, 1876-07-28
TIE FIREA1EN.

The action OF tho Council, IucsuhT Afternoon,
reducing The pay Of the flremcn Is per cent, hus
provoked considerable discussion among tho
members Of tho Department, and, II tho rcduc-
.on goes into effect Aug. I, II is not unlikely
lint many OF the best men will resign. At
present, tho pay OF q foreman and engineer Is
S1,1sO eoch, a pipcman 81 900, driver $3.50, and
ssoker 5000. Taking of the Is per cent would
giya foreman and engineer 1855 each, . pipe
,nan $50, driver $Tl2.5o. and stokcs s671;.
Tho vatchmeu, who number thirty-thrcc, and
receive 500 month, arc not included as " tlrc-
men, because quarter oil their combined sal
aries IL comparatively very small amount.
A large portion Of the force Is made mp Of
mechanics, and, while they prefer their present
occupation at the wages they say they could get
ut their trades {s3 and $50 day Of ten hours),
such men especially seem unwilling to work for
lie hire Of "common laborers " or "horsc scrv-
ants.'' They my that the risk they take IN az
connected connect with thcir itc, entities them to more
compensation. These mcn. as rlfe, arc the
best on the force. To lose them would be &C.
rtoue NATTER, and, until tho remaining material
sSuld sS IL e sb,t o'Sesnp possec & the S pepsent
could not foil to aufTcr. Their departure,
ono said, would be like pruning the limbs from
a tree. Its beatty md eymmetFy woltld be de-
tic suns rays. Now branches would replace
tic old ones In time, 50 would now men fiji tho
places Of the old farcmcn; but while tho tree
was branchlcss tho grass beneath II wonld with
CT and !; s md WITH e 7s ssn o ts e 1Sp
pcatcd.
Another aremsa, Of more practical turn,
nlagos fsa se x1uu who reeeivea asi Il 5o Or Il weck
When asked TO demonstrate that, he said:
"WcIl, Diidy gota say $3.50 week. Tint is
s1ss ycar. Her board, at t4 week, would bc
s s A Aaa is tEs ssEsas5 ous sa Il R tst 1"S s%
Obliged to supply myself with twice or thrice
tho quantity ot clothing, she eau get along with
For Instance, / must have a dresn suit, we
costa me $40, Then must lnvc at LEAST an-
other suit, for Il change, md to wear at nights
And again, three or four changes Of under
sst1g sn,ng arc st ,1ss for ot may s sst
ary c,oshes @ rally ds When get back TO tho ic Gu.
glno.houso, Then require an India rubber
oyercoat and pa6 of ldia,rubnef eo9ss: os T.
probation, md i takes, as eeo.,omt"u! q nm,
from 500 to $l25 year to clothc myself. Take
the outside figure, for IL will cost tho greater
pns5 51n Il sn1 .s s hys a @ ss kow oa aps To-
pay IS q week for my board. That 10 500:
so you sec havc $500 left, Or little nvcr $3.50
awcek,-a dnllaF and half week moro than
many Ul0uy III CAlcaEo Ii EcLklpk Lo-unyt
or, Il you Include her board, 80 week less.
/ doubt not that olr places cali be il1led ut the
reduced prlcesi but putting out Ares Is moro of
trade than brushing dirt out Of cutters or
carrying bundles In stores, and the $55 men
would lind that handling boxes ou sidewalk,
or running errands, Is more congenlal employ
mcnt than stocking. m engine for si1 OF sovcn
houra a. Btretcli.'
TIE F1HEstEN CLAIM
that tho Aldermen have lost sight Of ono I'M
portant fact regarding them, anl that II, that
they arc on duty a]l tho time. They llnye, TO
be sure, five hours OIL every third day, but II o
1rc occur as they aro leaving the house OF
when they arc In tho nc!glb0rhoou, they are
required to 20, and nH credit 10 given for the
time thus taken from their lcayO. They sAy
they would lind no fnult at q reduction Of 10,
u, OF even 16 per cent, knowing that the city 10
embarrassed financially, and that economy ia
necessary, but Is Is too much, aimee those who
have families to support will not bo able to
provide oven "hrown bread and muttonn for
ulclr wives and children.
Thcro were SONIC ru.nora yesterday that the
1rctnen would quit work In d body, but such
stories are untrue. Some kay they Will leave on
tho 1st OF August, but, owing to the 1uIlness IL
business, 1t Is likely that the great lnTlority will
stay where they are unl wait for better times.
II tho best MN do texign, their places can, Of
etJursc, bc filled with fur material by pro-
motion. This, with thu now nm
tcrial aided to I'LL tho vacancies, can
be worked over by tho Marshals and the good
there Is III the lIiass will come 10 tho snriave
but time Will be required to bring tho Depart
ment up to Its present efficiency,