Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-07
Get BETTER PAY
Council Passes First of Ordi-
nance Granting Raise for
City Employees.
FOR FIREMEN AND POLICE
Provision to Be Made for All Depart
ments-May Light the Milan
Bridges.

Bridges
At the adjourned meeting Of the ci'y
council held last evening to complete
the business unfinished Monday even
ing, the council passed ordinances
materially increasing the pay of the
members of the fire and police depart
ments of the city, and discussed tho
existing conditions with a view to la
or making similar increases in all de
partmeuts Of the city. There We're
some of the alderman who insisted thai
the entire matter should be disposed
OF at once but in view of the fact tina.
ordinances covering the fire and police
departments were prepared. these Were
adopted and the other departments al
lowed to wait until ordinances can b.
prepared. The ordinance committee
was instructed to prepare ordinances
covering the increases.
Had $40 II Month.
The increase provided for the fire do
partment members in i'll accord with
who had an ordinance prepared By
Hon. William Jackson to cover the
change The new scale. which with
the other increases goes into effect at
the beginning ol the new municipal
year in May. brings the salaries IN
Rock Island mp to those in Moline ami
Davenport. The ordinance provides
the following annual salaries:
Chief. $1,000, instead of $1,000.
Assistant chief. $1,000. instead Of
$50
Captain. 5000
FirCmen. first months. 500.
Firomen, second q months 500
Firem"n. second year $3.50.
Firemen. third year. $50.
Firemen. fourth year. $50.
\ sliding scale of wages is in effect
at present in the fire department. rang
ing from $50 for new men to $40 Il
month for the assistant chief The new
scale provides an increase OF $40 a
month for the fircmen.
Change i'm the system.
In providing for the police depart
ment the council made a higher raise
than in the fire department, but the
allowance of SO Il year for clothing
was done away With. and hereafter the
patrolmen will receive fiat salary and
will be compelled to supply themselves
with the regulation clothing. with Tn >
exception of the heavy Overcoats. The
increase in the police department is
from S6l.25 to SO d month. The fol-
lowing salary schedule was adopted:
City Marshal, $1,000. instead Of
81 900
Deputy Marshal. $1,000. instead OF
SS5r.
Detective $1,000. instead of $3.50
Police Matron. $3.50. instead Of 500
Patrolmcn. $500, instead of $I35.
60 Clear Through.
From the discussion of the alderman
an increase will be granted III Ill city
departments. giving better pay to the
mcn in the street waterwOTks. health
and other departments. Whether in
creases tor the elective Offices are con
tCmplatcd is not clear With all the
raise for other employees, the alder
men can not increase their own salary
directly. this being prevented by state
law. The aldermen receive 81 each
regular and special meeting, with NJ
compensation fOr committee meetin",
of the committee of the whole. TIL,
aldermen may look at their own pa.
roll figures later when the others have
been increased
Want Bridges Lighted.
\ resolution offered by Alderman
Brooks last evening was passed in
structing the mayor and city clerk h.
confer with the officers of the Tri-Citl
Railway company 10 see what arrange
ments may be made for lighting tn
city bridges over Rock river Tn,
lighting of the bridges. if only on
small scale. would prove gratifying &
those who must cross the bridges 4
night and would lessen the danger u
accidents
Inspector Ordinance Delayed.
Acting on the request of numbc
of Rock Island business houses whic
have now taken the matter mp. tn
council last evening laid he OIdinanr
creating the office Of electrical and ga
Inspector and regulating wiring an
lighting of the city. over until the las
meeting of the month. Feb IS TO Civ
the business men interested an OppO!
tunity to examine the proposed ordr
ance. The ordinance was taken up b
sections last evening. and is now read
for passage and probably would hav
been passed last evening had not tn
business men requested delay.
The council reconsidered its resolI
Something Doing