The morning call., 1892-12-27
NEW FIRE BADGES.
The Commissioners Adopt
Call" Suggestions.
They Propose to Stop the Conflict
Between the Reporters and
the Police.

That's good. sound sense" said Fire
Commissioner Fisher Ames after he had
read THE CALLS article upon the conflict
between newspaper reporters and the police
at fires, because The reporters were not sup
piled with badges, and consequently had no
right inside the fire lines under the Ordi-
nance of the Board of Supervisors.
II want to say this" continued Mr.. Ames,
THE CALL looks at these things in a cou-
nonsense way. Had the paper gone to
work and roasted the police and Fire Com
missioners there would have been no is
position to do what should be doEe in the
matter, but under the circumstances the
Fire Commissioners propose TO remedy the
evil at once"
Maurice Schmitt, president of the Board
OF Fire Commissioners, and Assistant Chief
Sullivan Of the Fire Department came up
while the reporter was talking to Mr. Ames,
and both agreed that something ought to be
done at once to obviate any conflict between
reporters and the police.
We'll fix IL when we meet next Satur-
day." said MIR. Schmitt, and then the three
sat down and outlined ulan TO supply those
who were entitled TO badges with the neees-
sary insignia of authority 10 60 inside the
fire lines.
The city ordinance provides that reporters
oIdii oc pIONluSu Win EEe UdUReS, anu also
provides that 1t Is misdemeanOr for any
person to be within the fire lines without a
FIRE badge conSpicuously displayed.
The ordinance also provides that all the
FIRE badges, both for regular and extra 6re-
men. reporters and representatives OF in-
surance companies, shall be owned by the
city," and this clause prevents the news
papers from furnishing badges to their men
at their own expense.
The consultation of President Sehmitt.
Commissioner Ames and Assistant Chief
Sull van resulted in the following plan be-
ing formulated, which will probably be car
ried out next Saturday:
All the old badges issued to newspapers
months ago will be called in and in their
place will be issued to each newspaper a
certain number Of badges bearing the name
of the paper and number.
The Fire Commissioners will take
receipt from the different newspapers for
these badges and will make a request that
each reporter to whom they are issued be
required to deposit the sum of So when he
TO him when he surrenders the badge ON
leaving the paper. &.
The Commissioners will further urge that
the police take particular care to take up all
the old badges in the possession o. men who
have once been reporters and who, upon
leaving the paper, have taken their fire
badges with them.
This plan will undoubtedly meet with
the hearty cooperation Of the newspapers,
as 1t is known there are reporters fire
badges in the hands OF persons who never
worked upon newspaper, who have gained
possession of the badges by unfair means
and who use them to gain access to the re-
stricted limits, where they commit depre-
dations, il not crimes.
Assistant Chief Sullivan, who is always
ready and willing to help the reporters, is
more than glad that THE CALL is agitating
the matter, and says the department and
the papers will be benefited by it,