The San Francisco call., 1899-12-19

tribuuons 10 this fund no one knows. but
now, when II should amount 10 $50 900. II
IS less than 5000, and even against this
paItry sum legal claim OF $1,000 has been
made apparently without warrant At
torneys FOR the Fire Department are
neither III nor objects Of charity and what
Clain they may have against the char
itaole and sick fund II IS difficult 10 guess
brief outline OF the history OF the
Iuhu VIII snow very clearly the reason
why scandal is now clinging 70 its affairs
~ was organized over twenty years ago
py the hremen themselves. The Fire Com
mlssioners have nothing to do with IL
ana IL Is ostensibly for the sole purposes
indicated In its name. Disbursement OF
tne money is supposed to be exclusively
under the control of officers elected by the
nreInen. For nearly quarter OF CEN
ie,l Lurg the hremen OF San Francisco have
leNled monthly tax upon themselves to
protect themselves from want in the con-
tingency OF sickness. This monthly tax
mas been 81 on every man in the depart
ment.
1t is thus evident that an enormous sum
or money has been paid into the treasury.
Where much of II has gone since is a
mystery. Some OF II has been spent TO
erect monuments for dead firemen. but
under what authority no one can tell.
Some of II has gone into the NAV of at
torneys. but why no one knows. Much OF
IL has disappeared in different directions.
and the cheated firemen found II discreet
TO keep their mouths shut. Scandals have
arisen but have been suppressed. Suits
nave bttu threatened. Dut compromises
have been forced. The extramen did not
dare TO interfere with the men who con-
trolled the affairs of the department.
And now the scheme is to close the af-
fairs OF the fund with the same secrecy
that for over twenty years marked its
administration. A week ago the district
engineers received their instructions to
advise the firemen what TO do. They in
turn held perfunctory conferences with
the eXtramen. and a committee was ap-
pointed to determine what the final dispo-
sition Of the fund shall be: This commit
tee is still at work and has determined
nothing. a suggestion has been made
that the charitable and sick fund be
transformed into an endowment fund.
such as is in operation in the Police De-
partment. The remnant of the vast reve-
nues OF the charitable and sick fund. un-
der this arrangement. would serve as the
beginning OF the endowment fund, the
monthly tax to continue as before.
1t should not be forgotten that while
the firemen have cared for their sick and
their dead. For every death among their
number they have taxed themselves each
81. but only $3.50 Of the sum thus raised
has been given 10 the relatives OF the
dead. What becomes of the rest no one
seems TO know. No excuse. therefore. can
be given for encroaching on the sick fund
There is n disposition TO demand an ac-
counting 10 learn why n fund that, ii is
estimated. should be at least $4,000 is now
about $1,000 net. But as the firemen value
their positions and fear their superiors
they dare not act. Ii is possible, there
fore. that the trail OF dishonesty through
the years will be destroyed with the
death Of the old department and the or
ganiZation of the new.