The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-18
POLICE SALARY CIT GOES.
Assembly Institutes the Reduction
Just as ExDeeted.


just as Expected.
1t was an unusually brief session that
the assembly held last night, but some
of the business transacted will linger
in the minds of the policemen for quite
while There being little new bust
ness, IT was quickly disposed of, and
the board of aldermen file taken up.
Almost the first matter to make it's
appearance was the ordinance reducing
the policemen's salaries to the extent
of three and one half per cent. The
ordinance affects the chief captains,
detectives, lieutenants and sergeants
as well as the patrolmen.
After the clerk had finished reading
1t, Mr.. Craig moved that it be referred
to the committee on police, bat upon
being informed that the assembly COM
mittee on police had considered and
recommended the ordinance in con-
junction with the aldermanic COM
mittee, Mr.. Craig withdrew his motion
Thereupon, the rules were suspended
and the ordinance placed ON its second
reading and passed by a unanimous
vote. Mr.. Reardon, in explanation OF
his vote, said:
Il will vote for this ordinance, but
I want to say that I don't believe in
making the police department stand
all Of the reductions, and for that reas-
on | am now going to commence a
TRADE on these high salaries in other
departments, this very might"
Having thus delivered himself, Mr..
Reardon voted AYE"
Assemblyman DAILY was not present
when the ordinance was passed He
arrived later, and just before adjourn
ment made the following announce
ment to the assembly:
i wish to say that had I been pres
ent when the vote was taken on this
ordinance | would have voted against
it, for these reasons: In the first
place, have not seen any figures that
showed there will be any shortage in
the police department fund at the end.
of the. present year. Furthermore, all
the policemen l have talked with are
willing to accept their present salaries
and not hold the city liable in case the
police department fund should become
exhausted, before the end Of the year.
But my chief reason for opposing this
ordinance is that [ consider it Wrong
and unjust to reduce the salaries Of
men whose occupation requires them
to risk their lives in order to protect
the lives and property Of the people.
That is all 1 have to say
Later in the evening Mr.. Reardon be-
gan his ''tirade on those high salaries"
In other departments. AS expected, he
aimed resolution at his friend" the
city engineer. The resolution instrucrs
the city engineer to rearrange his Of
nee force that the expense thereof
shall not exceed $1,000 a month. The
resolution was promptly referred to the
committee on ways and means, whose
duty 1t will be to ascertain whether
this can be done without seriously i'm
pairing the efficiency of the engineer
Ing department. Furthermore, the city
engineer will have something to say.
The present expense of maintaining the
office force is between 81, 700 and S., 300
a month.
The ordinance from the board Of al
ers, dealers in secondhand goods and
Junkmen, as amended by the board of
aldermen, was passed unanimously.
1t was accompanied by communica-
ton from the mayor recommending its
passage The mayor referred to the
need of an ordinance that would bring
the pawnbrokers and secondhand
dealers under effective police suryeil-
lance. The ordinance, as amended. was
not, in the opinion of the MAYOR. all
that could be desired; still his honor
thought it ought to be passed at once.
1nasmuch as such amendments might
thereafter be made as experience would
show to be necessary
The assembly confirmed by a unani-
nous vote the mayors appointments
or Patrolmen Herwin and Blodgett.
The ordinance from the board of al
dermen, fixing the location of the poll
ing places for the coming election, was
passed.
The resolution from the board of al
dermen, vacating a certain portion OF
the Dodd road in West ST. Paul. was
referred to the committee on streets.
The contract for sweeping Robert
street by hand, from Third to Seventh
street, was awarded to Thomas Heffer
man. whose bid of $3.50 a week was
the lowest of the twenty bids SUBJ
mitted.