The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-02-21
A PLEA FOR THE FIREMEN

| he receives now. He is called upon TO
! take more risks and looks upon his work
as one cainnc for a higher standard Ut
| Intelligence. Fire hghtne Is a science.
and always VIII be. and the man WHO
can qualify is worth more TO the com
munity in his line OF work than lc is
given credit for. years OF experience and
! training Tits him for tho emergencies
which arise. and each one different from
the other. II Is an easy matter for the
| public TO say what should. or should not.
| be done ut a fire though we are not
ali pcrfccD but the man who Is i'm the
business. and tackles those problems
every da! ought TO he able To judge.
The cost uf living has doubled the
wages have remaiu,. .Ic same: Of itself
a substantial reason for nm increase An
other reason IS to he found In the fact
mat civil servants mot lrcmcn). inclu!-
ing among others clerks in the various
departments. nolic"mcp. street mou in
fact, all municipal employees. also namely
all trades. receive not only as much
money, but shorter hours
fireman works twenty hours aud
forty minutes per day. ont OF twenty
four hours Inc has two hours and ton min
utcs 10 eat his meals. say bow do YOU
do 10 wife and babies then hurry back
as some other fellow hes 10 do the same
thing. The public have their Suudays
holidays. and in many cases Saturday
half holiday Cthc retail clcrks includcdi
Tho fireman has lo stay and protect their
property whilc they enjoy themselves
which. of course, they arc entitled To do
as The fireman Is paid for that purpose
The average pay l., about SIs nor
month for tweniy-oun hours and forty
minutes (hs working day); tho laborer
makes this much I'm eight hours. and has
the association of his. family.
The progressive cities Of the United
states AFRO coming moro ana more to re-
aiTo that by caring for this class Of
mch. and providing for them after long
years Of service. their interests are besI
gubscrY cd. for the men take more in
tercsi in their work and give their best
thought and efforts i'm the lnc ur duty.
Chic3go. New SCrk. PIifsburc Kansas
CITY of tho east. pcs MuDr3 omaha
Denver and other cities of tho wcs,
have considered after wears of cxperi-
snce. thpt q won n-paid man is the 'bnei
Investment. as the men can he selected
according TO their fitness for the service
Iu= dromon Of this stale cndca vorcd
80 have passed by the last Legislature an
act similar 10 iuosc III vogue In twenty
other states of tho Union, in which two |
per cent of insurance premiums written |
within the particular CITY or town hav. |
ing fire apparatus "r cGuipmcni Camouut- |
tho proceeds OF same he used for dis
ablod nrcmen, injuries resulting in death !
widows and orphans. etc
The lower house voted strongly for the !
Inca sure. but the senate could sec noiE- |
inc but tho liquor bill. The citizens
To do n iucratiYr business: so much go |
that nearly s50O.000 is fair cstiyuat. of |
their earnings from the state: ronso- |
uunutly the small amount asked for IS |
only a small return for services rem |
dcrcd
Trusting our city fathers may sec their
way clear To grant our request. | am |
respectfully, JUST y FIREMAN
Salt Lake city, Feb. IS.