The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-20
IN BEHALF N~F|REMEN.
The Movement to Increase Their Pay
as II is Discussed.
CITIZENS GENERALLY FAVOR 1T.
They Receive Less Than Policemen
and still are Called Upon to do Much
Dangerous Work and do not Receive
a Pension when Retired.

The fire department of Providence has
the reputation of being the best in the
country. This ract has been demonstra
ted in many ways. More especially in
case of large conhagrations in other large
cities and towns. This city is the first to
be called upon for assistance and when il
has responded to the call it has shown
that the members of our department are
fire fighters in practice as we'll as in
theory
The citizens OF Providence were recent
" informed through the columns of the
News that the captains of the companies
receive less than night pa
trolman on the police force. The
other members OF the force are
paid accord ngiy. Citizens generally are
perhaps not aware OF the meager COM
pensation that the men receive. The
scale of salaries is as follows: Chief,
$1,000. deputy chief, $500, cap
tains, $1,000; assistant foremen, $500;
hosemen, after three years service. $40;
two years. $3.50; first year, 40: per year.
The police salaries are: Cniet, $1,000;
deputy, $3.50; per year; captains, 50 90,
lieutenants, s325; per day; sergeants,
So 1915, aud patrolmen, 50; per day. Tue
firemen are on duty twenty-four hours a
day, and have one day in "A month ex-
empt from fire duty aud ten days vaca-
tion. ana the remaining 343 days dc
voted TO the interests OF the city aid they
are confined To their houses.
1t is argued by those who favor the
movement for increased pay that there
Is no calling SO hazardous as that OF a
fireman. They ar subjected to many
dangers, as the reports OF various officers
will show. Tue cost OF living is Increased,
as most of the men DO not have time 20
spare TO make purchases away from their
immediate neignburnood. The move
ment on foot TO increase he pay of the men
will. il Is thought, be successful Such
men and business concerns as Marshall
Wood, the Goddards, Charles Fletcher,
the Kendall Manufacturing company
and many other Of the largest taxpayers
are
Strongly In Favor
of il. Mr.. Wood has signed a petition
TO that effect. He says that not until re-
Gently was he aware that men who had
millions Of dollars worth of property and
thousands of lives in their care received
30 small a recompense.
The WORK the past year has been the
largest ever experienced In the state,
there being 594 alarms 10 Boston's o56, "A
difference OF 262 alarms.
There is no department in the country
that fights fires as The department OF
providence. Ihey keL at the bottom at
once, and for this reason this city has
been free from large fires. Many OF the
best men are leaving the department end
going into other heids TO better their
financial condition.
AS to the physical condition of the
force. DIR. Palmer says IL is the best in
the world. There is one other benefit in
the police department that Is not accord =
ed to the fremen. When n policeman is
retired he receives pension of S4O0 per
annum, while a fireman must be retired
at the age Of 90 without any pension.
IL Is not urged that the police receive
any more than they deserve, but that
men who devote their entire ii ne, en-
ergy aud abilities TO the Interests of tHe
city as tiremen should receive no more
pay than common unskilled laborer dis
satisfies the frienus or the iremen.
The bill in al probability, 1t IS believed,
will pass, aud the bremen of the city OF
Providence Will be happy. The last re-
ports show that the manual force of the
department consists of l43 permanent
men aud NUMBER OF call men. The
bill effects only the first named class.