The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-18

| Passed.
The mayors first annual message to
| the city council was not read last might,
though in anticipation of its coming up
routine business was disposed of with
more than usual celebrity. number OF or
iinanees being passed.
On a motion by James the mayors mes
sage was accepted without reading ana
was referred 10 a committee of the whole
which should consider il next Friday
night and that in the meantime Ii be pub
lished in the Post-Intelligencer in full.
Mayor Wood had in two other eommu-
nications, one providing for an additional
appropriation for the police department
and another vetoing an ordinance.
More Money for the Police.
The mayors ideas on the financial
needs of the police department were ex-
pressed as follows:
II beg TO recommend TO your honorable
body the following additional allowances
in the current expenses OF the police de-
..F7rst--An allowance OF 500 per month.
or so much thereof as may be used eacn
month for the purpose o. Sc, seenr rms sva
ordinances of the city.
..Second--That the salaries of the, de-
tectives be increased from 80 70 $40 per
tains be Increased from $40 TO Ss5 per
month. and that the salary OF the chief or
police be increased from 500 per month 10
As reasons for the above recommended
tons, / beg TO say that we have round
from experience that the very annoying
lice department consist in the enforcement
of the ordinances against the Illicit sale
of liquor by drug stores and restaurants
and by occupants of small resorts in the
vicinity Of the parks at the lakes. the re-
straint Of prostitutes within prescribed
limits. the detection of those who are con-
Quoting houses and places of designation,
and the enforcement of the ordinances
against gambling. not TO mention the nu-
merous other features of police work.
I'm my Judgment, one-third' OF the entire
efficiency of the force is lost by reason OF
the fact that there is no adequate provis-
ion made for the expense which must be
incurred in the securing OF evidence. The
object of police force is efficiency. II
is expensive. at best. but II is poor econ
cmy to impair its efficiency by the with
holding of adequate appropriations.
Efforts have been heretofore made. and
may be made again. for the extension of
the liquor license limits. SO as TO in
clude the summer resorts of Lake Wash
ington. at the termini of the car lines. and
one of the arguments offered has been the
fact that perfect enforcement of the or
dinances has not been secured
Il beg 10 state the earnest conviction
that the police department never has had
and never can have fair opportunity
allowance for the securing of evidence.
II is impossible for officers IN uniform or
for detectives of the force, who are known.
TO secure much evidence in these cases,
when offenders make III their business 10
find out who the detectives ara Ind to
watch their movements.
Telephones and electric bells are more
useful TO lawbreakers than to officers Of
the law.
1T seems little short of preposterous to
expect that city detective can on a sal
airy of $50 per month support himself and
family and maintain the pleasant relations
ship that he must preserve with a large
number or people in order to render eff
cient service and maintain his reputation
as an officer.
THE Incidental personal expense of de-
tective. II he Is successful must or ought
to exceed that of patrolman by as much
as $l5 per month. and the captains of the
department should certainly receive equal
THE salary Of the chief of police is in
adequate. am sure from personal knowl-
edge that the present chief receives less
compensation for his services to the city
than does patrolman after he deducts
the Incidental personal expenses which are
imposed upon him by the relationships of
None OF the officers has requested or
knows that these recommends tons are to
be made. but most OF them have from time
20 time protested that II has been impos-
sible for them TO perform their duties eff
GENTLY without being able to spend some
money in securing evidence.
THE chief and all the members of the
police department are rendering service
that Is highly satisfactory. and vet the ex-
tent to which laws OF the state and ordi-
nances of the city are violated Is serious
indeed and humiliating TO officers who
would accomplish much more with a slight
provision for the securing of evidence as
herein Indicated
1.-THE Increase of the salaries as indicated
would not cover the provision which
allowance for securing evidence. nor would
such an allowance cure the serious made
quaey OF compensation TO the officers mem
THE chief of police has great response
bility and is completely occupied during
about fourteen hours each day.
As 10 the salaries OF the detectives. /
feel sure that no private employer would
think OF starving detective and denying
him the Use of a single dollar for secur-
Ing the assistance of others under the de-
fusion that such course was economical
'.The expenditure of money by the chief
for securing evidence should be carefully
arranged for so TO avoid a tendency Of
allowing such fund to become I'm course of
time largely perquiSite of the chiefs
office. at the same time the expenditure
must be surrounded by such secrecy as
will not destroy the efficiency of its use
II believe that a conference between
your honorable body ana the chief and my
self would quickly result In satisfactory
plan for such expenditure.
II beg to suggest further that even
though the entire allowance should not
be used in a given month the succeeding
allowance should be made for the original
amount In order that there should be 4
sufficient sum available AT any time for
emergency use ] beg TO recommend that
two BICYCLES be added to the equipment of
the police force. 10 secure the enforcement
OF the bicycle ordinance.
II believe the measures herein suggested
would give 10 the city better enforcement
Of ordinances better public order and n n
increase Of revenue from fines and licenses
many times greater than the amounts
which would have TO be expended for the
securing of evidence. snd for the increas Sc
of salaries as herein suggested"
This was referred to the finance COM
nittee, with Nayin added.
An Ordinance vetoed.
Mayor Wood vetoed the ordinance
passed to regulate the lighting and pro-
lection OF wharf railway and railroad
properties on the ground that no more re-
strieticn should he placed upon trans
portatton companies than is imposed by
the police regulations
According to the instruction of the city
council City Engineer Thomson last night
submitted estimates of the cost of street
improvements. as follows:
For the sewer on Terry avenue s. GO:
sewer on Marion street from First ave-
nue. 10 Railroad avenue. $3.50. sewer on
Mob Hill avenue. 81 500. sewer on Wash
ington street ss.7Ts.49; referred to the
corporation counsel.
James and Raymond introduced an or
dinance designating block 3 of May
nard's plat Of Seattle as the official place
for the disposal of ashes garbage or
waste. and fixing a fine OF 500 and i'm