Telegram-herald., 1891-01-16

Psssssaiass - The Csanfsstensss ~
Ysstssday's ssssisns

Psosssdinss - The Csanfssiensss ~
ysstsraay's ssssisa.
The regular meeting Of the Board Of
Police and Fire Commissioners was
held yesterday afternoon. Accounts
were allowed 70 the amount Of Stats.
The Harrison Wagon Works asked to
have . tire-alArm box placed on their
premises. and the request was referred
to the COMMITTEES on Finance.
A communication from William
Spencer, asking for . position on the
police force, Was placed on file.
The Committee on Men and Disci-
pline reported on the matter of pensions
To policemen and firemen, as follows:
"The practice of pensionlng public SER
vants has not prevailed IN this country
outside OF the military service. The
United States Government has not ex-
tended the system 20 the civil list, ex-
cept to the judges Of her courts. New
York, and believe some OF the other
States grant pensions to their judges.
In the older countries, the practice OF
granting pensions to public servants,
and also to employees OF large corpora
tons and business houses, has prevailed
for many years, and has proved highly
satisfactory.
at is of the highest Importance that
the public should receive the best pos
sible service, and it cannot be doubted
that better service can be secured from
public officers and servants if . pros
pect is held out to them that in case
they are retained in service till they
are no longer able to perform it.
neither they nor their families will be
reduced to absolute want. 1t amounts
to the offer of q premium for good SER
vice. II makes il an object for each
man to perform his duty that ne will
be retained in service long enough to
entitls him or his widow and children
TO pension under the provisions of the
bill which, as your committee Is IN
| formed, is practically tho same as the
law now in force in Detroit. Ii is not
probable that for many years
TO come at least, the bur-
den of taxation, In case the
bill becomes . law, will be very heavy,
and in the opinion of your committee,
it is entirely certain that its tendency
will be to secure, in both departments,
| more efficient service from the men.
The salaries paid are not sufficient in
either department to enable member
to accumulate any considerable provi-
sion for the time when he should be
able to perform his duty. 1t seems to
| your committee that, however large a
sum the public may be required to pay
! under the provislons of this bill, it will
be money welllnvested. Your commit
tee heartily approve the bill, and rec
| ommend that the representatives in the
Legislature from this city be respect
fully urged to use their efforts in secur-
ing its passage"
The bill referred to in the above re-
port is one that has been prepared
after the model Of the Detroit law of
similar purport. 1t is now in the hands
| of Representative White for presenta-
ton to the Legislature. President Of
the Board Hawkins said last evening
| that the main provision is to pension
| faithful men IN the two departments
after a service of twenty years. He
said there are no members of either de-
partment who would now be entitled to
pension, because the present board
has existed only since 1878. The oldest
IN service on the police force is Cor
nelius Cast, detective. and the oldest
IN service in the fire department Is
Thomas Gibbons, engineer at engine
| house No. 2, on Barclay-st.