Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-27
Police Chiefs Recommends
tions for Next Fiscal Year.
TOTAL OF Sl,0l4,525
GENERAL ADVANCE IN SALARIES
URGENTLY PRESENTED.
Request for Construction Of Target
Range and Gymnasiula-Other
Improvements Suggested.


living In the District of Columbia has ad-
vanced to a marked extent. as 1t has every
where else throughout the country and
that the remuneration allowed members of
his department does not suffice for them to
properly maintain their families comply
with the regulations as regards their uni
forms and educate their children. Major
Richard Sylvester superintendent of po-
lice, asks for increases in salaries all along
the line in his department during the year
ending June 80. 1907. His annual esti-
mates, setting forth the details of the
much-to-be -desired advances in pay. were
submitted to the Commissioners yesterday
afternoon. In the aggregate Major Sylves-
ter asks S1,01i.525 20 conduct the Police
Department In the fiscal year 1867. as
against 1881 ,425 the amount of the current
appropriation.
lice Major Sylvester gives a detailed re-
view of the better conditions among all
classes of labor. showing that ali but the
police have gained shorter hours and more
pay within the past thirteen years.
Based on Study of Conditions.
In this summary. which shows an ex-
hausti7e study of conditions throughout
the country Major Sylvester says:
I'm this progressive period, when the
country is enjoying business prosperity the
manufacturer and tradesman find it neces-
sary to advance the remuneration for the
mechanic. bookkeeper and commercial trav-
eler. The contractor and constructor have
advanced the pay of their employees. The
demands of trade and for improvements
have made 1t imperative that skilled and
other assistance should be had. and in some
sections there is a scarcity. There has at
the same time been decided advance IN
the cost of living and reduction in the
hours of service.
by consulting the reports of the bureau
of labor it is ascertained that the hour
wages for biackSmiths advanced from 1880
to 1903, while for the same period the aver
age hours per week decreased. The same
holds good as to boilermakers. more SO for
bricklayers. carpenters, compoStorS. hod
carriers and iron molders. Laborers gener-
ally received more pay and worked less
hours week in 1903 than they did in 1890.
Machinists painters, plumbers. stonecut-
terS stone maSonS. all came in for in
creased wages at the end of the period
named.
Wages and Hours.
Relative fgures-1S90 to 19l3-bearing
upon wages. hours of work. number of en-
ployes and retail prices of food showed
in 1903 the greatest number Of employees,
the relative difference between 1880 and
1903 being as between 81 and 1875: as to
work a week. 100 down to o. and as to rel
alive cost of food, retail prices, weighted
according to average consumption in 1857
wOrkngmen'S families, an advance from
1O2 to ITO points.
1T is further shown that the per cent of
expenditures of income were less in the
western states than in the eastern or mid
die Atlantic states. In 1909 both raw and
manufactured commoditiea made a decided
advance. In 1903 the raw advanced to a
point beyond the highest figures previously
reached in fourteen years, and manufac-
tured goods advanced to level exceeded
by one year only-1SD.
I'm addition to paying higher wages and
reducing average hours of labor, employers
have done great deal to improve the
housing conditions and to promote the So
cial and intellectual surroundings of the
employees.
Commentator of the Force.
'In the District of Columbia the faithful
body of men who guard the millions of dol
lars worth of government property, who
protect millions more of private property,
and who exercise wise defense Of the
lives of thousands of official and other resi-
dents, not composing an ordinary munich
pality. but territory, have for years, and
do now, continue to stand watch at COM
pensations which permit them to live, and
that is all In the period covered by the
labor report, while other classes have been
tain themselves as citizens of the greatest
country in the world should. the police
have patiently labored public servants,
unable to provide for rainy day. to edu-
cate their children as they would like and
to enjoy a few rays of sunshine which
good living carries with 1t.
Comparison Made.
Nowhere else are such detailed and
multitudnous requirements exacted of q
fba ,bar
not only paid a salary, but also an allow
ance for clothing. The expense of living IN
the District is high. house rent, the cost of
fuel, food and raiment have advanced,
while the salaries paid are not sufficient to
enable a member to comply strictly with
the regulations to uniforms and other
wise and provide for his family as he
should. In the years of the departments
existence the members of the force have
received little encouragement from Con-
gress.
Fifteen years ago a member received
promotion from $500 to $1.0sO per annun
after two years service, while today he Is
fortunate if he obtains 1t in ten years.
81 have recommended, in view of the I'M
fortunate situation. that the two classes OF
pay for the privates be made 81 $50 and
81. 900 per annum. and that a small increase
be made in the salaries paid the officers to
make them at least commensurate with
what is paid in other jurisdictions.
privates On July 20 of that number 10
were sick. ~ on leave of absence under the
law, / suspended, 1O8 detailed at the work
house, health Office Police Court, District
building, market houses, White House, as
SCISSORS office. disbursing office, detective
bureau and elsewhere, and rs were on post
duty. That left patrol force of 1856, in
Guiding bicycle and mounted men. OF those
116 performed duty in the entire District
during the day and about go in the night
time. The number is reduced in the colder
season by sickness. the rate running from
80 to so daily The inadequate force pre-
vented the making of a detail beyond four
men for street duty In the harbor precinct,
obstructed the establishment of precinct
in Anacostia and makes the conduct Of the
institution difficult in every way"
Principal Recommendations.
One of the most important increases in
the estimates Is that asked for Captain
Boardman. the chief of detectives and as
sistant superintendent of police. for whom
Major Sylvester advocates $500 salary
next year, instead Of 81 500. as at present.
For the other four captains: Gessford.
Pierson. Cross and Swindells. 81 800 per
annum is requested, instead of 81 500.
J. A. Kemp. chief clerk and property
clerk is now paid 50 600 per year. Next