Hearings, Concerning Estimates for Construction of the Isthmian Canal for the Fiscal Year 1911; Conducted on the Canal Zone by the Committee on Approp

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1910. Excerpt: ... STATEMENTS OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF SKILLED EMPLOYEES. Ancon, Canal Zone, Isthmus Of Panama, Thursday Evening, November 18, 1909. Present: Messrs. James A. Tawney (chairman), and Henry H. Bingham, Washington Gardner, Joseph V. Graff, J. Warren Keifer, Edward L. Taylor, jr., George R. Malby, John J. Fitzgerald, Swagar Sherley, and Eaton J. Bowers, with Mr. James C. Courts, clerk to the committee. The Chairman. Gentlemen, I was informed that there are three propositions upon which you desire to address the committee this evening. One, as I understand, is longevity pay, one is overtime pay, and the other is the question of six weeks' leave of absence with pay. We have not yet completed our regular hearings, and we desire to go on with them, and therefore, in view of the limited time at our disposal, I suggested to you, when you requested the privilege of a hearing, that it might not be necessary for more than one representative or each class or workmen interested to speak here before us--one from each class who could represent all those of his own vocation. I said we would hear one on the longevity proposition, one on the overtime proposition, and one on the proposition of six weeks' leave of absence. The Chairman. We will hear the steam-shovel men first. STATEMENTS OF MESSRS. J. J. MEEHAN, A. 0. BLAKE, G. G. M'NAMARA, AND H. J. FAHEY, REPRESENTING THE STEAMSHOVEL MEN. Mr. Meehan. First, I want to quote something from Mr. Tawney's speech: I consider that the House and the country ought to know what the conditions are in the Canal Zone and the cost of that enterprise. In addition to the cash pay these people receive for their services, they receive, as I said before, a dwelling, and it is no mean, measly little dwelling, but they range in cost from $1,700 to...