The Saint Paul globe., 1899-08-15
WOULD JOIN The TWO SYSTEMS
MENDS THE POLICE UNITING
WITH THE FIRE ALARM
Chance to Save Some Money by So
Doing, After Some Repair Work
Has Been DOne-AdditiOnaI Tax
Levy for Schools Not Available.

If the council pays any attention to the
report of the conference committee (Which
usually it does noD the Office of superin-
ten6ent of police alarm will be abolished,
and the work of experimenting this
branch of the police department will be
given over to the fire department.
At a meeting of the conference commit
tee yesterday afternoon President Clark,
of the fireboard, as chairman Of a spe-
cial committee submitted a report recon-
mending that the police alarm system be
renovated and repaired at a cost Of $10,-
800, and then placed in charge of the su-
perintendent of the fire alarm system.
This, the committee report said, had been
decided upon after careful consideration,
and after an examination of the present
police alarm system by Electrical Inspec-
tor Varnum, who found the system in bad
order, and the condition due to improper
care of the plant. The committee said the
consolidation would be possible by the en-
ployment of two additional linemen in the
fire alarm office at an estimated expense
of about 81, 100 and with 5000 additional for
materials the police and fire department
systems could be operated together.
Electrical Inspector Varnum submitted
a lengthy report showing a detailed ex-
had two plans for improving the system,
one involving the use of part of the old
system and purchasing new boxes and
station outfits which would cost $4,000. The
other provided for all new station outfit
at the central and at the other stations,
and the installing Of the new system un-
der the fire department force.
The committee decided the $10,900 plan
would be the correct thing, and as Mr..
McCardy said 1t would save the city
about enough money to hire two addi-
tional patrolmen a resolution was adopted
calling the attention of the council to the
report, and urging that the recommends
ton be carried out, and that the new
plant be installed in the city hall in con-
nection with the fire alarm system.
The comptroller called the attention Of
the conference committee to the i'm
preston which prevailed concerning the
levy of the one and half mill tax for
school purposes. The comptroller said
many of the committee, as we'll as off,
cials, had an idea that the levy would
be placed in the tax levy made in Oc-
tober This would not be possible, as the
charter stated very clearly that only
such levy could be made in October
as would raise the amount which had
been named in the tax estimate in Jan
uary. The additional one and a half
mills for school purposes would have to
be considered at the meeting of the con,
ference committee in December and con-
sidered by the council when the tax es-
innate for 1900 was passed in January.
President Wheelock questioned if the
matter was not discretionary one with
the city officials. To this Mr.. McCardy
said it was not, and Aid. Sanborn said
there was nothing in the charter which
gave the council or the city officials any
Az oI,o
said the levy in October should be what
was voted by the council in January as
to the estimate for that year.
President ZimmermanE and City Treas
urer Horst were the absentees. both be-
ing out of the city.