The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-02-13
TIREMEN's PENSIONS.
mr. Hosan's Bill Providing fer That
Not Acceptable to All.

cUectui 10 fHC JefScB Cttu VeacS.
TRENTON. Feb 1s. 1s97.-The bill that
has been introduced in the Legislature by
Mr. Hogan of Essex county, providing for
the pensioning of firemen and the widows
and minor children of firemen who shall
be disabled or disqualified from duty while
in the service Of paid fire department,
has caused considerable discussion among
the firemen throughout the State.
The bill provides that a pension fund, in
such cities as shall elect to avail them
selves of the law, shall be sustained ~
by per cent. of the premiums received
for insurance effected in such cities by
foreign insurance companies, as is now
provided BY law to be paid to firemen's re-
hef associations; (2) by all fines penalties
and forfeitures assessed and collected
from any officer or member of such de-
partment; 90 by all rewards, fees gifts
or emoluments paid or given for eNtraor
dfnary services rendered by any officer or
member of said paid department, except
when the same is allowed by the munich
pal authority having charge of anad con-
troll of the department to be retained by
said officer or member, or when the same
is specially given ito endow medal or
other permanent competitive reward; (4)
by all funds and other property of any
firemen's relief association which may be
turned into the pension fund; % until the
fund reaches $40, 600 the board of trustees
of the fund may assess and collect from
each officer and member Of the paid de-
partment sum not to exceed two per
cent. of his salary.
The bill provides that the fund shall
be under the control of a Board of Trus-
tees composed of members of the. de-
partment and shall be elected by the
municipal authority having control of
the department.
Any officer or member of the depart
ment who shall be retired from service
by the municipal authority in control be-
cause of physical or mental disqualifica
ton shall receive one-half his annual sal
ary.
The widow. minor children, or children
under 16 years OF age and the depend
ent parent or parents of any deceased
member whose death occurs after the
creation of the fund and during service
In the department, and was caused or in
duced by injury or exposure in the line.
of duty, or who dies after being retired
on account of disability or upon his own
application, such widow shall receive S25
per month until she marries again, and
such minor child or children shall receive
IS per month until they attain the age
of 16 years.
The bill has not been regarded with
very much favor in this city. The de-
partment here has relief association
running on sound financial basis, and
according to the terms of this bill, if it
became a law, the fund of this associa-
ton, which Is now devoted to the relief
of f1remen who are injured or who be-
come sick while in the service, would be
turned into the pension fund, and the
men would thus be deprived of the great
benefit which they now receive from this
source. The relief association also pro-
vides for death benefits and for the relief
of fha xxrid of f1rnrr xrr1oc 6A<,f n
occurs in the line of duty. The question
of granting pension to a fireman who
shall have been retired from the depart
ment by reason of disability has never
been met by the association, and it is the
feeling that should such an emergency
not arise for a time, the association
would by that time have become suffi-
GENTLY well funded to be able to pro-
vide for such an emergency.
Under the terms of the bill it is OPP
tional with the paid departments of the
various cities of the State whether or
not they shall institute and sustain
pension fund.
The committee to which the bill was re-
ferred will give hearing on Monday
night