Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-28
MURPHY Is MODEST.
He Will Only Ask a Quarter of a
Million for the Ensuing Year.
MUST CHANGE THE POLICE WIRES.
An Engine Rouse in the Eleventh Ward
Will Be One of the Items.
NO OTHER EXTENSION CONTEMPLATED

Chief Murphy, of Allegheny, will ask
for about $3.50, 900 from Councils for the
Department of Public Safety for the ensu
ing year. The estimates of each of the
bureaus is not completed, but Chiei
Murphy said he thought the estimate:
would reach that figure. This will not bt
much in advance of what was asked las
year. Then the appropriations were made
out as third-class city and given to each
of the committees, so that it is difficult tt
tell just how much went into the
bureaus under the Public Safety De
partment. Thus, last year appropria
tions now included in this department were
made out to the committees on health, fire
police, city property and salaries 1t il
not intended to extend the system much
under this department but to perfect whai
it now possesses and put everything in good
working order.
viii Overhaul the Fire Alarm.
The first matter that will receive attention
will be the Bureau of Electricity. The
quarters at present are too small, and, as
the power is not sufficient, nothing but the
batteries will be put in this room, and the
number will be greatly increased. In the
adjoining room, now occupied by the
police telephone operators, the fire
are not very good, but Chief Murphy says
he will try to pull through another year
with them, though he NAV be compelled to
ask for a new repeater. The entire system
of police and fire wires will have
to be changed. The greatest trouble
has been with the police telephone
wires, as has been before men
toned in The DISPATCH. Owing to the
induction from electric light and street rail-
way wires, the telephones In the patrol
boxes have been practically useless for the
past three years, save for wagon calls. 1t
is so bad that when a connection is made
with box the noise from the receiver in
the operators room can be heard at dis
tance Of 90 feet The operators crowded
out by this change are to occupy Chief
Murphv's present Office in the third floor of
City Hall. All these changes will only
cost about S11, 900.
The bill which will figure the highest will
be for new engine house in the Eleventh
ward.
An Engine House In the Eleventh Ward.
This is to furnish better fire protection
for Woods Run. Property in that locality
is advancing so rapidly that the site would
cost much more next year than it would
this. Besides this all the engine houses
are sadly in need of repair. They have not
been painted for years and the floors in
many of them are rotted out. Some of the
apparatus also needs overhau]ing. These
items will make up the greater part Of the
advance asked.
Speaking of these matters yesterday Chief
Murphy said: 'I only want to put my de-
partment in as good shape as possible
with what we now have. The only extern
sion will be the new engine house in the
Eleventh ward. We ought to have an en-
tire new fire alarm outfit, but will not
ask for that until next year. In the
Police Bureau there will be no particular
extension save that / will have
two matrons at Central station. I would
have them now but there is no place for
them. expect to get the present Mayors
Office for the matrons and will also use the
place as hospital There will be no
matrons at the other station houses.