The evening world., 1893-12-14
SHEEHAN AT WORK.
He Is Preparing Estimates for a
Patrol Wagon Service.
Why Not Go Step Further and
Include a Signal System
The Board OF Estimate Is Ready
for Action.

Police Commissioner John c. sheehan,
to whom the Police Board at the meeting
held on Tuesday night delegated the
task Of preparing a plan for a patrol
wagon service. to be submitted to the
Boad OF Estimate and Apportionment
on Thursday next, does not expect to
make any OF the details public for sew
eral days yet. Not only must he procure
estimates Of the cost of patrol wagons,
horses and harness. but In precincts
where there are no stable attachments,
these also must be provided for.
While 1t is the present intention to pro-
vide wagons only In precincts where ma
irons are located. Commissioner Sheehan
will. It Is said. also prepare an estimate
of the cost Of a complete patrol wagon
service, not only for the purpose of an
swerinR all questions put to him at the
Board VI Estimate meeting, but to be
prepared with some definite plan In case
1t IL decided to extend the scheme at the
present time. The number Of additional
men the new system will require must
also be taken into consideration.
The point will, In all probability. be
raised by some one or more members OF
the Board Of Estimate that now the
matter ts being seriously considered, It
might be as well to put q patrol wagon
lntO tNeTy pTcClnCt, tHc
tenn. Even without the signal system. a
patrol wagon In every precinct would do
good In In aes sases Of ro big
the scene much quicker, and the dis
graceful sights Of men and women being
paraded through the streets from station
houses to court would be done away
with.
While IT. is a fact that the signal sys-
tenn and the patrol wagons go hand in
hand IT l. also srs true tnat even the
tirety.i: would be some time before 1t
could be In operation. Stables In every
precinct are not built In day, nor are
ioned In an hour. Months must neces-
sarily slapse before everything would be
IN readiness, ard there would be ample
ms and to Osa S hf M Ss
needed for signal system. With a
little energy ard a disposition to remedy
the present evils there is no reason why
should not be In operation within year.
No Legislature would refuse to pass
bill OF this kind. for the reason that
nized by all and every citizen, irrespec-
tive OF politics. is anxious for the
The action of the Police Board on
Tuesday would indicate that there real
| ly Is a desire to push the work, and for
that reason the estimates which Com
msiGaer with snsenaH / Evd4y prspnrnS memSer
the Board Of Estimate and Apportion-
ment. from Mayor Gilroy down, is in
terested In 1t, and is heartily In favor
Up to the present time" said q q
Apportionment, to an Evening World"
tsa the Poae
not adopted any police signal system.
They did adopt one six years ago, but
w1snsnE sTardS Sa Of nav 4 only Se ssqssa
Council said that the action Of the po.
rendered by Corporation Counsel Beck
his successor, Mr., Clark. Such being
the case. the, mystery is why the Com
missioners did not go to work after.
wards. and complying with all legal
80. all the money necessary would have
been appropriated long ago:
claim that they can adopt no system
until they have the money to go on with
It. Even on that ground. they had
100000 TO experiment with. and 1t Ger
| to ask for a lot of money for some
thing which no one knows anything
Chout.
.There is 10 desire on the part of any
one, particularly the Comptroller, so far
as can understand. to withhold money
for such purpose. New York Is The
nrst city. In the country, and i wants
on a par with other cities 80 far as al
modern improvements are concerned.
do not know which system Is the best
nor do / care; but New York wants the
very best that can be obtained / foi
one am not In favor OF putting In a
sys'em now on chance that we may bt
compelled to bar out, year. from now
because II may not be the best.
1.-The Police Commissioners have hat
this question before them now for sew.
eral years, and certainly ought to, bt
able to select a system. Let them dc
so, and by competition prove It to b,
the hest. Then. II the Board Of Estimate
and Apportionment has no power to give
them money, let them go to the Legisla
ture and get all they want. do not be
lieve there Is a man In all New York, oi
In the whole State, for that matter, wht
| would oppose them.
THE Evening World has certainl,
performed good work In this matter.
believe that no one recognizes the valu,
OF the fight II has made more than tn,
Police Commissioners themselves"