The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1901-05-17

A word should be said regarding the
cost of our police service The Mayor
of Toledo recently called attention to the
fact that in 100 large cities of the
United states, whose statistics he had
examined the average cost of the police
service per capita of population was
$1.14, the cost in Toledo which was
81 cents per head being among the low
est of the whole number But the cost
in Morristown is not quite 60 cents.
1t would be difficult to find town of
the population of Morristown which
pays its police so little as we do, The
Municipal Journal for February gives
the pay of the police in 80 cities in the
| United States. The average pay of a
patrolman in these so cities is 1897 AZ a
year, while in Morrlstown it is but $3.50.
OF these fifty two cities those which paid
patrolmen as little as Morristown are but
four in number, Williamsport, Quincy,
ILL.,, Mobile and New Orleans, but these
paid the chief 5000, ST. 200, 1880 and
So, 900 respectively, while in Morristown
his salary is but $40. In very few, if
any of these ffty-two cities would the
cost of living be greater than here
We may make comparisons with places
nearer home. In Montclair and Long
Branch the pay of patrolmen is $720 to
our 1860; in Plainfeld $3.50; in Kearney,
a smaller town than ours, it is $3.50 for
patrolmen, 5000 for sergeant, and 81 900
| for chief. These are but specimen
acses. In all these cities the pay of the
| men is increased by two suits of uni
form, while our men must provide their
own. This is matter of some import
ance for while on the one hand police
man is required to be well dressed, much
better than an enlisted man in the army,
OF the other hand he is liable at anytime to
have his uniform torn, perhaps destroyed
in tussle with disorderly person or
dangerous criminal
The question of the pay of the police
is question of demand and supply
What is needed in order that man may
make good officer? He must be man
of physical strength to grapple if need be
with desperate character. He must be
| man of moral trustworthiness for
dishonest officer is worse than none. He
must be man of intelligence aud good
| Judgment, for his work often demands
discretion. Now men with these quail
| ties are in demand for other places and
that at good wages. If then we wish
the force kept filled with high-class
men, we must be willing to give liberal
pay. OF course, there will always be a
plenty of candidates for vacant place
on the police, but it is not always easy
to obtain men of the right kind. To be
sure of finding the men we want. we
must offer as good wages as high class
men obtain elsewhere.
The number of street lamps in town
with the cost by the year of maintaining
the same is as follows: 1877 gas lamps at
$21 each; 20 Naphtha lamps at $2l; 173
incandescent electric lights at 500; 16 arc
lights at $3.50. These are to burr ali
night and when any are reported as not
burning deduction is made.
1t is alleged that we are paying for
light more than some other towns. The
three year contracts for these lights ex-
pire in the coming July. Investigation
should be made whether we cannot Sc
cure lighting at smaller cost.
call attention to the Importance of
| the publication of compilation of the
ordinances of the town. Such collec-
ton was issued in 1885 but it is now out
of print and not even town officials can
be furnished with copies of it, The or
dinances passed during the last sixteen
years can be found only as scattered
through the minute books of the Board
VI AlucIlu0u, SOlll6 VI Tie CleIKS
having failed even to preserve printed
slips of the ordinances as published in
the newspapers, 1t is impossible for us
to enact ordinances wisely unless we can
know what has already been decreed
upon the matters in hand. Citizens inter-
ested I'M given subject have a right
to easy knowledge of what has been
ordained upon the point. The sale of
such compilation to private parties
might do something towards defraying
the cost of its publication.
| The last Board of Aldermen appointed
committee to report what would be
the best plan and the cost of system of
sewers andsalso committee concernin
the railroad crossing on Morris street
| The work of each of these committees
was of such nature that it could not
be completed in the period of the life of
that Board. l recommend that such COM
mlttees be appointed by the present
Board and that a suitable appropriation
for the work be made.
Certain friends have presented to us
during the past year portraits of various
eX- Mayors of this corporation which
pictures have been hung upon the walls
of these municipal rooms, We are
deeply indebted to these kind donors
The ex- Mayors Of Morristown are an
| honored body of men and their faces
looking down upon us will hold us to a
more faithful performance of our duties.
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