The Washington times., 1915-03-02
THOUSANDS SEEK
WORK IN SUBWAYS
Few Chosen and Of Those Many
Drop Out as Physically Un.
fit to Do Work.

NEW YORK. March 2.-Thousands Of
jobless mon. willing and eager to toll
with pick and shovel eight hours a day
Tor S1.6o. applied for work on the dual
subway system, in course Of construc-
tion, to take the places OF tho 10000
alien discharged in accordance with the
ruling of the court of appeals that no
aliens shall be employed on public Inn
provemcnt works.
OF the thousands who asked for joins
comparatively few we're put to work.
and many Of thosc who congratulated
themselves on landing were forced 10
quit after work ing a few hours. Ohly
mon who appeared to be physically III
to handle pick and shovel were ac-
cepted in the first place. but many OF
the huskiest looking of the gangs cried
quits as the day wore on.
Under normal conditions 2o.ooc men.
approximately. would be employed on
the new subway construction. the pun.
lie service commission estimated that
not more than H0co men we're employed
Little Progress Made.
Work didn't progress fast on the dual
system as a result Of the compulsory
discharge Of the alien laborcrs ycster-
day, but the contractors. engineers.
foremen, and section bosses managed as
best they could.
along the subway construction was be-
sissed with applicants. and the con,
tractors had more men than they couid
employ on dszsn dual .Sn,s sunway Syusi;ty sys,
The General Contractors Association,
Of which all the subway contractors are
members. held meeting In the fore
announcement
by Franklin Remington. the president,
that the situation would undoubtedly be
clarified by the governor and the legis-
lature.
The law committee of the association,
also met but the only thing decided
was to send G. A. Crane. secretary OF
the sssociation. Immediately t9 explai,n,
necessary. the plight Of the contractors
by the enforcement Of the order.
Hundreds of the discharged aliens
nocked to the naturalization bureau ir
the county court house to take out thetl
trst papers. Mes, Of them said they
had been sent 10y their bosses. with the
assurance that they would be rc-em
ployed provided they got their intention
papers.
Gets Contractors Estimate.
The public Service Commission yestcr
day requested reports from the con
tractors as to th" number of men EN-
ployed on subway construction wore
The principal contracts. which on Feb
ruary employed 13.6so men. yesterda
had only 60O4 mon working. or NOR
than 1000 men Who applied for wor
at the Desnon Contracting Company
office. thirty-thrcc were given jobs an
fifteen others told TO report Tor "or
today
More than 1000 men applied at til
Rapid Transit Construction Compan.
and less than fifty were employed. Wa
ter l.. Sears. superintendent of the mn.
nicipal employment bureau. who said
would furnish 10000 labcrers II neces
sary. announced yesterday that ne ha
received orders for 300 rnen-thirty-sl
carpenters and tho rest laborers.
Only flfty men applied for subwa
Jobs at the municipal employment bl
reau. Sears explained that the To-
rate Of wages, 20 cents an hour. was n
inducemcnt. Tho American laborin
man, he said. feels that he should I
least get from "5 to % cents an hour II
an cight-hour day. -
Thirty guests of the Hotel de Gill
were reported as having gone In que
Of subway jobs. Jeff Davis was ava
but Mike the Bite assured reporter
that, Of the thirty. eighteen had lande
and made good, and intended to stick I
the Jobs and chip in to the De Gin
kitty.