Seattle Tried to Set a 20-Cent Wage Floor for Streetcar Workers. Its Own Lawyer Said No.

At the meeting of the Board of Aldermen, Daulton and Jordan presented a batch of ordinances amending all existing ordinances granting franchises to the street railway companies. The amendments contained a paragraph compelling the railroad companies to pay their employees not less than 20 cents an hour. Daulton and Jordan fought hard to secure the passage of each as it was read, and, failing in that, to have each referred to the railroad committee. They explained individually that they were doing it in the interest of the laborers, who proposed to test the question in court.

Sweeney said it was a question of justice to the corporation counsel, who had already passed on the proposition as being entirely unconstitutional — namely, that the council could not fix the wages of the employees of any firm or corporation. Mr. Lovejoy, explaining his negative vote, said he did so because he felt certain the proposition was unconstitutional in every sense of the word. Mr. Compton said the council had no more right to dictate to corporations what salaries they should pay their employees than to instruct them where to buy their material. Mr. Daulton and Mr. Donworth told him the proposal was constitutional and that they would stand by it. Mr. F. said that while he always stood by laborers when they were in the right, yet he did not believe the laborers were entitled to all the rights to the exclusion of everybody else, corporations in particular. The proposal was unconstitutional, and to that extent he voted against it.

The petition of the Diamond Ice and Storage Company for a twenty-five-year privilege to lay underground appliances to furnish steam, heat and electric lights was read and favorably acted on by the street committee, but an effort to pass an ordinance on it failed, the time being considered too long. Amendments to limit it to ten years and to regulate the laying of pipe created so much confusion that the ordinance was finally referred to a special committee of Clise, Sweeney and Jordan.

Andrew Jackson of the board of public works addressed the board on the question of the extra men employed at the variola pumping stations, to which the aldermen had objected a week before. The extra men, he said, were necessary as a safeguard to the city, and when he heard the action of the board he immediately discharged them, but he hoped the board would reconsider and grant him these men, as it would be a final saving to the city. No action was taken.