New-York tribune., 1919-02-28
Only One of Is
City Officials
Is ON Time
Commissioner of Accounts
Reports at 9 O'clock, but
Others Are s'Not In"
Mayors Orders Ignored
Delaney and MacStay Are
Reported Nearly an Hour
Late in Their Offices

If the wild waves at Palm Beach
were saying "a dillcr, dollar" and
the rest of it yesterday there were a
lot of august official ears that must
have blushed. For when the nice new
clock on the City Hall was striking
8 above the historic spot where John
F.. Hylan laid down the law to his
subordinates as to the municipal eight
hour day when he was inducted into
the Office of Mayor just one o'clock
scholar out of fifteen was at his desk
with his face washed and his teeth
brushed
This prize pupil, as might have been
expected, was no. other than David
Hrshfield, Mayor Hylan's neighbor
proud recipient of the Mayors OBJ
servations concerning Palm Beach jel-
lyfish and toads. missioner Hirsh-
fields faithful telephone operator not
only reported him present at 8 a. M,
but added that he was "busy just
now"
Jonathan c.. Day, Commissioner of
Markets, was absent at 9:Os, with a
strong probability of continuing so,
although he will be able to provide a
written excuse, if necessary, having
been i'll at home of cold for several
days. Dock Commissioner Murray
Hubert was out of town.
Various "Alibis'' Offered
At the fifteen city Offices at which
inquiry was made the situation be-
tween 8 and $3.50 a. m. WAS as follows:
"In but busy. .................... 1
"Just stepped out". "................ ]
ain any minute. Observation-Disclosures. l
won't be in to-day" y"........... Z
"Not in yet" 10
Yet when. the Mayor was inducted
into Office at the City Hall, January /,
1918, he said:
an fact, time regulations must be
sharp. City office hours shall be from
8 in the, morning to in the evening.
City employees, headed by their com
missioners and departmental chiefs,
shall be at their desks at 9 o'clock and
shall spend their time until at work
for the city"
To this precept the Mayor added the
force of brisk example, He was at
his Office early, and when he was tardy
it was the fault of the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company. He even introduced
the element of competition and chal-
enged Public Service Commissioner
Travis NJ. Whitney to a catch-as- Ca tch-
can race on the B. r. T.
After his return from Palm Beach
last year and before the floral display
which his o'clock scholars had ar
ranged in his honor had had time to
wlther, the Mayor turned again to
precept.
Slackers Ordered Dismissed
On March 27, 1918, he wrote, in a
letter 20 Corporation Counsel William
P. Burr: "Many of your assistants
are Of the old school and do not be-
get rid of those just as fast as pos
sible who will not be on duty at 8
o'clock and who delay in getting out
their work"
Besides the two scholars who def
initely were absent yesterday, the at
tendance record shows that Nicholas
j. Hayes, Commissioner of the Depart
ment of Water Supply, Gas and Elec-
tricity, was the one who had "just
stepped out" and Peter J. Brady, Su-
pervisor of "The City Record" was
the "any minute" man. The merely
mot in vets" follow:
Dr.. Royal S. Copeland, Health Com
missioner, 9:12.
James A. Hamilton, Commissioner of
Correction, 9:15.
Morris Cuker, president Civil Service
Commission, 9:25.
Thomas J. brennan, Fire Commits
sioner, $3.50.
Richard E. Enright, Police Commits
sioner, 9:33.
John N. Harman, Commissioner of
Brooklyn Parks, 9:35s
Francis D. Garrison, Commissioner of
Manhattan Parks, 9:38.
John F. Gilchrist, Commissioner of
Licenses, 9:45.
John II. Delaney, Commissioner OF
Plant and Structures, 9:45.
Arnold B. MacStay, Street Cleaning
Commissioner, $50