The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-28
A PAID DEPARTMENT
Fire Commissioners Desire
to Establish 1t By
January ID.
APPEAL 70 BOARD OF FINANCE.
Brennan Opposed the Adoption Of
the Observation-Disclosures by
Donnelly and Kern.

The two Democratic members of the Board
of Fire Commissioners decided last night tc
insist upon providing the city with a paid
department. During the meeting President
Donnelly introduced a resolution as fol
lews=
hrsoived-Tsat this Board do hereby declare
It's intention to take advantage of and put in OPP
prstiQp on January 10. 1884, the provisions of an
Aer entitled. IAN act relative TO the fire depart
sneuts IN eitiea Of the first class" approved
Aarch q. 1898, whereby it is made lawful for
This board to increase tine number of men az
tacned 20 each company SO that the total mum
Der allotted To zach company shall not exceed
eight. and he It further
Resolvsd--That the Board of Finan nee be aud is
hereby requested to appropriate the sum of S42,-
22o,T IS, as per statement hereto for the use of
this board for the purpose Of meeting the cost of
tn4 proposed increase for the remainder of the
present fiscal year, commencing January 10.
1894. and said Board of Finance borrow the
aforesaid sum as authorized and required by
OPPOSED BY BRENNAN.
Commissioner Kern seconded the resolu-
ton and Commissioner Brennan opposed its
adoption. He sid he thought the time had
net arrived for a paid department. He did
not believe the Board of Finance could give
the Fire department any more money this
year. Mr.. Brennan thought the Finance
Commissioner had been very liberal to the
Fire department and that the last named
Board should not ask for any more money
his year. He said the financial condition of
the city did not warrant any such additional
drain as asked for by the resolution, and in
sisted that there were other things which the
city needed more than a paid Fire Depart
ment and he declared that one of things was
a new fire alarm system.
Commissioner Kern did not agree with
Mr.. Brennan, and insisted that if the CITY
can afford a new City Hall it can afford a
paid fire department.
When the roll was called Commissioners
Donnelly and Kern voted for the resolution
and Commissioner Brennan voted against it.
The following statement showing the cost of
the proposed new fire department. was next
read by the Clerk.
Fourteen captains of engines at s., 200
each per annun Sl4, 9S5 IA
Twenty-eight permanent hosemen at
$3.50 each. ....-.......... sa, 7g7 42
Five truck captains at $1,000 each...,.. 5,352 e5
Fifteen permanent trDckmen at $3.50
each. la,7l1 10
BEDS, osdsteaas' 1900
Amountths city will receive by abolish
ing the Buffalo system ............... 16.055 IS
NEW COMPANY ORGANIZED.
The commissioners also organized Engine
Company No. IA, which will be located at
Webster venue and begin duty on January
l, John Bowen, driver of No. 12 Engine.
was promoted to stoker of No. "A: Leslie A.
Townsend, stoker of No. ), was promoted to
engineer OF No. II; James Allen was ap-
pointed driver of No. u Engine; Samuel
Smith was appointed driver of No. IA:
James McGuire was appointed driver to the
tender of of No. IA and Edward F. Roch-
ford was appointed permanent hoseman of
No. IA.
The commissioners passed the December
pay roll, and reports We're read showing that
there were sixteen alarms during the last
two weeks and nine sick horses, and that a
trolley wire in front of Police Headquarters
on December 90 became crossed with other
wires and burned out the magnets in the
fire box and at No. l Truck house. The
board decided to buy a $500 horse and then
adjourned.
1t is believed that should the Board Of
Finance refuse to make the appropriation
for a paid department that the Democratic
majority will without its sanction proceed to
do so. The commissioners claim that the
law creating a paid fire department is man
datory and must be obeyed.