Morning journal and courier., 1884-01-29

stantIy together by it's aid, and the entire force of the city concentrated at any given point within a few minutes ready to suppress any mob. riot or other disturbances; the pa trolmcn can also communicate report to the central office, concerning the slightest detail, thereby not being compelled to kaye their beats uncovered.
 Only the police and trusted citizens will be allowed keys, each key will be numbered and charged to the holder, and to prevent lmpo- sitIon the lock is so constructed that when unlocked the key cannot be withdrawn with out the aid of the officer in charge, thus designating the'holder and making him re- sponsiblei
 sEhere are at present 10 stations erected, and if after one years trial they do not prove satisfactory they will be removed, the experi- ment costing but $500. On the other hand should they be approved and adopted. as most assurelly believe they will, the cost to the city will be $ 50 each, after which the only cost will be the ordinary expense attend ing electric communication. To properly protect the city would require about fifty stations.
 During the year the department has also purchased a first-ciass ambulance with all the modern improvements and appliances, need that on the sc ore of humanity in the removal of sick and wounded unfortuuates has long been felt, the ol grocery wagon not furnishing those convenieRces that civilized community demand A barn is to be erect ed in the rear of the City Hall for the pur- pose of storing and keeping the ambulance, the police and patrol wagons and horses, both on the score of economy and that they be close at hand and ever ready at @ me ment's warning
 Commendable efforts have been made to enforce the ordinances for keeping the walks and gutters free from snow and ice, and heartily congratulate the police upon their success and trust their zeal will continue with each succeeding snow storm.
 The chief recommends the passage Of an ordinance compelling licensed pawnbrokers and junk dealers to report daily list of all articles received the day previous, and pro- hibiting their purchase from any person under Is years of age, as such law would be or great service to the police and citizens in the recovery of stolen property. He also recom- mends an ordinance licensing and regulating the business of newsboys and bootblacks, good behaviour being the only requisite necessary to procure 8 license, as 1t would give the police some authority where they now have none, thereby enabling them to re- ieve our merchants and citizens of great cause of complaint, and at the same time benefit the boys who conduct themselves properly.
 There can be no doubt but that with proper regulations the public would be bene- tited and if an ordinance can be so drawn with proper limitations as not to cause
  ings it would be well for you to consider the subject.
 In conclusion would like to say to our merchants and others that they should exsr- else more caution in seeing that the doors and windows of their stores and places of business are securely l. cked and fastened when they leave for the night as the police in their nightly rounds during the year found 16l8 unsecured and open. We have got as good detective force as any city, vigilant, faithful officers, and their time is too valua- bIe to be spent in searching for stolen goods through such carelessness
 Th7re have been 5. 7S9 arrests during the year, 5,O27 male and 762 females, the causes of which were as follows: Drunkenness, 3,184; theft. PAT; insane. A; burglary, Az; forgery, z, dc, &c.
 There were 163 lost children restored and 1O1 horses returned to their owners; 563 vehicle licenses granted; amount Of stolen property recovered, $2, BOA 90.
 The expenses of the department for the year were $IO4, IFS 23; amount asked for 1884, $1l1,67l; amount allowed for 1884, $1U6, 52j.
 FIRE DEPARTMENT.
 This popular branch of the public service continues it's record of old, as being one of the best managed departments in the city. There are eight engine houses, with 8 force of 131 officers and men, of whom forty-six
 
 apparatus consists If seven steamers, seven hose tenders, one hose wagon and two hook and ladder trucks. Its experienced and watchful chief, one of the oldest in service in the country, informs me that it's condition in most respects is all that could be asked that while they would like 8 new steamer in addl- ton to the one purchased last year, still by putting new boilers, as intended, into old No. and No. 3, the apparatus will be in good condition for the present. but that be- fore long 8 new steamer will be required. During the past year 2 200 feet of new hose was purchased, making the number of feet at present on hand 16. 15O, of which 7,65O is leather, not always considered reliable. A large portion of this, therefore, will be re- placed by a better quality during the year. The engine houses as general thing are in good order, but require some repairs such as new floors and painting, the labor of which is performed by the permanent men of the department, thereby saving quite an expense to the city. The twenty nine horses that oc- cupy thess houses are all in good health and condition and we'll trained for duty.
 The fire record is greater than that of any previous year, there having been 172 fires and alarms, eighty-two of which were re- sponded to by the department, ninety-one being still alarms where slight fires occurred, a large number of which were put out by members of the force without calling on the department. The estimated damage for the J0AE WAS pZZO,UfG 70, tao 14SuIdACO OA HUI amounted to $1S4, 199 IT; loss over insu- rance, $37, ,847. 49. The chief in his report speaks in terms of great praise of the service rendered by the police at all fires.
 The fire alarm telegraph, while it's machin cry has become some Rhat antiquated and worn, and is devoid of many of the improve ments of the day-havipg been in fifteen years-has, under the able management of Mr. William c. Smith, the electrician of the department performed it's service during the year without single mistake, fact worthy of record, as MT. Smith acquired his knowi- edge of electricity while performing his duty as fireman. Connected with the telegraph are sixty-four public and sixteen private box es, four having been added during the year.
 There are 63O fire hydrants, the indiscrimi- nate use of which by the public watering carts causes some unpleasant feeling in the department, from the fact that they thereby frequently get injured and cause expense for repairs, which the department feel they should not be compelled to pay out Of their funds, and ought to be paid by the parties using them. The report says the water sup ply has in the main been adequate. but that in some localities the street mains are too small and should be replaced by much larger ones The Saltonstall source greatly adds to the supply in the eastern portion of the city, where it was much needed to protect the large manufacturing industries of that sec tion.
 The most unpleasant record of the depart ment du ing the year was occasioned in con- sequence of several serious accidents to it's members in their heroic endeavors to save the property of their fellow citizens Let us be thankful that none of them proved fatal in their results and trust that none may hap pen in the future The expenditures for the year 1883 were $82, 256 64 amount asked for 1884, $S8, ,025; allowed for 1884, $S1,- 725.
 FIRE MARSHAL.
 The report of the fire marshal shows but a slight falling of ID the growth of the city during the past year. He has issued 357 per- mits for the erection of buildings, additions, etc :, viz: Two hundred and ten frame and twenty-tvo brick dwelling houses, thirty frame and thirty brick buildings, twenty eight frame and thirteen brick barns, togeth- CT with large number of additions to build ings of all classes. The erection of these buildings have added to the city 324 tene- ments, 29 stores and 35 shops and factories, the total valuation of which. not including the land, is estimated at $958, $50. The total of like improvements for the last ten years amounts to $7,743, ,365. There were 45l licenses issued-330 for sale of kero- sene oil. for gunpowder and 116 for fire hn af