The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-20
CITY'S 1899 ESTIMATES
BOARD OF SAFETY WILL GO OVER
ITS FIGURES TODAY.
ClamOr for n Great Deal More Money
in the Police and Fire
Departments.

The Board of Public Safety will meet this
morning to consider estimates which will be
presented by the chief of the fire depart
ment and the superintendent of police, Of
the appropriations necessary to operate the
two departments next year. The decisions
at the meeting to be held this morning will
not be final. The demands made by the
police and fire departments will far exceed
those made at the time the estimates were
drawn up for the appropriations for this
year. Chief Barrett will ask for pay for
fifteen extra men. These men, he says he
will need for two extra ladder companies
the need for which he claims has been
demonstrated several times lately. 1t may
not be necessary to build two more engine
houses. Instead two of the old engine
houses may be remodeled to accommodate
the ladder trucks. At present the northeast
part of the city and Brightwood are unpro-
tected by ladder company. One PROPOSE
ton is to remodel engine house No s. on
Massachusetts avenue, so as to make room
for a ladder truck. The appropriation for
this year for firemens' salaries was $131-
297.50. The estimate to be submitted this
morning will ask for an increase over this
years appropriation by the pay of thirteen
firemen and two captains The fund for in
cidental expenses for the fire department
this year was $4,000. Chief Barrett. will
ask that this fund be increased by about
$4,000.
Superintendent of Police Quigley said last
night that his estimate of next years ex-
penses will include salaries for fifty more
men. Sixteen of these will be bicycle pa
trolmen The wages of these men, if they
are granted to the department, will consid-
ora1a INyi
preparation for police force wages, which is
$lS1, COL. The fund for incidental expenses
about the station house, $7,O75, has proven
about $1,000 too short. The police force
needs two more sergeants, Superintendent
Quigley says, and there should be a desk
sergeant, both night and day. At present
the sergeants take turn about in this duty
The police superintendent complains that it
is disgrace to the city that the police
force Should be In the present condition. 81
do not know what we would do without the
bicycle patrolmen," he said 'They hurry
out and cover cases which, if the district
men had to be depended on, could not be
ATTENDED In an hour. 1t would take that
long for the district men to walk from one
END or their beats to the other" If the
suDstatlons are established, and it looks
now as If they. will be, bicycle patrolmen
The Little ordinance raising salaries of
the police and fire departments, promises
to cause diverting muddle. There are all
sorts OF estimates as to what the Little or
dlnance would cost the city if it goes into
ERECT Mr.. Little claims most of the coun-
cilmen are with him. One statement is that
a clique of councilnen are trying to dump
the mayor and the city controller. An
other Is that the mayor and controller are
playing the economy role. while the Coun-
comm and gwne." The mayor has al
ready declared himself to be in favor of the
ordinance IF the city has the means -
City Controller johnson is not in favor of
the ordinance. He is extremely anxious
that the tax levy be not forced up. There
is little hope in other quarters that the
controller will be able to prevent raising
of the tax levy. 1t is taken for granted
that the political effect will be bad for the
administration, but it is pointed out the po-
lice and fire departments must be made
larger, police substations must be built and
equipped. and. according to the, present
plans of the city administration, thousands
of dollars must be spent to improve the
park systems. No one besides the city con-
troller believes all this can be done with
out raising the tax levy. In regard to the
Little ordinance, the controller seems to be
on one side and the councilmen on the other,
the latter being urged from behind by the
fremen and the policemen. Mr. Little pro-
poses to amend his ordinance so that it will
give the two departments still more than
his present measure provides for He will
deal out money with a lavish hand; that is
If the Board of Safety and the controller
do not get in the way No meeting of the
the Little ordinance in It's hands, has as vet
been appointed to formulate report on the
measure. There is good prospect of the
Council passing the ordinance
There is some surprise that City Con-
troller johnson did not keep his opinion
about the Little ordinance to himself 1t is
said that a prominent politician very earn
estly demonstrated with Mr.. Johnson the
other day, after pointing out to him in a
daily paper an item in which Mr.. Johnson
was quoted as being against the ordinance.
Its a mighty strange policeman or fire
man." said one police official. who has not
few friends. and both departments to-
gether control a big number of votes" City
Controller Johnson is a candidate for coun-
49,