The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-04
Increase in Firemen Salaries
Meets With Approval.
Thought Councilman Will Favor
Big Petition.
HAVE HEAVY EXPENSE
Firemen Purchase Their Own
Clothes and Uniforms.
Heavy Taxpayers Pray for
Action on Petition.

From the present outlook the mem
bers Of the fire department of Topeka
VIII get the SIS month raise in wages
that they have petitioned for through
the signatures of 400 of the largest tax
payers in Topeka representing pracu-
cally $25, 100000 worth of property.
The effect of this petition. which is
conceded by the city officials as being
the most influential petition ever pre-
scented to the city council. is being felt
over the city and everyone seems to be
In favor of the idea.
or course, 1t is necessary that the
members of the city council and the
mayor be the first people to consider in
a representation of the outcome of
this petition. The councilmen attempt
to follow out the sentiment of the peo-
pie and as the sentiment of the peo-
pie is undoubtedly for such raise the
members of the city council are ex-
pected to follow suit
In speaking of the number of i'm
provements in the fire department this
year and the necessity of making
larger appropriations Mayor William
Green mentioned in the expenses the
increase in the salaries of the firemen-
He took it for a settled fact that this
action would be taken by his council.
The members of the ways and means
committee which meets Friday evening
are all practically in favor of the raise.
Upon their first judgment depends the
progress of the petition to the council
and every influence possible will b.
brought to bear on them Friday night
The majority of the members of the
council are radically in favor of the in
crease in salaries and they have stated
plainly and openly that they will sup
port the proposition when it comes be-
fore the council With such a support
there is little fear of the raise that IS
surely just and reasonable. At the
meeting of the ways and means COM
mittee Friday night it is expected that
a. number of the signers on the tax
payers petition will be before the COM
mittee and talk for the increase.
Some interesting figures were obtain
ed from the fire department today In
speaking with a State Journal reporter
this afternoon one of the station heads
said:
Firennen Do Not Have a Snap.
81 know that people going past on
the street cars look out of the windows
and seeing us fellows sitting around of
an evening all dressed up in our uni
forms say to themselves that the life
Of a fireman is Snap-that there is
nothin" to do but wait for something
to turn up and when it turns up to
work awhile and then wait again. But
1t is only while on dress parade that
the average person sees US. Through
the day when we are in constant care
of the station. the horses and the equip
ment we are not seem"
As a few arguments in favor of the
raise in salaries the cost of the living
of a fireman was obtained. Very few
people know that q fireman furnishes
all of his own clothes, uniforms and the
like. He PAYS for his own laundry and
works "a hours out of the day. For
this he gets from $55 to $40 per month.
Compared with the polIceman-he works
10 or IL hours, buys nothing but his one
uniform, overcoat and gun and gets the
same pay.
A Story in Figures.
Here is a list of what a fireman alb
solutely has to purchase during q years