The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-01-10

ers Of each station are paid 5000 The
men are Obliged to live at the stations
when in active service, thus being separ-
ated from their families, and they are
compelled to furnish their W rations.
PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
For seven years bills have been pending
in Congress for the increase OF the salary
of surfmen and station keepers. Al pres
cnt there are two live bills pending in he
House, one introduced by Congressman
James Buchanan, OF the Trenton district,
and the other introduced By. Congress,
man John A. Geissenhafner, OF tne Inlru
New Jersey district.
The buchanan bill provides tor an To-
crease of the income OF surfmen from s4OO
70 5000 per season, and that OF keepers
from $6O0 to $500. The bill has been re-
ported by the committee, but being an
unDrisileged bill. on account OF appropri-
ating money, 1t cannst be considered I'M
til a day is fixed for its final considera-
ton.
The G~eissennainer bill Is now in the
committees hands. Its provisions are
practically the same as the reported
Buchanan bill There is also another
bill which has given Congressman
Buchanan considerable uotoriety and
that is to have the government pay Tor
the uniforms which the surfmen have rel
Gently been Obliged TO wear. These uni
forms are furnished by contract aud cost
$50 each, and, the men claim, are made OF
very inferior material
The Rev. Mr.. Young Is working hard
to induce the government to pay these
heroes decent wages. he has recently
communicated with the heads OF the de-
partment ant the various lite saving
superintendents throughout he country
relative TO having another bill framed
and presented TO Congress. Mr.. Young's
bill viii, If it becomes q law, Increase tue
salary of a surfman to $500 and that of a
keeper to $500.
PERMANENT PENSIONS o WIDOWS.
Another feature OF the new bill is that
the widows of surfmen killed in service
shall receive permanent pensions from
the Government. Uuder the present law
the pension TO widows expires ten years
from the date of issue. Mr.. Young has
written to every Congressman VINO repre-
sents a coast front district, asking them
to hold a caucus aud make a determined
effort to have the salaries OF the life
savers increased. He has received en-
~couraging replies from q number OF Con-
gressmen. and 1t is sincerely hoped that
the Young bill, or one of the other relief
bills now pending, will be passed.
1t is claimed that General Superiutend-
ent Sumner |. Kinball. OF Washington, is
inclined to hamper the department., and
does not possess the confidence OF his
subordinates. Congressman Buchanan
has tried hard In past years to secure al
investigation of Kimball's methods, but
has again signally tailed.
The friends Of the department claim
that Kimball Is sincere In his opposition
to the increase of salary u the purchas-
lug of uniforms for the men by the
Government. He claims that the depart
meut is expensive, and to increase the
expense would jeopardizs its usefulness.
and he also maintains that it would be a
wedge that could be effectively used by
ment to the Navy Department. This
change has been threatened for years.
The expenses Of the department at the
present time o to about 500, 900 per