The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-02-11
THE MAYORS ADDRESS
Continued from First Page.)

No department can serve the city eiH- ciently and satisfactorily unless it be absolutely divorced from political in- tluences; and merit alone receives recog- milton both in the appointments and promotions. To give the city that high standard of service necessary for an equivalent to the liberal appropriation (S173,000) required for its support this year, 1t should be entirely eliminated from deals, politics and faVoritism, and such an improved service rendered that our citizens will feel at all times that their lives and property will be securely and carefully guarded, and the utmost confidence may be placed in the guar dians of our city at all times,
 And the best way to remedy all de- fleets in a city department is to com- mence at the fountain head, the com mission. Upon it must rest all the re- sponsibility. There is no department whose usefulness Is greater, and whose ofhcial acts are open to more criticism than the police, and when We consider our near proximity to metropolitan cities, and the frequent means of com munication, I think we have cause for congratulation that our city has been so exempt from the higher order of crimes which we naturally expect.
 An ambulance attached to any in- stitution, and most especially the police department, should be maintained upon system of the highest standard. Funds having been provided for the purchase of new ambulance of the most modern kind, it will be expected that those who n, inf Ia tO Ipnanl such aid will, in the future, receive better service
 The board of finance was last year instructed to purchase from any unex- pended balances, lot for the erection of a police station to accommodate the police of No. 3 precinct, and while the board selected site which they consid- cred suitable for the purpose, they were unable to execute the orders for the reason that there were no available funds at their disposal. Therefore, the growing needs for this very necessary improvement continues to exist, and the bad policy of leasing building must be continued until otherwise provided for.
 I have, under this head, embraced the opportunity to express my views relat- ing to the police service and it's require ments for improvement. I desire, how ever, to state that this branch of our public safety now compares very favor ably with those of other cities with a similar population, laboring under sim liar conditions, and the laws of our city are now better enforced than for many years.
 The annual report of the superintend- ent and subordinate officers is quite vol luminous, the details 3f which will be printed in due time. I fail, however, to find any report of the commissioners. understand this is not called for by law, as it should be.
 FIRE DEPARTMENT.
 Few people realize that the fire waste in the United States amounts to over $125 900 each year without a general confiagration. This enormous loss will probably continue as long as careless ness prevails, and cities are continued to be built to Iburn, and possibly not un- til many years have elapsed will build ings of all classes be so constructed as to prevent serious losses when threaten ed by fire.
 It is a source of pride and gratif1ca- tion to know that out fire protection is so ably and efficiently managed in all it's details, and that we have a well equipped and disciplined department, which has to the present time proved adequate in every emergency. But as our city expands, this protection should be increased, and chemical engines To- cated in outlying sections.
 There were, during the past year, 1855 fires, and the losses were:
 On buildings. .. $45, ,510. .53 On contents. ........... 45, 762.40
 Total losses. ............$ $91, ,272. .9S
 Insurance:
 On buildlngs.... ............. $34, .64 Loss over insurance. .$20, ,181. If
 This is a most excellent showing and proves all that has been stated regard ing this department of our public safe- fy.
 The force in men and apparatus re- mains the same as last year, with SIP hydrants and 19S fire alarm boxes.
 For further improvement in the fire service the board of fire commissioners may consider in the near future that the organization be placed upon the basis of brigade, and sub-divided into two or more battalions, with a chief in com- mand of each battalion, who will be stationed in fire quarters with their re- spective commands the chief of depart ment to have full control, as at present
 This arrangement might suggest the elimination of the positions of fire mar shal and superin tendent of fire alarm telegraph, as now constituted, and place these important branches of the service in separate bureaus of buildings and electricity, the duties of which are in creasing and growing in importance each year; the building bureau to cover the same general line of duties as now, and the electricity to have supervision over all telegraph wiring in the city.
 The placing of fire alarm wires in un- derground conduits has been continued for several years, as funds were provid- ~ed. Engine houses Nos. 1, 2, 3, z and are now so connected that severe storms cannot affect the communication with these stations and the business section of the city. This work should be con- tinued each year until all of the fire and police stations are so connected.
 In the fire department are many skill