Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-05-03
MUST CONTINUE
CITY BUILDING
City Attorney Instructs Con-
tractor to Start Work on
City Garage. Etc., at Once

Although there was little or no
change today in the local building
trades strike situation, it appeared
as though the work on the municipal
garage and stables, which has been
stopped as a result of the strike Will
continue or else the contractor will
be liable to fine or imprisonment.
AS a result of action taken by the
aldermen last night the city attor-
ney today wrote to the contractor,
Jorgen 7. Jorgensen, instructing him
to proceed with the work regardless
of conditions.
The cessation of work on the new
city stables and garage as a
result of disagreement be-
tween the contractors and the
building trades men last night
resulted in the aldermen looking
into the matter, Alderman John j.
Clark drawing attention of the al
dermen tC law passed in 1913 fixing
the working hours and rate of wages
to be paid on municipal contracts
Alderman Clark'S motion that the
street committee and city attorney
look up this law and make the con-
tractor acquainted with its require
ments passed without objection, the
fifth ward alderman claiming Jor-
gen II. Jorgensen, the general con-
tractor in charge of the work, had
not lived up to the letter of the city
ordinance. The case should be in
vestigated at once, the alderman de-
clared.
This morning City Attorney Leo
Goldberger wrote to Mr.. Jorgensen
advising him that he must proceed
at once with t!,n contract regardless
of existing conditions and he must
pay the prevailing wages. prevail
ing wages" in Attorney Goldberger's
opinion are the wages that were
paid the men at the time of enter
ing into the contract.
The city attorneys letter follows:
"Jorgen r.. Jorgensen,
Perth Amboy, n. j.,
Dear Sir-In reference to your
contract made between you and the
city on the 10th day of February,
1921, you are advised that the law
of 1913, page $50, provides that all
municipal contracts shall be based
upon eight hours work and also
upon the prevailing rate of wages.
If the said law is violated in any of
these provisions you are subject to
fine of not less than $4,000 nor
more than $500.00, or by imprison-
ment not more than six months or
both fine and Imprisonment.
II can, therefore, only advise you
that you must proceed with the con-
tract regardless of the conditions
and the wages must be the prevail
ing wages, which in my opinion
were the wages that you paid at the
time of entering the contract. al
though 1 am not so sure as to that.
Until the court decides otherwise,
this is my advice.
'Respecfully yours,
LEO GOLDBERGER,
"City Attorney"
Joint Meeting Held
A joint meeting of the Building
Trades Association of this city, New
Brunswick and Roosevelt was held
in this city last night at which it was
decided to let things remain as they
are for a week before taking any
further steps in the matter. At the
carpenters headquarters in Washing
ton hall, things were said to be about
the same as yesterday. although it
was reported that some of the men
had returned to work. The same re-
port was received from the Build
ing Trades Council in Maple street.
The bakers strike remains un-
changed. Although some of the
smaller shops have agreed to the de-
mands of the union, the larger es-
Establishments have not. No men are
working at the present time in the
Samuel Eisner bakery at 200 New
Brunswick avenue, and the large
Simmens bakery has adopted the
open shop plan. From information
received today. it is not likely that
this plant will ever again become
union plant.
Mr.. Simmens suffered consider
able loss in material when the men
went on strikes and refused to take
them back. The men now employed
at the plant have been threatened by
the strikers, it is said.
Foreman Is Fined
John Ellis of Gal West Side ave-
nue. was fined $50 by Recorder Pick
ersgill this morning, after he admit
ted the charges preferred against
him by Joseph Laypock, foreman
in local plant. Laypock charged
that Ellis threatened him, when he
was laid off. and later attacked him
on the street. The recorder told the
defendant in imposing the fine. that
actions of this kind, would not go in
this city.