New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-15
WHITE WING PENSIONERS
'TEE-HEE' WITH MAYOR
Gaynor Jokes Over One PatrI-
arch's Whiskers and An
others Winning Way.
POSES WITH BEARDED ONE
Knows They Have No Bed OF
Roses, but Neither Has He,
He Says-222 Are Re-
tired by Edwards.

Pensioncd by the city after years OF
service. grig2led employees Of the Street
Cleaning Department stood IN the yard or
Stable A. al Avenue { and 18th street
Yesterday morning and heard Mayor
Caynor make an unusually informal talk.
ACCOMPANIED by little NJ his custonlar,
rancor. rhe Mayor joied and laughed
with the men. and even insisted on being
photographed with one veteran whose
whiskcrs made tremendous hit with
Mr.. Gaynor.
Tins little old man was sam Schwartz.
siyty-nlnc years old Ills brown. patti
archal beard Immediately won him the
nickname OF Rabbi Moses rom the
Mayor who asked:
do they ever guy you about that Won
dcrfu beard?"
Schwartz bowed. scraped one loot apol-
ogeticaily and mumbled: Sometimes.
your honor" The MAYOR shook hands
with him several times.
You look as If you coU'd il%ht. re-
marked he Mayor TO M,chIel fauBhliii. 4,
spry youn. fellow of seventy-siN years.
II think could do you ~. your hc"or-
! sure DO" said FauShln. IN inich
brogue. And this delighted Mayor Gaynor
so tina, nc put both hands on the shocl-
ders of the old man In the white duck
uniform and said you're Al iiShI
Faughiin.'
The very Oldest cmpoye of all who Is
on the books as eighty-fiye but hsiste1
he was only "sIyty-fve or maybe sixty
six. / dunno" came in for enc ~ the
Mayors Jokes.
Thinking Of getting married again?
smiled the Mayor.
"Tce-hee" Uttered tho aged white
wing" whose name is William Travis
How did YOU know about II. sir
ION. every Young widower should be
looking around answered ,he Mayor
The street cleaners we're uckl,d to
death By this exhibition Of familiarity.
There were 30 OF them In all who re
ceived pensions. William ROBBINS. the
general superintendent, who has been in
the department for thirty-one years. re-
tired on $3.50. and his assistant, John &.
Wallace. on $500. Their salaries were
300 and s25c. respectively Among
others retiring on " per cent pay VAS
Timothy Wha!cn section station mas
ter who is now seventy-four years Oh.
He served on the United State steamship
Princeton and otter ships from 1885 on
ard was also sailor on the Bcnriactpr
the ship that brought In" FIRST cargo ~
tea from Japan To this country. ~" had
b.en In the department FOR many years.
Patrick NcyirH. captain Of a department.
boat served iu the 9Th United states -
fautiy st New orleans and Mobile IN the
Civil War. The workmcn got half-pay
pensions.
Commissioner Edwards. John hin's ard
mauy other guests ~ well ~ i've nun
dted officers Of the department.. Wei"
present when the Mayor complnent"d
the. Commissioner on his efforts In put
ting the pension bill through the Le5is-
ature.
Why shouldn't those who work for the
city year after year look forward To n
fair pension AZ the time that they retire
no asked. Now. know there al. condi-
tons in the department that are hard.
but OF course can't make your WORK a
ted Of roses FOR you; neither can Com
missioner Edwards | haven't a bed II
roses myself Indeed. ! nave a pretty
tough time OF II. ! don't lift cans. but !
have other ihlngs 10 ut. or try TO III.
The Commissioner said 81? men had
been examined. and 2sl found physically
tit 10 remain In service. lie said ne want
ed the Street Cleaning Department to get
N touch with the Police Department
y hich would he glad TO cooperate IN
making arrests for violations of the SAINT
tary code.