The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-03
MURPHY'S PLANS.
The Chief Thinks the Police
Pension Fund Should
Be Augmented.
WOULD TAX THE men
Will Ask Legislature to Pre-
NIT Each Person to Give
l per cent. of His Salary.

The inroads into the sick and pension
fund of the Jersey City Police Department
have been 50 great in the last year that
Chief of Police Murphy has become
alarmed. He fears that unless measures
are taken to add to the fund it will be
necessary to draw on the bonds which
have been bought in former years with
the surplus that has accrued. For four
years or more Chief Murphy has seen the
necessity of providing other means than
those now employed for keeping up the
fund. The time has now arrived, he be-
lieves, for making such provision. He
will have a bill introduced in the present
Legislature which will amend the existing
law regarding the sick and pension fund
so as to meet his ideas.
Chief Murphy's plan is to add to the
| present appropriation by assessing each
member of the police force one per cent.
of his income for the fund, the amount to
be collected quarterly. He would also
add to the fund by charging a small fee
for the issuance of revolver permits and
permits for street parades. At present
these permits are issued gratuitously by
the Chief of Police. In this manner near
ly 5000 would be added to the sick and
pension fund each year.
The appropriation for the sick n pen
sion fund is small, being but four per
cent. of the amount paid in salaries to the
working police force. Last year this was
all eaten up and the interest on the bonds
that had accrued had to be used to meet
paid out in sick benefits and pensions.
The amount will probably be even larger
this year. There were more policemen
sick in January of the present year han
in 3nU other month in the history OF the
Police Department. The amount paid
out last month was 81, 736.
the members back of him when he intro
duces the bill that is proposed. Today he
called all the sergeants to Police Head
quarters and discussed the proposed
to explain the scheme to the men and cir
culate a petition among them for their sig
natures. They nave done so and with
very few exceptions the men have signed.
The petition reads as follows
An amount equal to four cent. of the
salary of the police force is appro-
priated for the maintenance of the
sick and pension fund, which amount
proves to be not enough. Last year
all the appropriation was used up and
the money accredited as interest on
the bonds set apart for the pension
fund was also needed to meet the ex-
penses of the year. officers and men
who agree to ask the Legislature to
pass g law whereby one per cent. of
their salary be contributed to the sick
and pension n each quarter of the
year, in addition to the present APP
propriation, will sign their names here
below.
chief Murphy explained this morning
that in New York City the men are taxed
two per cent. of their salaries. The men
on the police force in this city are well
provided for in case Of illness. no matter
how long they are laid up. Last month
there were fifty-two men who were paid
| sick benefits. In addition to the amount
paid them the pension list footed up to
over $500. This month it will be over $1.0e0,
as Inspector Lange's name has been added