The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-06-03
The Proposed lacrosse In the Police
fOrce-An Interview with Dr. Reeves.

''A'N tt4U SVHN NSieAuuh Voh TURN IN n
, gard 10 tho proposed increase Di tho polic
: force. the snh.tance NJ which vas a. =,
Iows, $500 " 'N" " "' d" "
'Om''
hePorter-DoctOr, aS you are suppose
70 have an eye on The movement for q
increase oil the police force, suppose yol
can tell the present status OF the project
can you notE
Dr. R,-rhe matter, as you know, wa
S Islerred 70 the FINANCE Comlnitte OF Coun
Gil ior u report, and the committee ma!
report next meeting, which is Tuesda!
night
Keportef-iiow viii the Finance Com
mitee be likely to report?
Dr. h-That | cannot tell. | hope
however, that they VIII report adversely
inc second Branch Is opposed to the pro
leGt. az,
Reporter what are the particular
gr9uhIs ol your individual opposition.
Or. RI am opposed to 1t for several
reasons. First. on the score Of economy.
Inc city is not IN a condition financially
70 incur such an expense, Second, | am
opposed to 1t on the ground that 1t Is cal.
culated 10 build up sort Of political ring
around the oltice OF City Sergeant. The
Shlet oi Police, as the mead oil twenty-five
Gepuues, Woutu naturally become q sort ot
dictator In our city politics. Third, do
not conceive that the increase Is called for
at TINS time, The city has gone along for
greaS many years with the present force,
and has been as well governed as the aver
age city oil her size. .
.keporter-But It is said that the town is
without any guardians OF the peace or OF
property alter midnight, and liable there.
lore 10 serious trouble at some unexpected
Tune.
Dr. M-As to that there IS this to be
said. We have private. watchmen, who
are employed by the business men oil the
town, who have an eye around the prinCi-
pal squares, aud who have authority to ar
rest dlsorderly or criminal parties the same
as the regular deputies OF tho Sergeant.
My idea would be to have more OF the Ser:
geants deputies on duty at night and
lever OF themtn daylight, by constituting
all or a portion OF the Constables OF the
city'a police force, who could be employed
Tor much less money than eleven addition
al deputies-say for $40 per month each
In addition to their pay rs Constables. |
would also, II it was necessary, utilize the
attaches OF the Fire Department as police
men.
Reporter-How would you make use OF
the latter, seeing that their duties require
them to be on hand at the hose houses?
DR.. RI would utilize them in their
own immediate vicinities by making the
Fire Department paid force on duty at
the hose houses, and thus increase the
efficacy Of the department at the same
time. We now have only one paid en-
ploye, on duty ut each hose house. l
would have the three men attached to
each engine on duty all the time and pay
each Of them say $50 per month. The
hose houses connect with tho city building
BY telegraph and information could be
sent in ut any hour of tho day or night as
to trouble in their respective viCinities.
RepOrter-Are your ideas on this sub
ject peculiar to yourself, or have you felt
the public pulse on the question:
DR.. R.-So far as have converSed with
people on the subject find that am in
accord with the majority. do not be-
lieve that the tax payers Of the city want
TO go into any project that will lead to an
increase Of expenses in times like the
present. We need all the spare money OF
the city for much needed improvements
Of the streets and sewers. You have OBJ
served how little OF our money is left for
publlcimprovements. The revenue OF the
city from all sources is about $lB7 900 out
Of which we have been paying for salaries
and fees to officers about S3l 900; and
about 500. 900 for interest and principal OF
loans, and about 5000 TO 5000 for the
city lookup and jail, aud from $4,000 to
Sl5, 900 forOther mlscellaneusex expenses, all
OF which leave about S20,OOO TO $4,000
wherewith to pay the contingent expenses
Of the Water Works, Street and Alleys,
Fire Department, Lights, &c.
Reporter-I understand then, Doctor,
that your plan is to increase tho police
force, so far as it may be necessary, by
adding the employees oil the Fire Depart
ment, making three at each hose house In
stead Of one as now, and thus increase the
efficiency OF the Fire Department at the
same time, and Use also a portion OF the
constabulary OF the city il any more men
are needed.
DR.. R.-Ycs, that Is about my idea. l
believe we can in that way avoid the
principal portion OF the expense that
would be entailed on US perpetually by
doubling the present police force proper,
and also avoid making the Office OF City
Sergeant a huge political machine in
our midst. l do not say this by
way Of finding any fault with the
present police force Of the city, for re-
gard itas the best force We have had for
years. The office OF Sergeant is being
very well administered. lmake my OBJ.
jections with reference to the principle in
volved. We ought to avoid surrounding
Of patronage unless we desire to erect an