The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-04
POORLY PAID pEELERs.
Interviews with ths. Mayor. the Admins.
traitor Of Police. and The Chief Of
Police on the subject.

| The condition OF our police for some time
past has been such that change for the better
cannot come too soon for them and In the in
terest of the city Since the new administration
was inaugurated. its members have evidenced
the intention to endeavor at least to correct the
many evils with which the present system is
| afIl oted.
categorical about q! proposed improvements,
q DEMOCRAT reporter yesterday interviewed the
Boylan. beginning: howe,9 with tie latter later.
who Is more Immediately acquainted with the
condition OF the merits and the workings Of the
the pay Of the po'ice7 Is It sufficient Or not2
W6en hat a Sas bare
{, sell so much Of their time" at very heavy
o' Repnwhat do yo5 tn ink would be fair COM
pensation for the petrolmen2
/ Col. B.-Well sevGnty:or seventy five dollars.
The New York policemen are paid $1,000 a year.
| Rep.-Would such: wages secure bebodted
Col B.%Yes; believe 1t would. Fifty dollars
Sssa bs S oaes
and gone to work alangshore and at other occu-
pations. where they ran make more money than
Rep How many DO you believe are left on the
force q the original patroimen
about psse o oree ars
Of 3s7. exclusive of officers. am surprised at
| the way the men work, considering the ground
leans lean covers about $50 acres. whilst the New
York police district covers only fortyone
doubt , whether t tRe neop fs have any idea
Of the sufferinge Of many OF the men
during the epidenIic and had it not been
| which the New York.policemen gave $1,000. their
sufIerinags would haze been stu greater. Why
ssns on hi s Ss. gs SaEnf o cf
other words SO for. a patrolmans wages for
month How h to Ct along long
and our reporter waIted'upon
ADMINISTRATION MEALLIE
Reporter-Mr. MeaIlie, has the present admin
istraton taken any official steps looking to the
OF 61 ea h so nwns
diate attention, but have this. very day sent a
for certain data. with the view Of bringing 10
the matter very soon. Our budget for the year
1879 must first be male Before We can adopt any
improving measures
Rep.--What DO you.think of the police2
Mr.. M think It ~ too small to secure
and pr e e AND I poper ~ there are
great many, applicants flor positions on the
force, but large mllorlty do not come W to
Rep.-How much lilo you think good and
able bodied men could be obtained forl
M no think mea 70 to a ar i T2 ba4s
good mon on the force but those who remain
are looking to an IMPROVEMENT In the pay.
Rep.-The satutorn laws limit the expense of
the police to 1916 600. does 1t no2
Mr.. Mt does. and /: have not yet come to
any conclusion az to yhother the city can afford
to expend more monz'y than that for Its police.
About 1926 900 Of that amount goes to the police
aud fire alarm telegraph, which leaves s55o,ooo
Of NWie hoW d. yo hns that you could
manage the matter
Mr.. NJ. As / have just said, l have come to
no conclusion. and.tlIe subject requires much
consideration Besides we must see what the
budget viii allow Us |o 60. Itstrikes ne; how
thai the THr the force might be re,
regularly, $40 or s7b. gould do more and better
work than $50 ut onys5o month.
,Rep.-Whatt is the condition of the pay rolls
MIR, M--Well, the: mon have still duo to them
tho three Last months.oi 1877 and half Of July.
half Of August half o. September and the entire
Of October and Noyensber 1873.
Mr. M--That woul(I be another difficulty, .un-
less the Legislature amended the police law
The Police Board ia t=,e only body now that can
remove the policemen. There are about forty
vacancies now, and /. reduction might be OBJ
tanned by not filling flem. and doing the same
Rep.-At all events syou do not think that $50
Mr.; NJ Mot ce|tainy not; and these
forms alone. The fa|t Is patent that when the
police was paid we'll Che police board had very
little TO do. See how it is now. charges upon
cHHIees p@uL Ill ualsy Hkitihst ,hch ,ho eoh
s auence of poor pay-when they get
It. The men. be=idess who would &C.
would Be Of far better class !, than many who
the examination Of the physician required by
the police rules. An|. BY the way, am in
formed that there 6re MANY patfelmeH who
have never undergone such an examination.
If II became eXpedier7 to reduce the force 1t Is
possible that this wound be sufficient cause for
removal.
Our reporter next Interviewed his Honor
MAYOR PATTON.
The interview was Ientirely collouual The
question regarding tee pay of the police was
put.
The mayor answered that the question was
one of vast Importance and was occupying him
seriOuSy. 1t would s'eduire much study and
consideration in ordnr that no errorssnr rash
promises should be nTada and be went even so
! lar as TO say that .tte Importance Of a good
| police force might require that the men SHOULD
| be paid by preferenctgover all the other eredt-
| tors OF the city. Thelueston had not yet beea
! officially discussed bat would be in due time.
| This ended our interview. on the subject.
AMUs.EM ENTs.