Evening star., 1901-06-15
UNDER NEW METHOD
Chief buttons Plan for Paying the
Fire Fighters
BY CHECK ON SEPARATE PAY ROLLS
More Rapid and Without the
Risks Incident to Fire Alarms.
FEATURES OF THE RULE

Mr. Robert W. Dutton. chief engineer of
the District fire department, has secured
the adoption of a new plan of making the
monthly payment of salaries to the men
under his control. The old system which
Mr. Dutton found in effect upon assuming
charge of his office somewhat anti
quated. and had a number of features con-
reCted with it which were regarded as be-
ing not altogether to the best interests of
the public safety or the convenience of the
men in the department.
Under the old plan the monthly pay rolls
were made out in three parts. one for each
section under the control of the assistant
chief engineers. When pay day arrived the
three assistant chiefs would call at fire
headquarters and receive the pay rolls and
treasury checks for their respective sec
tions, and depart on a salary-paying tour
of the various companies. At each engine
or truck house the assistant chiefs would
have to call the men together and receive
their signatures to the rolls and then dis
tribute the checks. The work of diStrib-
uting the salaries under this plan often
consumed the entire day. because some of
the suburban companies are we'll isolated
from the main body of the department. All
men who We're absent from their company
house when the assistant chief called with
the pay roll were compelled to secure leave
at some time during the following days
receive their paw.
Difficulties in the Way.
Chief Dutton at once saw the dangerous
possibilities of the old way of paying off, as
well as it's inconvenience Assistant Chief
Belt had in hand the paying of engine
companies Nos. 3, 4, 6, S, 10. II and 15 and
truck companies A and d. Assistant Chief
Kurtz had in hand engine companies Nos
l. > O. H. chemical companies Nos and
and rrrrfs Nf.lC nd + wi
Assistant Chief Wagner handled the pay
rolls for engine companies Nos ?, Z, IA and
truck C. In considering the old plan. Chief
DuttOn figured that under its operation 1t
was likely that Assistant Chief Belt might
be in Anacostia at engine company No. 10;
that Assistant Chief kurtz might be either
at Tenleytown paying off the members of
chemical company No ) or at Brightwood
performing a like function at the home of
chemical company No =, and that Assist
ant Chief Wagner might be at engine COM
pany No. Z. on r street between 9th and
10th streets northwest. all at the same
time. thus leaving the entire downtown
and business sections of the city unprotect-
ed so far as the duties of such high COM
manding officer as an assistant chief was
concerned.
This was regarded as a condition which
should not exist. So in the interest of
property protection. and with the view of
securing more rapid plan of paying off
the hremen. Mr.. Dutton decided to :ecom-
mend a new and simpler method. The dis
advantages of the old system. leaving, s it
did. such an important section of the city
without the supervision of an assistant
chief for several hours. and the valuable
time consumed by the assistant chiefs in
making their tedious salary-paying rounds
are readily apparent. and impressed the
District Commissioners and the Treasury
Department officials soon as the matter
was called to their attention.
Separate Pay Rolls.
Mr.. Dutton called upon the District dis
bursting officer, Mr.. c. C. Rogers, and sug-
gested to him the plan of making out
separate pay rolls for each company Mr.
Dutton further suggested that these rolls
be mailed TO the foreman of the respective
companies the day preceding pay day. The
rolls would thus be received in the first
mail the morning the men should receive
their money. The foreman would secure the
signatures of the f1remen under his COM
mand and detail a member of the company
to convey the signed roll back to head
quarters and there receive the checks. The
fireman thus intrusted would return with
the checks and the foreman would himself
distribute the money The firemen who
would call for the checks could jump
aboard street car near their quarters and
ride down town in a few minutes. making
the return journey In like manner. Mr.
Dutton estimates that by this method il
Will be possible for every member of the
department to have his check in hand by
10 o'c clock in the morning instead of having
to wait until late in the afternoon as was
often the case in the past
The hremen are paid by drafts on the
treasury. made out to their personal order
so there is felt no danger whatever in in
trusting the checks for a company in The
hands of one of its members, for if lost it
could not be caShed without forgery and
the responsibility, ii is stated, in a case of
that kind would fall upon the official c.sh-
ing the falsely signed draft The possibiI-
ties in this line are distinctly remote ard
regarded as hardly sufficient for consfdara-
ton.
Approved by Treasury officials
The disbursing officer consulted with Mr.
j. T. Petty, the District auditor as to
whether or not the new method could be
adopted under the law Mr. Petty was of
opinion that 1t could. To make matters and
their position safe. however Messrs Petty
and Rogers called at the Treasury Depart-
ment and upon presenting the case to the
offlcials there were assured that the new
scheme was entirely proper and should un-
questionably be adopted In view Of the
circumstances as related by Chief Dutton
The legal phase OF the matter settled Mr.
Dutton presented IT to Commissioner Mac
farland who has supervision of the fire
department Mr. Macfarland at once con-
CURED in the recommendations made hy
Mr.. Dutton
When the fremen are paid their aaIaries
al the close of the present month there
fore. they will receive their checks IN the
manner stated. Under the new methods tho
fremen will be promptly paid and the ss-
sistant chiefs will be in their quarters
ready TO respond 10 all alarms
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