The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-10-07
CAN THE BOARD
MAKE employees
SETTLE BILLS?
THIS QUESTION WAS RAISED AT
MEETING OF BOARD OF SAFETY
LAST NIGHT AND MATTER IS
REFERRED TO CITY ATTORNEY
FOR oPINIoN-oTHER BUSINESS
DISPOSED OF,

permanently, the board of public safety
last night instructed the clerk to ad-
dress q communication to the city at
torney asking him for an opinion as to
the legal authority Of that board to
enforce the payment Of debts con-
tracted by members OF the police and
f1re departme 1t has for a long
time been the custom OF the board to
enforce such payments but 1t seems to
have been kind Of unwritten law and
simply a matter of following s. precs-
dent. and before requiring any more
officers to pay debts contracted by
them, the board intends ascertaining
by what right If any, II will do so.
The request for this opinion from
the city attorney was occasioned by
the investigation into the account of
Dr.. Francois against Officer Frank
Wide, and after hearing the state
ments Of both Of the parties concerned,
the board deferred action until the
| opinion OF the attorney is obtained.
When asked why he had disobeyed
| the order of the board to pay this &C
| count within a specified time, Oficer
Wilde stated that he had not dlsobeyed
any order as he had not received any
| order, but had simply promised to pay
the bill. He said further that at the
time he agreed to pay the bill that he
was getting salary of S92.50 per
month, whereas now he was getting
only S66.50. He gave a detailed ac-
count of his monthly living expenses
| showing that it is costing him $73
| actual living expenses and asked the
| board TO show him how he could pay
| an account with this monthly expense
| and a salary of S66.50.
DR.. Francois explained his side of
the argument to the board and said
that he also had heavy expenses and
| thought he was entitled to his money.
Examination Monday Nioht
After lengthy discussion and a
lively argument between Messrs John
son and Friedrichsen, who were the
only members present at the time ex-
cept the chairman, it was decided that
the next examination of the police Of
icers will be held next Monday night
at o'clock in the recorders court
room, at which time watch No. win
be given the test
After Mr.. Friedrichsen, as chairman
Of the examining committee, had re-
ported that the questions for the sec
ond examination had been prepared
and asked the chair to name a date
for the holding of the examination, Mr..
johnson made a motion to abolish the
examination and during his argument
read q number of sections from the
police manual supporting his conten-
ton that the examination of member
when he was elected member of the
department was all that the law re-
quired and was sufficient In the
course of his remarks Mt. Johnson
read section 81. which Is to the effect
that before any member can be pro-
NOTED from the ranks he must stand
a mental examination as to his ca
pac1ty to hold the position to which
he Is to be appointed. Mr., Johnson
raised the question as to the legality
of the recent ordinance granting the
chief Of police power to appoint the
/ - H. - -
| and said that If this section Of the
manual was effective, the recent ordi-
| nance was not, and vice versa
After replying to Mr.. Johnson Mr..
Friedrichsen made a motion that the
examinations be continued. The chair
| man seconded the motion and asked
| the clerk to put the motion to a vote.
1t was carried, Mr.. Johnson voting
| against it
Firemen Promoted.
Upon the recommendation of Chief
| Bicker the following firemen were pro-
NOTED to the positions following their
| names: ]. H. DAlemberte, captain;
| w. H. Connors, Jr.. captain; J. G.
| Nichols, truck driver.
Moving Picture Shows.
| E. P. Preston, who arrived just be-
| fore the adjournment Of the meeting,
| called attention to the crowded con-
! dition of the moving picture shows In
| the city and commended that they are
| not safe in case of fire After some
discussion of the matter a motion pre-
vailed to ask the city attorney for an
| opinion as to whether the board OF
| safety has Jurisdiction over the regu-
lation of the buildings occupied by
| these places Of amusement.
In the course of the discussion it was
! shown that the attorney had recently
| ruled that the opera house came under
| the Jurisdiction of the board of public
| works and Joseph 1. Johnson contended
| that the moving picture shows come
| under the same head and voted against
| the motion.
| The feed report OF the chief OF the
| fire department showed the total cost
Of feeding horses in the departmnt for
| the month of September to be $211. 40,
| an average Of $14.09 per head.
! The marshars report showed that
447 arrests had been made during the
| past month and that the department
| had RENTED to the treasurer $94ISe.
| The cost Of feeding prisoners was 3-4
| cents per meal.
| The city electrician reported that
! the appliances for the installation OF
the new telephone system at the police
Il station had been shipped on Sept 30th
i General Details.
After the minutes of the last meet
| ing had been read and approved, the
chairman announced officially to the
board the sudden death OF Officer Sam
| B. Flynn of the police department,
| which had occurred since the last
| meeting.
! In accordance with the usual custom
of giving the contract in rotation, the
| contract for the washing of the city
! truck houses was given to the Empire
Laundry, it being the time for this
laundry to have the contract ccor1tnG
| to the schedule.
Mr.. Caro-, the present city horse
| sheer, applied for the contract for this
work for the ensuing year, and upon
| the recommendation of the chief OF the
fire department and the chief Of police
he was awarded the contract,
After much discussion, during which
it was shown by the opinion Of the
city attorney that the matter was I'M
der the Jurisdiction of the board OF
safety, the application Of the Avery
Hardware and Supply Co to store
dynamite within the city limits was
granted and upon motion the chair ap-
pointed Chief of Police Sanders anC
Chief Bicker, of the fire department
together with Joseph I. Johnson, q
committee to decide upon what con-