The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-12-23
SHOW YOUR BADGE.
Reporters i'm Conflict With
the Police.
Both Sides Try to Do Their Duty at
Fires, but They Find 1t
Hard Work.

get out of that, get out OF thatl Dye
hear me; get out | sayv' And great
240-pound policeman grabbed a 125-pound
reporter by the collar and shot him under
the ropes at the fire on Battery street
yesterday noon. in spite Of the gasping
protests of the newspaper man that he was
reporter and had a right TO be inside the
lines.
where's your fre-badge, then?" asked
the policeman, as the reporter stopped TO
refaSten his collsr-button and try to re-
arrange his badly damaged apparel.
The reporter had to admit that he was
without fire-badge and added, ''I can't get
one"
We'll. that's not my fault" answered
the officer, land you had better keep outside
this rope ill you get a badge, I'm telling
you. My orders are strict against allowing
any man inside this rope without a fire.
badge"
The policeman was doing his duty and
the reporter was trying 10 do his but I'M
fortunately. owing to the negligence of the
flTe commissioners, the reporter was I'M
able 20 obtain a badge that would not only
allow him 10 pursue mis- work in peace hut
to protect him IN the performance Of his
duty.
Just why the Fire Commissioners refuse
offices is not exactly clear, but that they
have neglected to do so after repeated APP
pications on the part OF the press is
matter so well known to the police, the fire.
men and the newspaper men that il has
ceased to excite comment except in cases
where some luckless scribe is ''collared by
cop" aud In no gentie manner as n usual
thing put outside the lines. Then the re-
porter gFowIs. and the policeman says he is
only doing his duty, aud he is quite right
EXPLANATION dnRSn'f
clothes, heal bruises nor sprains, nor help
the paper Tor which the badgeiess men
works IN getting the news he is legitlmately
entitled TO.
tion, excluding all persons who do not wear
IRE badge from the fire limits, is a wise
one. Were IL otherwise there would be
scores OF thieves attending every fire and
the property of the unfurtunates whose
store or residence was burned would only
escape the flames TO fan into the clutches Of
men who make petty larceny a profession.
The newspaper reporters know this as do
the editors, and aII would gladly obey the
rules OF the police il they could, but they
cannot.
Fire-badges for reporters can not be OBJ
tanned for love or money. and the Fire
Commissioners know it and have known il
for months past. Just why they want TO
keep the newspaper men in constant con-
fiict with the police is not clear, but they
ara doing 1t every day.
Alter the ire yesterday CALL reporter
was sent to Assistant Chief Sullivan of the
Fire Department 10 present a request for
twenty badges for the use of re pOrters of
THE CALL.
Il am powerless." said Mr. Sullivan, "to
help you. We have no badges that can be
given 10 newspaper men.
II can realize the trouble which must
naturally ensue between reporters and the
police If the former are not personally
known or are without frc-badges, but the
Commissioners are the only ones that can
remedy the evil.
I'VE want TO help the reporters and do so
when we can, but we can't possibly become
acquainted with you all, and sometimes We
want to know 10 whom We are talking. As
to badges. l have nothing 10 say"
Seconds and minutes at the start of q fire
are worth quite as much 20 a reporter in
his line Of work as they are TO fireman in
his work, and when a reporter who cannot
get a nre-badge. and cannot get inside the
ire lines without one, has to run about
from one place to another until he finds a
policeman who knows him. the chances are
that he has lost the best part of his story
when he finally gets to il.
In no other city Of the Union is there
such state OF affairs existing. and il does
seem that the Board OF Fire Commissioners
should apply the remedy which lies within
It's power TO use and which would aid the
newspapers and the public and would re-
lleye the police OF very disagreeable duty.