The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-11

I would strongly advocate at this timc
some method to regulate the sale of
knives and revolvers to such persons
who have no respect for the laws of the
community in which they reside, and
who from the habits of life In the
country from which they come, see no
wrong in carrying such things, but who
In this country, where there is no neces-
sity for it, are in possession of the means
o. doing a great deal of damage when
the opportunity presents itself.
Area to he Covered
philadelphia, with an area of 129
square miles and 1900 miles of streets to
be patrolled, has a police force of 1928
patrolmen, distributed among 80 districts,
according to the population and area of
such districts each of which is under the
direct command of lieutenant.
These SO districts are supervised by
all assistant superintendent of police and
five captains, who are in constant touch
with the workings of their entire terri
tory and who make written daily re-
ports to the central office of the de-
partment.
Under our system a patrolman works
so hours out of As, so that at all times
there is an emergency force of 705 men
who can be called upon for instant
service
Observation-Disclosures plan of the city
territories and divisions were laid out
covering those points where the greatest
amount of trouble might reasonably be
expected to occur and preparations made
to keep such troublesome citizens under
control
1T is a fact known to you all, that
a patrolman who has lived and worked
in the same district for any length of
time becomes, owing to the friendly re-
.I.< .io+
between him and the citizens on his beat
factor in the affairs of the neighbor-
hood and in the case of serious labor
troubles on account of the many differ
ent views people take of this particular
subject, loses the influence which in ordi-
nary times he exerts.
Therefore, the next move was to trans
fer these men to points where they could
do the most effective work.
Since the destruction of property by
stoning cars and so forth was threatened
from the beginning, immedia tely a com
| plete report of all building material on
the streets was made to the central office
and orders were issued to the contractors
on the work to at once move all such
material to a place of safety, and pro-
vide Waterman day and night to see
| that il was not disturbed
"If this was not done at once emer-
gency wagons attended to 1t and SO
| cleared the highways of one of the prin-
! cipal instruments of mischief. reducing
| the trouble from that cause to a mini
| num-
ION every car leaving the barns. at
orders from this department. was placed
lsborer with a shovel and crowbar
| SO that-if by chance distractions were
| placed on the tracks-they could be re-
| moved at once and thus prevent the
gathering of a crowd which could grow
| into a riot. In this way serious trouble
was aVerted.
Wrecking Wagons
"Wrecking wagons were placed at
points which could be easily reached by
phone, and If a car was derailed could
be sent there Immediately and thus pre-
vent unnecessary gatherings The entire
programme was one of preventive meas
ures. Everything was done to forestall
| and keep down excitement.
"At the outset all stores carrying in
| stock or selling guns, revolvers or am
munition, and all laboratories and chem
| teal establishments were forbidden to sell
| any of these articles, so that from the
| first day of the trouble none could be
purchased All adjoining cities were re-
quested TO observe the same order. This
stopped the supply and reduced the
chance of obtaining explosives.
There was as little show Of police or
auto patrols as possible causing no
necessity for the gathering of crowds. for
nothing draws people together quicker
than the changing of patrols or the NOV
ing Of large bodies of uniformed men.
THE conspicuous display of numbers
of patrolmen continually patrolling the
ST. Gets has the natural effect of gath
ering crowds, who are always anxious
to be where there is trouble and results
/ IN causing twice the number of people
| to be handled. So that 1t was the main
idea and purpose of this department to
make as little show Of force as possible,
but when there was trouble In any To-
calty to move men there and move them
| quickly and when the trouble was over
get them away just as quickly. In this
way the riotous mobs never knew lust
| what to expect, how soon the police
might be upon them, how many, or from
what direction they might come. This
had most beneficial result In lettering
those who might be inclined to start
trouble from doing so.
No Unnecessary Gathers
/ Every indication of any event likely
to gather numbers was nipped in the
bud. No parades were permitted to ex-
cite sympathy and draw crowds; unnec-
essary gatherings of people for the pur-
pose of creating disorder and sympathy
were stopped Immediately, and through
| ~ assistance of the newspapers of the
city the citizens were warned on ac-
count &C conditions. to keep off the streets
as much as possible, and were advised to
! warn and adnonish their children to do
the same. The superintendent of schools.