The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-09
FlREMES'S PENSION FUND.
4 Paid Fire Department Is One That Is Rsgu.
larly Organized and Maintained by q City.

The creation by an act of the recent Leg
i~slature of a fremen's pension fund in all
cities having q paid fire department has
developed some difference of opinion as to
what constitutes the latter. The insurance
companies, who are compelled by
this new law to maintain this
fund. are chiefly interested. They are
Directing to certain towns coming under
the provisions of the law on the score
that their fire departments are not what
shout be classed as paid. The act pro-
vides th 1t every fire insurance company
doing business In this State, and not or
: ganiZed under the laws of the State of In
diana. shall. in the months of January and
July of each year, report to the auditor OF
each county. in the State wherein there Is o
city having a fire department. paid by that
city, the gross amount of all receipts re-
ceived By such company on account OF IN
surance premiums for insurance upon prop
erty In that county for the six months pre-
ceding the last day of the last preceding
December or June. The losses actually
paid during the same period are also to be
reported and at the time of making such re-
port the company must pay INTO the county
treasury OF such county 81 on every 500 OF
the excess of such receipts over and above
the losses. The statute fixes certain penal
ties should such companies, county audi
tors and Auditor of State fail to comply
with it's provisions i'll that behalf. and,
among other things. creates a board to
manage and control the fund thus raised.
The question was referred to the At
torney-geDeral, who replied that the money
received from insurance companies, hnes
imposed by such fire departments by way
of discipline OF punishment. together with
rewards in money, fees. gifts and emOIu-
ments that may be paid or given specially
to the fire departments shall be applied to
the pension fund. The same thing is to be
done with all proceeds of suits for penal
ties for the violation of any provision OF
any statute of the State or ordinance of
cities, with the execution of which the said
fire department., or any OF Its Ohlcers or
members, Is now or hereafter may be
charged. Anv license or other fees payable
under the same, and all witness fees of
every nature whatsoever, when the salary
of any member of said fire department. Is
not affected by his absence while serving
as such witness shall constitute q part OF
the fund. In addition to this source OF
revenue every member of any such fire de-
partment shall be assessed q portion of his
salary, which assessment shall not be less
than u of / per cent, or more than j per
cent. of his compensation. and all such
assessments shall be applied to said
pension fund. These assessments are
not voluntary contributions of members OF
such file departments. but are levied by
operations of law and deducted monthly
from the salary of each member.
The fund thereby created" further said
the Attorney general" and designated as
the firemen's pension fund. is distributed
under the provisions of this statute to fire.
men disabled in the service of the depart
ment. and. in case of death. to the widow
and children under the age of sixteen. And
those who have been in the service of a de-
partment for twenty-five years shall also
be entitled to a specific pension paid from
this fund. The statute under consideration
does not treat of voluntary fire depart
ments OF of thOae departments uartly maid
and partly voluntary. To entitle any fire
department. in this State to receive the
taxes. fees, ~emoluments, fines and assess
ments mentioned in the statute. and have
its members paid a pension therefrom. the
and employed by q town or city. and it's
members placed upon the payroll of such
municipality at q stipulated salary. And
this seems to be the proper definition of q
paid fire department"