The Saint Paul globe., 1904-12-17
FIRE BOARD RAISES
SALARIES OF MEN
Commissioners, However, Find
1t impossible to Restore Full
10 Per Cent Cut

st. Paul firemen are to receive next
year about IS per cent of the cut made
in their salaries in 1895.
At a special secret meeting Of the
board of fire commissioners $4,000
was set aside for the 1905 pay roll of
the fremen now employed by the de-
partment, this being the total paid the
firemen for the year 1896, when the cut
was made in salaries.
The greater number of men now en-
ployed made it impossible for the
board to restore the salaries to the fig
ures paid previous to the cut, partfc-
ularly in view of the fact that it was
necessary to purchase three new en-
gines and engage the men to man the
additional apparatus.
All present firemen will have about
two-thirds of the salary cut restored,
this necessitating an increase Of $12,-
600 per year in the salaries of the men
now engaged, while the employment of
the new men will mean the expendi-
ture next year of $3.50 additional.
fore $17,850 of the $4,000 increase
made by the amendment to the city
charter.
New Engines for Wards
The First, Sixth and Seventh wards
are given new engines and engine
companies. The hose company at
Payne avenue and York street is to be
replaced by an engine and an engine
company at an expense of $4,750; the
Sixth ward is to get new engine to
replace the hose company at Living
ston and Fairfield avenue, at an ex-
pense of $5,135, and the Seventh ward
replace the chemical at Ashland and
Victoria, at a cost of $7,843.
The total expense involved for the
new apparatus is $17.850, and the new
men who will be employed will be paid
for the first nine months which they
will serve during 1905 the sum of
$3.50. They will get $50 a month for
the first year, $55 for the second year
and $50 month for the third year.
In this total are figured but the thir-
teen additional men required to man
the new apparatus, while the board of
fire commissioners asked the city
council to grant three additional men
to partially fill the companies depleted
while extending the department with
out increasing the number of firemen.
In 1906 the pay of the men will be
about $4,000 more than in 1905.
Not the Full Raise
The fat salary increase made to the
men now in the department is $4,000
year, while a full 10 per cent raise
would have meant $4,000 a year. The
firemen were cut 10 per cent in 1896,
but with the increased appropriation
it was found impossible to restore the
entire cut and make the Improvements
that had been pledged during the CAM
paign in favor of the charter amend
ment.
In addition to making the Straight
per cent increase in the salaries of the
men, the board abandoned its plan OF
maintaining grades in the department,
by which the down town captains re-
ceived greater compensation than those
in the outskirts, and fixed the follow
ing schedule of salaries: Captains,
$S7 lieutenants, $77; first pipemen,
$72; second pipemen, SO; third pipe
men, $67; engineers, $87: assistant en-
gineers, $72; four-horse drivers, $72;
two-horse drivers, s67; first, second
and third truckmen, $72; fourth, fifth
and sixth truckmen. $50; blacksmith,
$S5; linemen, SIS; operators, $65; Su-
perintendent of fire alarm. $l0S.S3; as
sistant electrical inspector, $10S.33;
veterinary surgeon. $65; secretary OF
board, $125; chief engineer, $208. 33
first assistant chief, $3.50; second as
sistant chief, $133.3S.
All new men who begin work during
1905 viii work for the first nine months
at the rate of $50; for the second year
they will receive sos, and for the third
year $50. 1t is provided that the paint
shop man shall receive SO per month
in addition to the wages that he is now
getting.
Bids for New Machines
Bids for the new engines will be re-
ceived at the regular meeting Of the
| board on the evening of Dec. 2S, al
which time it had been previously
| agreed in public that the board would
act upon the proposed raises in sal
aries. Instead of waiting until that
| time the board called a special secret
meeting, at which action was taken
on the increase in salaries. There is
expected to be the regular dispute as
| to which of the makes shall be Sc
lected. but as such meetings are held
behind closed doors with the repre-
sentatives of the companies, little is
known of the proceedings.
After paying the $17,850 increase ir
salaries for the next year there viii
| be left for the payment of the running
| expenses about $4,000. It is doubtful
if this viii be sufficient to pay all the
bills, but as the expense will be re-
! duced for 1906 to the extent of the sun
| paid for the new apparatus in 1905, il
| is figured that the additional charges
| can be met without causing a def
cheney. For the present year the board
was compelled to carry over some $500
| in bills that could not be paid with the
| money available.
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