Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-04-19
CITY COUNCIL.
A PATROL WAGON AND FOUR
MORE POLICEMEN.
Report of the Council Committee That
Visited Philadelphia to Inspect
the Patrol Wagon Service
Other Business.

park fund, $427.C4. Received OF Wash
ington Steam Fire Engine and Hook and
Ladder Company, $2l9. 10; NJ. j. Mealey,
5000, E. P. Moody, $540.
The committee on patrol wagon, ,Messrs.
Quinn, Robcrts, Ryan, Moore aud Nc
Bride, reported as follows:
"Your committee appointed on April
IL, 10 inquire into the cost of establishing
police patrol system in our city, would
respectfully report that they went to
Philadelphia on the 18th and examined
patrol wagon No. 4, located on Filbert
street above Fifteenth; also wagon A of
the patrol. Also visited the shops of
John Beggs q Co., No. $40 North Front
street, and they gave your committee all
the Information possible. The cost of the
wagon, complete, would be about f325,
estimated cost of one horse, S275 har-
ness, patented, $50; keep of horse one
year. $3.50; wages Of driver, 5000; shoeing
and repairs, $15; total cost aud mainten.
ance for the first year, $l,575; cost of
maintenance yearly, thereafter, 1875; all
OF which is respe ctfully submitted by your
committee.
Your committee also recommend that
an ordinsrcc be passed to increase the
tolice force four men, one of whom shall
be known as sergeant OF patrol, said oili-
Ger to be held as a reserve at the City
Hall Or at any other place that the mayor
or Chief Of polics MAY ace deem e thf Snost ad-
Vsa5is ior the preservation of good order
and peace OF the city; the salary and
clothing of said officers to be the same as
received by the other police. Your COM
mittee further believes that with patrol
wagon and the additional four officers
tha oitU Will rfa aatua mr. of an
than it would with ten additional officers;
all of which is respectfully submitted" +"
The report was adopted.
Mr.. Quinn presented the following reso-
luton and moved it's adoption:
"Resolved, That the special committee
on police patrol wagon be instructed to
draw up an ordinance authorizing the
purchase of the wagon"
Mr.. Mckenney, as usual, wanted to
know what Mr.. Quinn's resolution
meant.
Mr. Quinn said the gentleman heard
the resolution read and he ought to know
what 1t meant.
Mr.. McKenney then moved to lay the
resolution on the table, as he believed
the city would get better service by the
old system Of calling upon the Whining.
ton Transfer Company for a wagon when
nteded. The patrol wagon he said.pighi
be away out at eilverbrook, and E@sAS
same time be wanted over Third street
bridge, and an officer might have to wait
two hours for the patrol wagon before II
would come.
Mr.. Quinn, in reply stated that police
officer recently told him that he had to
hold prisoner an hour before transfer
wagon could reach him. This was the
same old cry against every improvement.
1t was heard In the Council chamber
when the fire alarm signals were intro
duced, but who would be without them
nowi
For the sake OF morality and decency a
patrol wagon should be provided. The
scenes following the arrest of women
and taking them through the streets to
the City Hall were disgrace to the city.
Mr.. Quinn proclaimed himself a Demo-
crat, but he was for the best interests of
the city and cared not who was benefited
most, Democrats or Republicans. He
would be ashamed to be found kicking
against every reform introduced into the
City Council.
Mr.. Roberts said that when the ques-
tion of patrol wagon was first intro
duced in Council he was opposed to 1t,
but since that time Council had refused
to Increase the police force and he be-
lleved now that something should be
done in this direction.
He believed now that since he had seen
the system OF patrol wagons In operation
in Philadelphia that that was what was
needed in Wilmington. These wagons,
he said, were not only used in making
arrests, but they were used for taking
sick and wounded people to their homes
and to the hospitals.
Mr.. Dillin moved to refer the matter to
the Police Committee, as that was the
committee to which 1t properly belonged.
The amendment led to a considerable
discussion, but was lost, and Mr. Quinu's
resolution was adopted by the following
vote:
Ayes-Ayars, Baugh, Beale, Bower
Coley, Chambers, Davis, Forrest, John.
son, Mccall, Mcbride, McMenamin,
Moore, Quinn, Roberts, Ryan, Sawdon,
Shea, Farra lie.
Nays -Dlllin, Hawkins, McKenney,
Sharkeyi Whites.
Mr.. Quinn then moved that the chair
man OF the Police Committee, MIR.
Sawdon, be added TO the committee.
Mr.. McKenney moved to add the whole
of the Police Committee TO the special
committee.
A long, rambling discussion ensued on
the motion between NIessrs. Quinn, Nc
kenney, Sharkey, Dillin, Roberts and
others.
Mr.. Chambers thought that as there
were only two of the Police Committee
not already on the special committee
they should be added.
Mr.. Roberts very forcibly denounced
the effort to hand over to the Police Com
mittee what had already been done by the
special committee, and Mr.. Quinn
whacked tho lash of leadership sharply
over the shoulders Of Messrs. Mckenney,
Dillin and Skarkey.
All amendments were voted down and
Mr.. QuiBn's motion to add the chairman
OF the Police Committee to the special
vas adopted.
Mr.. Roberts presented bill for SIS for
expenses OF three members to Phlladel-
phia to inspect the patrol wagon system.
Mr.. McKenney moved to refer 1t to the
Law Committee, but withdrew It,
Mr.. sharkey asked what the bill was
for.
Mr.. Roberts said the face OF the bill
stated what 1t was for.
But why is the bill not itemized, per-
sisted Mr.. Sharkey.
Mr.. Quinn, looking daggers at Mr..
sharkey, said: at isnt for whiskey, |
anyhow; If l had u child as innocent as
you are, would ask the angels to come
down and get 1t.
The chair thought that the bill should
10 TO the Committee on Accounts and IL |
was SO referred.
Bills were passed as follows: Roop's
City Delivery, 50 cents; j. V. Carlisle s. |
Co., Si.2S; Adams & Bro, 1S cents; C,