The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-07-14
HIGHWAY Cash
SAVED BY PAY
AND JOB CUTS
Dropping of LOO Men
From Pay Rolls Brings
Part of MCNutt Reduction.
SOME GET $18 MONTHLY
Contract Paving Mileage Is
SIaShed Half; 5,133 at
Work in 1893.

Salary and wage cuts with some
workers reported making as little as
Sl8 month";, dropping LOO lab
orers of the maintenance payroll,
and cutting contract paving mileage
in about half accounts for the %
per cent state highway department
saving claimed by Governor Paul v.
McNutt
This was revealed by The Times
today, in check of state highway
department accounts.
In recent statement to the press,
the Governor claimed that the high
way department had effected a saw
ing Of 1928, 435.2l, or 20 per cent
during the first five months of 1888
as compared with 1882.
Records for June 30 disclose that
while on that date last year there
we're 1888 miles Of paving work in
progress, there were but 1888 miles
this year
LOO Men Dropped
Chairman James d. Adams said
that LOO men had been dropped
from the maintenance payroll by
the new commission.
The June 30 figure discloses that
employees Of all divisions of the de-
partment totaled 5,735 in 1882 and
5133 in 1888.
Although the contract miles of
work in progress dropped to 1888,
more men were being employed by
contractors, the records show.
Last year the contractors were
employing 1882 men on June 80, and
this year, 4,519.
This is accounted for by the fed
eral government requirement that a
thirty-hour week be specified in
construction contracts. Minimum
wage is written in contracts at 35
cents an hour, giving the laborer a
weekly wage of $1,000.
Work Two or Three Shifts
All contractors are working two
shifts and some three, it was eX-
planned, and that accounts for the
increase in the total number en-
ployed.
Last season there was no weekly
hour limitation and the minimum
wage was not specified.
In the maintenance division of
the department. the minimum wage
is so cents, with an eighthour day
and five and one-half day-week as
the standard.
But in some places the work is
on a five-hour day staggered Sys-
tenn, with two weeks on and two
weeks off. it was reported. This
would give the laborer $18 every
four weeks on a siX-day week basis.
Finances in Good Shape
AS the Governor reported, depart
ment finances are in fine shape,
however, so far as bank balances are
concerned. 1t has $l0000,000 avail
able from the federal government
that still is untouched and of which
not more than 100000 can be
spent on pavement this season,
commissioners estimated.
Last year, under the Old regime,
all but $75O00G of department
funds were under contract by July
l, while this year on the same date
there was an uncontrolled balance
of S4831 900
Last year $15,74S,O0O in contracts
was let on July l, and this year
$6.S0S 900.
Contracts Held Up
Adams explained that contracts
were held up for weeks this spring
to see whether federal aid would be
made available. The federal gov
eminent withheld 100000 of In
diana aid funds for some time, and
when it was made available it
swelled the balance to S4,S31 900. he
said.
The sl00OO,O0O federal funds were
also made available July l. They
are to be expended to aid national
recovery by pushing pavement and
other construction to provide jobs
and pay rolls
Dropping of HOO men from the
maintenance pay roll was explained
by Adams by the reduction of
maintenance funds made in the 1888
legislature.