The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-22
BUSINESS MEN ASK HEARING ON
 PAY INCREASE
No Other Official Action on Firemen's
 Measure Taken by Association.
BILLIARD OPPOSES RAISE

The Bridgeport Business Mems As sociation discussed at the Stratfie1d the matter of increasing the pay of firemen, last night. The attitude of
 the association is officially neutral, al> though it's members are largely op- posed to the increase. The official action of the body was to obtain a
 public hearing before the Common
 Council as a whole. Some criticism tion did not take up the matter at an earlier time. But the measure was as matter of fact reached at the first meeting that could be properly assem- bled, following the summer vacation. F. W. Bolande of the association, the Fire commissioners had stated that he would be present, but had fall ed to make an appearance. As the meeting was about to adjourn MT. Bullard came in. He explained in a very lucid manner the conditions as they exist to-day and why the Fire commissioners opposed the increase. In 1904 the cost of maintenance was
 $81, ,000 and since then it has increased
 by nearly $75,O0O, making the cost of maintenance for the present year
 $156, 1000. Of this s12s,o0O is used in salaries as opposed to $56, 900 for the
 same purpose five years ago. And, ' said MT. Bullard, i've are not getting
 one bit better service than we did years ago. It is true that our fire loss has been exceedingly low, but I lay that to good fortune, more than to any other cause. He further said that
 in 1906 the salaries, were increased 20 per cent. and now the firemen ask
 for an increase of 20 per cent. more. He admitted that the cost of living had
 increased, and that wages had increas- ed in many fields of labor, but never to the extent of 40 per cent. within five years. MT. Bullard advocated
 strongly the placing of the department on a, permanent basis and felt that the money should be used for this
 purpose rather than for increased sal
 aries He told the business men that 1t was a hazardous job and one to which a great deal of confinement
 was attached, but the men realized the conditions when they took the job and their pay to-day is at a rate equal to that paid the fremen of 26 cities in
 the United States with population
 of from 9O,00O to 15O,000. In 1904 the grand list amounted to S65, ,00O, and the tax for the fire department was .27 mills Since then the grand list has increased to $75,00o,000 and the tax is now PA mills. A motion was made by Judge Eos ter and passed, instructing the sec retary to prepare a petition to the Board of Aldermen to hold a public hearing on the matter of the increase in the firemen's pay at which the pub lie were to be invited to express their
 opinion. Before the actual vote was
 taken a discussion was indulged in by several of those present. They wan dered far and often from the point,
 but the motion was finally passed.
 Neil Muirhead thought he saw a great
 deal of political significance in the
 fremen asking for their increase at
 this time and James Feeley was of the
 same opinion Mayor Lee arrived just in time to hear this part of the discussion and declared that he was
 ready to receive the ordinance and
 that politics would not bother him in the least.
 Joseph Stoehr chief of the Hillside
 Fire Department, which is maintained by the residents of North Main street in the vicinity of St. Vincent.s hospi- tai. asked that the commissioners look latter his district, but was told that