The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-04-02
New Board OF Police and Fire Com
missiOners Formally Organ
lied Last Saturday.
CURTIS IS CHOSEN CHAIRMAN.
Board Will Attempt to Make Changes In
the Two Departments by the First
of May Blanks are Ordered.

The new Board of Police and Fire
Commissioners, recently appointed by
Mayor Pfennig, held its first meeting
on last Saturday evening at the City
Hall, and organized for the work that
has been arranged for it under the
State law by electing George H. Curtis,
OF the Third ward, as Chairman; and
A. E. Buckmaster, of the Second ward
as Secretary.
| No time will be lost by the Board in
| getting down to its labors, and if pos
sible it will take control of both the
fire and police departments by the first
day of May. It is the, intention of the
Board to make changes in both of the
departments, but there will be no hasty
action, and for the next month the two
departments while under the control of
the Board will not be molested.
In starting the work the Board has
decided to be thorough, and in order to
make the best possible arrangements
| for the work the Secretary has been
| ordered to write to all the cities of the
State having Police and Fire Commits
sions and secure copies Of examina-
ton questions and blanks for applica-
ton. This will take considera Bile
time, but the members of the Board
will make every effort to have the
blanks for the Kenosha applicants
ready for the candidates for positions
by the first of May.
No specifications have as yet been
laid down by the Board in the selec-
ton of the members of the two depart
ments, but all the mem ers now hold
ing positions will be obliged to pass
examinations approved by the Board,
before they will be allowed to keep
their positions.
One of the members Of the Board
after the meeting said, ''It is our inten-
ton at the outset to make such changes
as will be needed to convince the mem
bers of the Police and Fire depart
ments that they are not under the
thumb of either the Mayor or any of
the Aldermen, and that politics will
not in any way be considered in the
Police and Fire Commission. It is
our intention to select fremen and po-
lice for the city on the ground of merit,
AID merit alone will count in the future
work of the Board. Not a member of
the Board has any fight on any of the
present officers of either department,
out if the departments can be bettered
by the putting in of new men they will
at once be installed"
Thus far the Board has not set the
age limit for the members of either
department, but this will be taken up
before the examination and applica-
ton blanks are issued. The examina-
ton which will be provided for the
candidates will be good deal in the
nature of the United States Civil Serv-
ice examination, and it will assure a
more competent class of officers. The
officers will be required to know how
to write and speak the English lang
uage, and to have sufficient know1-
edge of the common school branches to
make it possible for them to inte11i-
gently do the work that is laid out for
| them.
The announcements of the Commits
sion are not entirely popular with the
present officials, and many of them are
dreading the first call for examinations
while school books are making their
appearance among the members of the
departments, and they are getting
ready for the first test.
The first meeting of the Board has
shown the wisdom of the choice of the
Mayor, and it is certain that the pres
ent Board will be able to work to-
gether without any friction.