The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-03-20
Petition Asks Council to
Stipulate Home Labor
Be Used.
LEARNS HOW
New Council Kept Agreement
of Old Council in Closing
Old Indian Trail.


Carrying 1000 signatures, petition
was presented to the city council on
Monday evening asking the council to
adopt an ordinance or resolution
which would place clause in all con-
tracts for public projects to the eff
feet that home labor shall be employed
in the work insofar as possible at the
prevailing scale of wages and hours of
labor recognized by the trade organi-
cations at that time. The petition was
referred to the council as a commit
tee of the whole to be reported on at
the next meeting of the council.
A similar clause has been included
in contracts for public work made by
the city for several years past and is
now in the contracts. This clause
reads: "In employing labor and teams,
contractors shall give preference to
residents of Kenosha, but nothing will
be required in this contract which
will compel the contractor to employ
resident labor or teams if any COM
bination or strike is organized to
raise the wages above the average
price paid in Kenosha."
Little Change Asked.
In view of the fact that a similar
clause is now inserted in the con-
tracts drawn by the city with contrac
tors, it is possible that no new ordi-
nance will be needed to meet the re-
quest of the petitioners. The clause
now in the contracts is the same one
which was used under the old coun-
i aI1vs I,
new administration.
The petition presented to the coun-
Gil read as follows:
"We, the undersigned residents of
| the city of Kenosha, do hereby re-
spectfully petition the common coun-
ell of the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin,
to cause to be adopted an ordinance
or resolution as shall be deemed
proper, providing that all contracts
for public work hereafter entered into
by the city of Kenosha contain a
clause to the effect that home labor
shall be employed in the performance
of such work, at all times to the full
est extent that same can be had and
that the scale of wages and hours of
labor therefor be the same as the
prevailing rates paid to the recog-
nized organizations of the several
trades in the city of Kenosha.
eve believe that. such action should
be taken by your honorable body for
the reason and because the money
necessarily required for such public
work is derived from the tax payers
and citizens of this city and that
- Il
such money in the manner aforesaid,
| it should, as far as possible, be re-
turned to those who reside in and make
this city their permanent home"
Former Mayor Speaks.
! Former Mayor John G. Joachim was
in attendance at the council meeting
and when the home labor petition was
presented spoke in favor of the adop-
tion of such an ordinance, declaring
that he believed it right to secure
preference for Kenosha labor wherever
this was possible. Members of the
council also spoke, stating that this
had been and would continue to be
the policy of the council insofar as
possible. Just how far city or county
can dictate to contractor is ques-
ton which the courts have thus far
failed to decide, but clause urging
preference of Kenosha labor such as is
now in the contracts has gone far to
secure preference for local workers.
Later in the meeting the former
mayor gained permission of the coun-
| ell to register a complaint because
the old Indian Trail leading from the
Lake Shore road through the Mac
/ wy L
been closed. Former Mayor Joachim
declared he had recently had occa-
sion to use the trail but found barb
ed wire fence across it.
Found Out Who Allowed 1t.
"Pd like to know who gave the
Northwestern Railway company a
right to close that old Indian Trail,
the only road across that district for
more than mile" said Mr.. Joachim.
'I'll answer that question:" said
City Manager Osborn. "The old coun-
ell did,"
\ Mr.. Joachim was Immediately voci-
ferrous in his protest.
"The records show" continued City
Manager Osborn, shat the old coun-
Gil made an agreement that when
Adams street was opened and Putnam
street opened, then the MacWhyte
company had right to close the
street We merely kept the agree
ment of the old council"
"Are these streets opened?" asked
Joachim.
Putnam street is opened for all
kinds of traffic. came the answer,
"and Adams street is opened for ped.
estrian traffic"