foremen.
In reply to a query from Commits
sioner O'Connell, Mr.. Denman said
that he believed the number OF fore
men absolutely necessary.
II prefer to err on the side of city
housecleaning,' he said, rather than
on that of so-called economy"
"Entrenchment along these lines
has been in the minds Of the commits
sioners-'' began DIR. Kraemer.
'In the minds of what commission
ers?" interrupted Mr.. Denman.
I'm mine and in the minds of other
commissioners. We were sure that
a saving could be had. If that is a
fact then let us work it out. 1 might
add that headships can be cut off in
the lighting and garbage depart
ments as well as in the street depart
ment."
When further doubt was raised as
to the practicabi III of any plan that
would do away with foremen, DR..
Kraemer demanded that it be tried
and If it did not work out the sus-
pended foremen could be reinstated.
Mr.. Denman was of the opinion that
this would put the burden of the ex-
pertinent where it did not belong,
because these men suspended would
be asked to wait for openings when
they might drift in to other lines.
"You speak of the practical end"
remarked DIR. Kraemer. Let Chief
Engineer Sherrerd go on record as to
whether or not we can get along
without some of the foremen.''
1--WE could not do the work as eff
~fciently' came back Mr.. Sherrerd,''
but Of course we could get along
without them. Each foremen would
be required to do the work of two.
l have been trying to thrash the mat
ter out with MIR. Hallock over a
shift plan that might please. but we
haven't finished yet"
well, these are details for the en-
cheering department to take care
(continued on Second PaEe.S