The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-19
MORE PAY FOR FIREMEN
DRAFT OF A BILL TO BE INTRO
DUCED IN THE LEGISLATURE.
1t VIII Add Considerably to the Sal
aries OF Men I'm the Fire
Department.

A draft of the bill designed TO increase
the salaries of Indianapolis firemen has
been prepared. II will probably be pre-
sented to the Legislature in the form of an
amendment to the city charter. It will be
entitled "a bill for an act grading firemen
and fixing their salaries and concerning the
appointment of firemen in cities ,f 10000
and over, according TO the United States
census Of 1900" Section 1, Of the bill, pro-
vides that "pipemen, drivers, laddermen
and stokers in cities Of 10000 population,
according to the United States census Of
1900. be divided into three grades and the
pay of the members of the first grade shall
be - per day. After one year of service the
members Of the first grade shall be pro-
NOTED to the second grade, with pay Of
2-25 per day for each member After two
years of service In second grade, the men,
bers shall be promoted to first grade and
be entitled TO $3.50 per day each. All ad-
vancements shall be made through the
three grades according to time Of service
unless charges are preferred and sustained
before the Board of Public Safety of any
such city. showing that any such member
is not entitled to such advancement"
Sec. 2, of the bill. says: 1.-THE following
schedule OF salaries shall be followed as to
other members of the fire force in any such
city, viz: The chief shall receive $500 per
year; assistant chief shall receive 5000
per year,; battalion chiefs shall each re-
ceive $1,000 per year; engineers and lieu
tenant engineers shall each receive 81, $50
per year.: captains shall each receive 81, 200
per year; the superintendent of telegraph
shall receive $1,000 per year; assistant SUI
perintendent and clerk shall each receive
$1,000 per year, and telegraph linemen Is
cents per hour"
Sec. 3 provides for a vacation Of twelve
days during each year for each fireman
and also one day in seven, with full pay
during such times. Sec. 4 declares that no
one shall be appointed to service on the
fire force under the age of twenty-one
years or over the age of thirty years, and
any applicant for appointment shall be ex-
amined by. a physician employed by the
board of trustees of the pension fund, in
with the police surgeon, and
no person may be appointed on the fire
force without the approval of such ply
slcian. The fee for such examination cam
not exceed S. and is to be paid by the appli-
cant. Sec. 5 repeats all laws or parts Of
laws that conflict with this bill.
The friends of the measure are very en-
thusiastic over IL and expect to work hard
for its success I'm the coming session of the
Legislature. The bill increases the pay Of
the fire chief $500, the assistant chief $500.
and adds one more battalion chief to the
II The increase In the pay of battalion
c S would, according to the new meas
I be 500 each. The superintendent of
telegraph. who receives $1,000 a year. would
receive S.6O0 under this amendment to the
charter. The fire chiefs clerk, who now re-
ceives a salary of $9i1, would be increased
TO N.2OO. Engineers now get SIS a month,
and under the provisions of the bill their
pay would be increased TO s1.0S0 a year.
Lieutenant engineers would receive the
same salary.