The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-31
THE CORNER LouNoER.


over the apathy exhibited in police circles
concerning crimes and criminals Tor whose
detection no reward is offered, remarked
wide awake citizen few days ago. ode
tcctiyes and patrolmen are paid a salary by
the city and their services are due the city
and the public without any other reward.
The reward system works badly everywhere
and In many places has been abolished. II
works this way: When crimes are commit
ted nothing is done in police circles until n
reward IL offered, then the detectives go TO
work with vim. No one employed and
paid by the city should be permitted to
receive a reward for doing nothing but his
duty"
"Is there remedy for oil this2" asked
the Lounger,
Undoubtedly, very simple remedy. The
time was when receiving rewards for such SER
vice, was not permitted in Memphis The Fire
Department has the correct idea of this re.
ward business all the rewards received go
into the relief fund for the benefit Of the
entire department So It should be with
the Police Department VIII eneyer any
AlAlE'Il lNiAH llkt lfNNlulllE iIf lbllit lfi-
partmcnt for the detection Of criminals, the
reward should not go into the pocket Of the
man making the arrest, IL should go into a
Police Relief Fund for the benefit OF sick and
disabled policemen, and such relief organ
ization should be the recipient OF all such
moneys. This would be an incentive to
every patrolman TO be ON the look
a l..ts
arrest There would be no apathy or
waiting for rewards then, all would be i'm
spirod with the same motive. Rewards paid
to individual detectives or policemen are
like tips paid 10 walters In certain hotels
You can get nothing to eat without the
'Ap and even the head waiter will have
his Zip rs well rs the subordinntes. A
hotel that will permit such discrimination as
between guests deserves TO 60 down for want
Of honest patronage. our police and fire
commissioner should look into the working
Of the reward business and consider whether
or not its adjustment aud the applying OF
all rewards to the general police relief fund
would not be the correct thing 10 DO done,
It presents fine field for investigation"
GLOW 10 protect life on burning steam.
boats Is a question that has undc gone but
little practical investigation NO far" said a
river man to the Corner Ioungcr. Every
thing connected with life saving on board n
Mississippi River steamboat Is altogether in
adequate and practically useless. The boats
are 20 located aud tied up rs 10 be inncccssi-
BILE In the hour Of danger AMI the life pre-.
servers are ~ located rs 10 be entirely use.
less, and WHY Because passengers on board
boats are never Informed or instructed as to
the character aud use Of life prcscrycrs, and
not one ous Of ten passengers would know
how To put them on"
"what should be done In the prcmiscig''
asked the scribe.
before the boat leaves the landing and nt
stated hour each day during the trip.
the passengers should be- mustered aud an
officer Of the boat should explain 10 them
the location and the method of using the
lifc.pwscrycr-a practical illustration dur.
Ing the trip by man with a lifc.prcscrvcr
jumping overheard. II would be most
valuable. nay, an invaluable, lesson. Life
fdiiN NNuWlu hf NNNN luNlrhl OF NhAiN, anu
these should be loosely dashed to the outside
guards Of the vessel, where the Nero cutting
" rope would drop hem into the water,
and there should be plenty Of them. You
cannot have too many Much more care T.
taken Of cotton bales than human life.
Either something like this should he done,
or passengers should be prohibited from
travelling ON cotton carrying boats. OF what
use have oil the appliances for saving lie
aud found ON board steamboats,, been In The
hour of danger and distrcsG They wcrc
practically of no use at all What does q
woman know about life p.cscrycr IT.
use or manner 81 using ~ The steamboat
men would gladly hail any practical plan.
Tor no men In the world arc moU humane
than they, and none have q greater horror
~ these terrible calumitics than they. when
a boat l. on fire the Icy river furnishes the
only way 10 escape and tho simple qucs-
ton l., how can each passenger be fur
nishcd with means II ESCAPE In the mo.
mcnt Of danger The present system is a
fnilurp.'