Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-26
COUNCILS BUSY SESSION.
THE POLICE ASK FOR AN IN
CREASE IN PAY.

The HOLlCE hoh NOAe ~ ~
CREASE IN PAY.
The Service they Render and the Wages |
they Receive-Chief Fireman Fernan-
der Recommendation for Increasing /
the Efficiency OF the Fire Depart |
ment.
There was a vacant look about the Long |
table during the session OF the City Council |
last night. Although but three Aldermen
were absent, their absence was felt from
the fact that they were talking members.
The session was busy one. There were
petitions and petitions. A number Of them
were concerning matters that have al
ready Deen before former Councils, and
others related to new subjects altogether.
The matter Of increasing the pay of the
police was brought up by petition signed
by 4S privates Of the force. asking, in view
Of the severity and danger OF their en-
plOyment and the small pay they now re-
ceive, such an increase as their labors
and devotion might seem to merit. A
service so exacting as that Of a patrol
man requires the strongest constitution
10 endure il. The men nearly all have
families dependent upon them for sup
port. and mindful of the efforts which
have been made to curtaIl the city's eX-
penses, they ask in their petition, if the
finances will permit any increase at all.
as large an increase as possible, in return
for the service they render. Their present
pay Is $50 per month.
The police force as now organized is di-
vided into two reliefs, each relief being
further divided into two day squads The
first day relief is posted at O'Clock a. m,
and remains on duty until l O'Clock p. m.
At p. m. the men who come of duty at l
p. m. report at the barracks for the first
night fire detail. If a fire occurs they are
called out and stationed on duty at the
fire until il is eXtinguished, when one
or more. as the case demands, are left in
charge Of the premises until relieved by
the second fire detail. This second tire
detail being composed of One-halt Of the
first night relief, the first fire detail is
then assigned TO its division after having
been on duty during the fire, and remains
on duty until 6 O'Clock. The men
are then of duty from a. m.
until pm. But if arrests have been
made while on duty the arresting officer
is required to be in attendance at the
Police Court during its session. At6 p. m.
the men are again posted, and remain on
duty until u O'Clock. This service from
p. m. until y midnight IS called the first
night relief, one half of this relief being
detailed for the second night fire detail.
| The men are again posted at p. m, and
remain on duty until a. m. Not only
are they necessarily compelled to be IN
attendance at the Police Court, but they
are very frequently required to appear in
the City and Superior Courts. They are
also required to report at the barracks for
| duty at 1880 p. m. for the last night relief,
/ each relief performing the same amount
/ of duty.
! The matter was referred TO the JOINT
| a ,ers7ff N Finance
early report. Immediately following the
/ petition of the police was cOmmunica-
/ ton from the Chief Fireman, forwarded
| by the Fire Committee, asking for an in
| crease in the department. and IN the pay
| Of the men, and recommending the pur-
chase of additional apparatus. The re-
concentrations in the petition involve
] important changes in the department;
| making the fOremen and assistant fore
men OF the various companies, now ''call''
| men. permanent members Of the depart
/ ment. increasing the force Of each com
pany by two men, ard increasing the pay
/ of both permanent and ''call' men.
| The recommendation as to new appa-
ratus call for at least one, and If possible
! two, hose carriages, to be drawn by two
/ horses, carrying nine men and 2,OOO feet
| Of hose. The entire amount or hose at
| present available at a first alarm of fire is
/ 200 feet, and 300 feet is all that can be
| carried by the combined apparatus OF the
/ department. With the increased FIRE risk
1 i'm many parts of the city, an additional
1 amount of hose is needed. The Chief also
/ recommends the equipment Of the men
/ with new service uniforms and badges,
/ the latter being a necessity in order that
i during the pro -ress of fires the tiremen
| aud others by whom they are worn may
/ be identified By the police.
! The creation of the office of Fire Marshal
/ or Inspector TO investigate the origin Of
I fires, Inspect chimneys and smokestacks,
/ and direct the storage of cOmbustibles,
/ with other duties that might be assigned
i % him. was strongly urged. A number
i OF other recommendations looking to an
! increase in the effectiveness OF the depart
meni were included In the cOmmunlca-
| ton. The matter was referred back to
/ the Fire Committee.
/ The Fire Committee, in reporting upon
/ the petition of Mai. Henry L. Bolts,
asking for protective ordinances relating
/ to the safety of cotton and naval stores
/ from fires caused by careless smoking,
submitted an ordinance prohibit 1
| ing smoking on the wharves,
or in depOts or warehouses,
where cotton or naval stores. or any in
/ fammable merchandise IS stored, and
| smoking or using matches IN any way in
| the holds of vessels while lnnammdble /
| cargoes are being loaded or discharged, /
under a penalty Of 500 fine or imprisOn- /
ment for not more than thirty |
DAYS. The ordinance also pro- |
vides for the erection Of signboards |
on the wharves, and wherever cotton or |
naval stores are handled giving notice /
that no smoking is allowed.
The suecial committee on revising the !
rules for the government of the Council
submitted its report, recommend /
ing changes in nearly every eX-
listing rule feature of the report /
was the recommendation that from Jan. |
to September the regular sessions OF the /
| Council should be held at O'Clock in the /
/ afternoon, instead Of in the evening. The |
remainder Of the year the committee |
| recommended the continuance of the pres
ent arrangement of meeting at p. m.
In view of the numerous changes /
recommended by the committee, action |
upon the report was deferred until the /
next meeting.
The ordinance introduced ny Alderman /
Thomas. plOhibiting the Keeping of hogs /
IN the corporate limits of the city, after /
having passed to a second reading was /
tabled upon the motion of the mover for /
the uurpOse of bringing up the matter IN /
a different way.
A communication from Manager Val |
lcau, of the Telephone Exchange, in re- !
gard to connecting the quarantine station I
with the city by telephone, was referred tn /
the Committee on Health and Cemetery. /
The telephone company proposes TO es- /
tabIish line between the two points for /
a yearly rental Of 5000 to the city, resery- /
ing the right to charge for private mes |
sages.
The appointments by the Mayor Of Coils. !
II. ID. Walker and j. ii. Estill members /
of the Board of Education representing |
the Board OF County Commissioners and 4
citizens, were unanimously confirmed by /
Council.
Bills amounting to ,2l1 40 were re-
ported by the Committee on Accounts. |
This amount includes S36,433 O6 of the |
bond compromise.
STATE TIT