The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-03
TOO LATE no PLACATE THEM.
MIR. johnson Tries to Win Back the
City Firemen.

johnson tries 10 VIII the
City Firemen.
An adroit effort to placate the two hun
dred firemen who are bitter at Controller
E. M. Johnson, Democratic candidate for
auditor, was made by the Board of Public
Safety yesterday at the direction of Mayor
Taggart. The board entered an order by
which the tiremen will be restored to full
time and full pay after Dec. 1. This month
they will continue to work on short time,
that is, lose a day each week. The pay roll
fund is still short, Eut the board decided
to ask the Council to transfer something
over $500 from various other fire force funds
to the pay roll fund. 1t is hoped by this
means to make the firemen feel more
friendly toward the administration and vote
for Nj. Johnson, who more than any one
else, it is claimed, was responsible for the
fact that the men have lost one days pay
each week since the LIST of June. The Coun-
Gil was willing to make an appropriation,
but he would not agree to it, By this
means of shaving salaries the controller was
able to economic" about $11,OOO While
wages of firemen were being reduced new
appropriations were being made in other
directions, notably 5000 to swell the pay
roll fund of the city engineer, so that a.
large additional force of inspectors might
be employed during the campaign.
AS has heretofore been shown, Che fire.
men were indignant because they were sin
gled out for the sake of retrenchment.
Every one of the two hundred men has a
vote and can probably influence two more
to help him retaliate, and this meant
difference of three or four hundred votes
if the expressed intention of getting even
with Mr.. Johnson was pursued. Not many
of the fremen will be deceived by the step
taken yesterday. 1t Is so near the election
that the motive that prompted it is APP
parent. No longer ago than last week the
Journal was informed that the fire force
pay roll would not balance before Dec 10,
and that until that date the firemen would
continue TO work on short time. The loss
ef four days a month meant at least IS a
month to each of them The effort to place
them back on the old standing of seven
days work a week each will not likely have
the desired political effect, coming so late
in the day, it is claimed. When it was de-
cided last spring TO compel the firemen to
lay off day each week and lose the Pay
some of the councilmen favored an addl-
uonal appropriation to cover the alleged
deficit in the pay roll fund. But the con-
troller refused to make the necessary
recommendation. Without this consent and
recommendation the Council could not pass
the ordinance. The controllers plea was
that he could not make money grow on
trees" Money was made to grow on
trees" or somewhere else when it came time
| to employ additional inspectors" in the
city engineers office, and 5000 was found
for that purpose. The action taken yeSter-
day does not mean, the Journal was in
| formed al the boards office, that the fire
men will be paid full time this month, but
that after Dec. /, by means of the trans
ters' that will be recommended by the con-
troller, they will again be allowed to work
seven days with full pay. tiremen were
asking yesterday what reason there was
| for making this order a whole month in
| advance ii it was not for political effect
| There is no regular meeting of the Council
| before Monday Of next week, so that there
| would nave been plenty OF time 10 get the
| transfer ordinance passed before Dec. /,
after the election. On the face of it, they
say the mayor and controller urged the
| Board of Safety to act yesterday IN order
| that the word might get out that the pay
had been restored before the election.