The Worcester spy., 1899-07-25
I'M BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

Early in the session Alderman
Vaughan moved that the report of .he
police committee relative to revising
the police rules be taken from the ta-
Die and accepted, and the rules adopted
On request of Alderman Q'CoRnell,
the matter was laid over until later in
the evening, The matter was finally
taken up and Alderman Barrett started
the ball rolling by asking the chairman
OF the police committee how long the
department had been without rules
Why the rules were needed and why
the rules in question should be adopt
eG.
Alderman Vaughan replied that he
considered the rules good ones, and
that they are needed at the present
time. Not for the police force as a
Whoie, perhaps, but for certain NOM
bers who require something Of the sort
TO Keep them within bounds.
Alderman Barrett wanted to know
now many of the rules originated with
the committee and how many with
the chief of police and his clerk. He
also asked for an explanation of sec
ZION Of rule II on page II of the re-
vised rules, which states that "Patrol-
men must not walk together nor talk
together, nor with any other persons
Wniie on duty unless to communicate
information pertaining to the depart>
ment, or in the line of their duty. and
such communication must be as brief
as possible. They must not remain in
one spot, but constantly patrol their
beats He characterized the rule as
ridiculous and asked that the motion
Tor adoption be amended by striking
out section 4. The amendment was
lost BY vote of to g.
Alderman Rarrnft thar v,an+r1 -
know why rule 36 had been che h.gd
Dy the committee to read tender in
payment instead of paying" Alder
man Back explained that night lunch
wagon men had complained to the mayor
that officers came into their carts and
had lunch without paying for it, and
not even offering to pay.
Alderman OConnen TOOK exception 10
rule 80, No officer by himself or bv his
friends shall attempt or endeayor To
influence in any way the police author
ities to change his beat from one place
70 another This practice makes ieal-
Gus feelings and subverts discipline in
the department. Any violation of this
rule will subject the offender to innme-
diate suspension" The alderman from
ward contended that it would be a
hard thing for the chief of police to
tell whether a citizen had been infiu-
the
chief IN his behalf He considered in
many Instances that people might ap-
ply TO the chief to have an officer re-
turned to beat from which he had
peen changed. Under the provisions Of
the rule he thought the officer would
pc liable TO suspension. He considered
the rule ridiculous and nonsensicaI, ana
moved as an amendment to the mo-
tion. for adoption that the words "or
by his friends be stricken out The
amendment was lost Alderman Bar
Eett then moved that the matter be
L5id on the table. This motion was
eAso lost. The motion for adoption was
carried by a vote of to 3.
The report of the committee on street
lighting upon the order relative to ex-
tension of gas mains in Taylor, Rich
land. Ellsworth ana Worth streets, en-
closing communication from the
worcester Gas Light Company, was
read and placed on file.
Reports of the aldermAnic committee
on streets met with the following dis-
position: Upon the matter relating to
laying out private streets and recon
mending the adoption of an order di-
recting the committee on ordinance to
prepare ordinance to govern the dues
tion, the report was accepted and
order adopted
OpoIl the psullOn OF the New Eng
lana Telephone and Telegraph com
pany TO lay underground cor1duits h
Highland street, recommending the
adoption Of an order granting the re-
quest, The report was accepted and
order adopted. Upon the report recarn-
nitted upon the petition Of the New
England Telephone and Telegraph
Company, to locate poles and wires n
Gold, Olean, Hamilton. Plantation and
Brattle streets, the committee recon-
nended that locations in all streets,
with exception Of Gold street. be grant
ed. The report was reeommitted on,Tno.
ton Of Alderman Barrett, who asked
that the board or some committee view
these locations for themselves instead
of leaving it to the engineers depart
mcht
Upon the petition of the Worcester
Gas Light Company, for permission to