Evening journal., 1914-07-03
NO POLITICS IN
Loss OF JOBS BY
TWO PLUMBERS
Contlnued from First Paee.

Continued from First Page.
gate salary of 500, it shows that 1892
meters have been installed, on an aver
age Of l40 per week, and at cost rang
ng from 30 cents to 81. Under the old
system it cost about SO or more for
zach installation.
According TO the contract entered
INTO by the Water Commissioners with
ihe manufacturers of the meters. MOI
more than 500 complete meters are 10
be shipped weekly and at the rate the
department has been installing them il
could not progress any faster.
Shortly after Chief Engineer Hoopes
vas elected 10 his position he maugu-
rited a check on the work done by the
Plumbers, which is known as the work
order system. The system consists of
tlrce sheets of order blank on which
tue plumbers put down every article
used on each job as well as the time
devoted TO each piece of work. 1t is
through this system that a check is
kept ON the workmen and in some in
stances demerit marks were checked
against the two plumbers who were dis
charged.
Haner DispIeased
City Councilman Haney. at the meet
ing OF Council last night took excep-
tlon TO the action of the Water De
partment in laying OIL two of its en-
ployes, stating that as Council recently
granted bond issue of $4,000 to this
department for the installation of
water meters throughout the city, he
believed the board should be hiring
men instead of laying them oil.
Mr.. Haney declared that the work of
installing the meters was not going on
as fast as it might, and he thought
| the department should hire more men
and work the entire city instead of
working in various sections as they are
now doing. Mr.. Haney added that it
might be well TO investigate the Water
! Department. lie said the two men
who were laid of were plumbers who
/ had been in the service of the city for
a long while, and since they were laid
off six new men have been engaged
Colonel Stover explained that the
water board was simply following out
the practice of getting rid of men who
have more than one complaint lodged
against them. lie remarked with a
smile that the Water Department is a
Republican body. and in laying off the
two men, who are Democrats, the de-
partment was simply following out the
system which had been in vogue for
many years. and which was pursued
Just the same when a Democratic ma
jority controlled the water board. Col.
Stover said il is rather unfortunate. but
this system is still continued.
Mr.. Kane remarked that he supposed
Mr.. Haney would understand the situ-
alton after Col. Stover's clear explana
ton
Councilman McGoldricll said that one
of the men laid Off had no demerit
marks against him, and was a skilled
plumber He said that the water board
had employed an unskiled laborer in
the place of this plumber, and he
thought this was poor economy.
Mr.. Wanderers View.
To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL.
Sir. The remarks made by Coun
Gilman Haney kicking about the dis
charge Of two plumbers by the Water
d Department who we're Democrat
caused me to have a large smile
Mr.. Haney must be young in politics
or he has a bad memory, for IL is bu
few years since Mayor Bird, witt
two-thirds vote of the Democrat
in Council. cleaned out the entir
ranks of Republicans in the Waite
Department. Mr. Ford then appointed
Mr.. Lindsay, another Democrat, ant
these two appointed Arthur II. G
Garrett. The Democratic board mad
the fur Of the Republicans fly. Thes
Republicans stayed fired. Now. MI
Haney, don't kick, for to the victo
belongs the spoils, although the Re
publicans who have been in the De
partment have not done right by tn
party workers The sins of tn
Democratic party in this State woul'
fiji large book The cry Of tn
: Democrats has been to "clean tn
rascals out" as they designated tn
Republicans. Very truly,
Alfred ID. Vandever
Wilmington. Del, July 3.