1914 Jan 14 Unemployment Relief

   “When Controller Morris championed the rights of the unemployed of Hamilton, he faced almost solid opposition It was urged against his stand that the city could not be expected to care for the citizens who are in need of money and are willing to work for it.”

Hamilton Herald. January 14, 1914¹

Just hours after the mass meeting of Hamilton’s unemployed broke up, the resolution which had been passed was, as promised, brought before the Hamilton Board of Control by Mayor Allan.

The mayor had been of the opinion that the municipal government could not be expected to solve the unemployment crisis which was affecting so many Hamiltonians in January, 1914.

The concept of collecting money from those citizens who had jobs to distribute to those in desperate need was Mayor Allan’s preference. However, he had heard from those at the mass meeting that what was wanted was work, not charity.

As the editor of the Hamilton Herald noted :

“It is satisfactory to note that the mayor has dropped his impractical scheme of collecting money from employed wage-earners to help the unemployed, and that the board of control has adopted Controller Morris’ practical plan of finding, or making, work for the unemployed.”²

² “Practical Assistance” Hamilton Herald. January 14, 1914.

The Hamilton Board of Control decided that the city quarry on the escarpment could be immediately opened and a large gang of men could be set to work breaking stone into useable sizes for roadwork.

Also the notorious coal oil inlet, running deeply into the city from the bay could be filled in, at least as much as was possible given the how much fill was available. The coal oil inlet had been severely polluted and was extremely aromatic.

The following process to handle the distribution of the work was also adopted :

“The brilliant idea was advanced that Controller Thomas H. Morris should be appointed to investigate each and every case and report on the qualifications of each applicant for work. The scheme was put through, and H. M. Marsh, publicity commissioner, was appointed to assist the controller.”¹

¹ “Providing Work for the City’s Unemployed : Controller Morris Started Early This Morning and Placed Many Men At Various Jobs About the City : Though It Was Said 3000 were Out of Work, Not More Than 400 Had registered Up Till Noon.”

 Hamilton Herald. January 14, 1914.

Controller Morris and his crusade to help the unemployed with work on city projects was less than popular with many of his colleagues on the Board of Control, especially the mayor.

It was suggested by the Herald that the scheme of supervising the applicants, and who would lead the effort, had been devised with an ulterior motive:

“It was the idea of those who suggested it that Controller Morris would thus be side-tracked and that ‘one was being put over’ on him that would keep him busily engaged for a time.” ¹

Controller Morris took the position that his appointment was a responsibility to his fellow Hamiltonians, one which he would not take lightly:

“This morning he was at the city hall before daylight had fully arrived. A large crowd had gathered at the portals of the municipal stone pile, and Controller Morris invited the men inside where it was warm.

“In less than an hour, he had a number of city officials out of their warm beds, and at work registering the names, ages, length of citizenship of each applicant and whether or not he was married.”¹

There was some unrest among the applicants for work, as the process of applying seemed too slow to many of the 300 men in line:

“There was a delay, only two being allowed into the office at one time, and the men chafed. One of them became impatient, and suggested that some of the office windows be broken to expedite matters. Secretary Brennan, having a deep regard for his windows, notified the police department, and an officer was dispatched to the city hall to keep order. His services were purely pacific, there being no signs of any difficulty.”³

³ “City Hall Bureau Commences Its Work : 250 Unemployed Seek Registration Before Noon Today : Controller Morris, His Tie Askew, Revels in Details”

Hamilton Spectator. January 14, 1914.

Controller Morris was then able to enlist the assistance of some health department officials to take lists of applicants, broken down by districts, and go to each home to investigate the worthiness of each applicant.

The Hamilton Spectator, which was less than fully supportive of the Morris idea of the process to ascertain the worthiness of applicants saying that the men “registered, giving names and addresses, stating if they were married or single, and if possible, giving the names of people who might be referred to for reference, such as the butcher, the baker, or even the candlestick maker.

“A few frauds were detected, such as single men saying they were married, when they were not, or cases where it was found that men registered as married with families, were married sure enough, only that their wives and families were in England.”³

After each case was investigated and approved, the result was telephoned to city hall so that the applicant could be put on the city payroll.

By noon hour, 45 men had been put to work at the city quarry, a task that Controller Morris only reluctantly agreed would be part of the work to be provided by the city :

“ “ I am not strongly in favour of having the quarry opened,’ Controller Morris said when he got time to talk to newspapermen who stood back and watched the workings of his employment agency, ‘but it will do a lot of good until we can get some other work underway. Cracking stone is hard on the men, blisters their hands, and does not do a great deal of good. We can crush stone with machinery cheaper than we can get it cracked by hand. I would much prefer to have the men at some more profitable work.’ ”¹

During the morning, Controller Cooper had completed arrangements with the Dominion Power and Transmission Company regarding an estimated 3000 cubic yards of earth which the company desired to have removed from its Birch Avenue yard :

“ ‘ They say we could have the earth, but they would not pay anything to have it removed,’ said Controller Cooper. ‘They say they feel the hard times also and have other work that is as much as they can at present handle.’ ”¹

Controller Morris then announced that from 100 up to 150 men would be sent out the following day to start removing the earth and dumping it into the coal oil inlet.

There was another project which was possible as part of the January 1914 effort to find work for the unemployed. The Beckett Drive at the head of Queen Street leading to the top of the escarpment was still in private ownership, although the city was in negotiations to purchase it and make it a public road.

Controller Morris thought that many men could be sent to Beckett Drive to improve the roadway. Although still in private hands, the toll gates had been removed from Beckett Drive and it was being used. The owner, however, was not making any efforts to maintain the road in a properly passable condition.

The Herald approved of the Beckett Drive sheme but with a proviso :

“ In the Herald’s opinion, the civic government should lose no time in acquiring the Beckett drive, if it can be acquired on reasonable terms, and a gang of men put to work on the improvement of it. But, of course, the civic authorities should not allow the city to be ‘held up’ by the present owners of that property who may be tempted to act on the principle that the city’s need is their opportunity.”²

By noon hour as the reporters left the city hall to file their stories at the various newspaper offices, the registration of married men was still in process. It was felt that all married men who wished to be registered for work would be put on the roll by the end of the afternoon.

The next day would see the registration process opened to include single men looking for work. 

(To Be Continued)