The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-03
talked OF At CITY HALL.
Chief and Police Committee Well
Satisfied With Examinations.
THEY ARE NOT VERY EXACTING
Prospects OF the Plumbing Ordinance
Little Likelihood That the Fire Com
mission BnI VIII Be Concurred In
For the Present at Least.

The board of aldermen committee on
police is well pleased with the result OF
che first trial of the examination plan
adopted at the suggestion of Chief Child.
When this new rule was put In Iorc
there were some who regarded 1T as a
hardship, and thought it was intended to
favor certain appointees and injure
others. Practical experience, however.
las shown their fe YRS we're groundless.
TIE questions asked are confined TO
subjects intimately co snected with the
work of the apartment and the duties OK
patrolmen. To answer them correctly
AL that is required is reasonable famiH-
arity with the city ordinances. the state
statutes and the rules of the department.
There il not on the list question that
could not be answered by any man OF
average intelligence after a months ser.
vice on the force IL he employed part OF
necessary to the efficient discharge OF his
duties.
This new rule does not apply to men
Who were on the force prior TO It's adop-
tion in March last. IL affects those only
who have been Appointed since or who
may be appointed in the future. Under
the new order of things the first
nix months of service Is practically pro-
bationary. The applicant for place in
the department knows this when he II lis
n
che examination sometime during this
period and that IL he fails to answer
3fty per cent Of the questions correctly
ho Will cease to bs member OF the force.
In the first contingent that went up
for examination there were fourteen
pstrolmen and every one passed credit
sbiy. Indeed Chief Child remarked this
morning that the police committee
aud himself were pleasantly sur.
prised at the result. The purpose
of the new rule Is TO secure policemen
who can act promptly and intelligentiy
cations all future appointments to the
force will more than meet the require
ments.
The Plumbing Ordinance.
One of the bones OF contention at the
meeting OF the board OF aldermen this
afternoon will be .he plumbing OIL, cont
Gil twice. and is now before the
board for concurrence. Every member
Of the board says IL ought to be passed,
that the public health demands 1t, etc.
but still it has been hung up for weeke
West at their head, have heretofore saiss
they should have as much power in the
eolection OF an inspector as the other
forty Ave members OF the city council.
Alderman Burrows, when asked as to
the prop8ule actlon OF tno Uoaru. Sdlu ne
thought the bill would be passed. There
had already been TOO much politics
dragged in, and some OF those who had
opposed the bill heretofore, he believed
had seen the mistake they had made, and
would, in his opinion, vote In favor Of
concurrence today.
fate of the fire comnii ssion bill Various
Influences are at work to defeat concur
renee and 1t would not be In any way
Surprising II that we're the final result.
a year ago similar bill passed
Il Il the board boa presumably because certain
members or the upper branch felt that
the commission should be cleo
Ted by concurrent vote instead
Of by . joint vote Of the two
bodies in convention. Chief Steere's
the defeat Of the measure. apparently
because they fear he will not be
retained in his present place
tf the commission il created. More
over, the fact that number Of members
Of the council are supposed to be candi-
dates Tor places on tie commission Will
tend to operate against concurrence.
A conservative member Of the board
Of aldermen said this morning there was
Rery little probability OF the passage Of
the bill today, but very strong one Of
Sts continuancs until next fall.
Business to BE Transacted.
In addition to these are several others
<Which are to come before the board.
Among them is an ordinance transfer
ring &87, 800 from the receipts from sewer
assessments to the appropriations for
highways, sewers and contingencies.
\ Ihis IL TO make up the amounts drawn
from those appropriations on account OF
The purchase OF land for the west ap-
proach to the new passenger station.
There il also "A resolution author
3xine An application to the general
aossfhbly for such Legislation as will en-
ut3s the commissioner OF public works
20 build sewer connections inside the
tine OF curbinR on all streets where
koWers are ordered.
ThisDi considered very important
accepted by the city the commissioner
line when the sewer il built.
sesrinR up of streets whenever
IN estate II TO be connected and will in
directly save the city considerable money.
Notes About the Hall.
A party Of thirty gentlemen, many Of
them members OF the city council Of
Philadelphia, visited the city hall today.
They were presented to Mayor Potter by
Councilman Sellew. and after a short
btAy in the executive chambers were taken
Dn 1 tou' of inspection Of the building
In the council chamber they tarried few
moments to hold q mock session and
then continued through the other depart
-