The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-06
THE FIREMEN'S PAY.

WHAT THE FoREMKN OF THE SEVERAL COM
PANIEs sAY-THB WHOLE MATTER TO BIZ
CARRIED TO THE COURTS
The foremen Of she several ere companies are
beginning to think that unless they make move
toward obtaining their pay they and their men
may remain without 1t for several months to
come. They see no effort made the part OF the
Commissioners TO aid them in the matter and
every day seems to widen the gap between the
Mayor and the Comptroller They now propose
TO call meeting OF the foremsn OF the several
companies, and, II 1t is necessary, TO employ
counsel, ana test the point at law az to whether
the Mayor and Comptroller have q right
hundred ai0 oac in men A' 10 SATISFY their own
personal whins. some OF the men are In favor OF
paid but the more dIscreetgsay that they viii hear
vi NO sucn proposition; that they would be wiling
10 de DUTY LOT SIX nonas w tnst oo,ar IN. II
the men spoke for themselves, as they cannot see
why the Commissioners and heads OF the several
departments the clerks, &c, can get their pay,
while the prlvates are forced to go without.
A slight Idea Of the feeling OF the officers OF the
department may be obtained nom the following
statements
Foreman ward. OF Engine Company NO. 80, To-
Gated on Spring street. said that ne had not heard
not so De Identified in any act that might cause
dlspleasure with the Commissioners: ne would say
SO far as his men were concerned ne knew that
they had TO deprive themselves OF many neces-
|
could enjoy their regular day on take dying
visit int the country; put they were now de-
| prlved Of Gil these pleasures just because they
! have not money TO spare. Their families are also
! compelled 10 stay at nome unless the men borrow
| money, and II Is as much as the men can do TO
get trusted for their families, let alone
borrow money. His men were just as ready and
wiling 70 90 duty as taey were when they were
| not be blamed for expressing their opinion that
! II they mad the ready cash they could run their
! family expenses at July twenty per cent less than
! they can by the credit system. In regard to re-
eeivlng one months pay, he said IL would do no
good II the men are paid, they should receive the
| iull two months salary. When they received the
May month salary nine out OF ten did not have q
SIS note twentyfour hours after they received It..
! All went for back rent, grocery bills, DC.
Foreman Reeves, OF Hook and Ladder Company
No. g. located IN North Moore street, said mat nc
! had heard that a meeting OF the officers Of the
several companies was to De hels, but he had re-
ceived no notice OF the same. Still he felt some
getting their salaries. They needed the money; in
TACT wanted it badly. Had they not got their May
! salary hardly one OF his command would have
been able to purchase light summer underclotn-
| ing but would nave been compelled TO wear heavy
| understanding all this hot weather.
| Hugh Kitchen, Foreman OF Engine Company No.
| Is said that he had not heard OF the proposed
! meeting, bat ne hoped something would be done.
| He spoke Tor his men when be stated that they
! were driven almost to tbelr,last extremtties for
! the want OF funds. He could indorse no meeting
! that would be in opposition 10 the wishes of the
! Commissioners, but II IL should be that the men
| were to be put OF from month TO month to satisfy
! the luminosity existing between the Mayor and
Comptroller why IL would be best to carry the
matter 10 the courts 10 see II they could get their
money. he had no douot the commissioners
| would indorse any action OF That Kind that the
men might take to get their pay;
! AT the house OF Hook ana Ladder No. l and En-
| CINE Company No. 7, corner OF Chambers street
| and Centre, the men were all very bitter IN their
! expressions against the Comptroller.
'sWell,u said one OF the men, when we got our
MAY salary our creditors stood around the Ger
/ like 30 msny leecnes. j owed man 81 so, ana
he hung about here for four hours till IN fact ne
/ not get our money till late at night Now he VIII
/ not trust me cent.
| clerks, The Commissioners. the chiefs OF bat
! talions, the Chief Engineer and those In the re-
pair yard could get their pay, while the men
| were neglected. "If the Commissioners had any
spunk," saiS one "they would refuse TO receive
| their own pay until the men rot t1ers.n
| "WelLu said a third member, sew people know
! our circumstances. We say nothing, but we are
sadly IN need Of money. ! have not been able TO
| BUY my wife and children summer clothes for the
want Of money. They are AL wearing their heavy
| winter clothing Jet"
Engine No. 20 the men all express themselves as
in straitened circumstances and that unless they
can soon ee' pay seS @ MOI s k nov
meeting was to be held oy the
orcers, but it would not be called until 1t received
! first the sanction OF the Commissioners Inc men
were perfectly willing to do duty bat he had
heard that some wanted to tnrow up at a certain
| time II not paid. That, he said, would not be OF
any advantage to the men or to the public. So far
as his men were concerned, they stood solid for
! duty II they did rot get any pay for six months
but tt would be great blessing IL the men could
| In any way get their money.
Assistant Chief Engineer Shea said that he was
| In hopes the men would receive their money soon,
as ne mad understood that the Mayor had ordered
his CLERKS not TO send the warrants back 10 the
Comptroller. All he wished was that the men
coud get their money this week, as he knew
| many were in great need OF 10.
Acting Clerk Carl lessen said that the Commits
sioners had every reason to believe that the men
| would be paid In q lew days, put ne could give no
| positive answer as TO what they mad done
| toward securing the pay for the men. The Com
mlssloners were all ANXIOUS 30 see the men paid,
| hut the ngnt between the Comptroller and the
| Mayor was one which they had no jurisdiction
over.
| Nrnrtr,et