The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-13
FIRE DEPARTMENT
 HAS TURN TODAY Commissioners Going Into
 Every Office TO HAVE BUSY DAY Consolidation of Auditor, Treasurer, Comptroller and License Collec-
 tor Will Probably Be Made
 With One Man in Charge

Today Is the 18th of April and the commission storm against excess posi- tions and high salaries may rage with renewed fury. The commissioners will gather again this morning al 10 o'clock to continue their slashing of positions in their general scheme of getting the city on a sound financial basis. Many of the departments of the city have felt the knife In the sessions of the past two days but there yet remain several offices without scars, but the wounds are expected to be made this morning and afternoon.
 It has been given out by the commits sioners from time to time that the re- auctions in departments made hereto fore are only beginners of what may be the final outcome It is stated there is to be yet further reductions both in the positions now maintained and the salaries drawn each month by officials
 Today the fire department will come in for its share of the municipal reve- nue reduction. Chief A. V. Bennett has prepared a report of his department showing the men employed and the sal
 
 any stringent abolshment of jobs in the fire department, but it is said to be too much to expect that the depart ment will escape. There will be a gen eral shake up such as the fire depart ment has not seen or experienced in many years. The net result will be a saving to the city, but it is claimed there will not be any impairing of it's efficiency. The commissioners have final Jurisdiction over that unit of the city organization, but there cannot be such reductions as have been made in other departments, lest the Southeast ern Tariff association step In and call a halt. That association is all power full when 1t comes to the fire depart ments and this is expected to protect it to some extent from the commission seythe.
 The position of comptroller of the public improvement funds created by the City Council with George Eustis in charge, the office of city auditor. oc- cuped by Carl S, Petersen. who created the grain" whirlpool; the office of city treasurer now occupied by W. B. Cope land, and the position of license collec- tor, occupied by J. J. Boggan, will all be in the running today if the set pro- gramme is carried out. The commits sioners have a line on affairs in all those departments and it is expected that the axe will fall with particular force in all of them.
 There will be a consolidation. That much is certain. Commissioner Lane, one of the powerful units of the board, has said so, with a positive manner which is unquestionable.
 The indications point strongly to the merger of the four offices with some one man at the head of it.
 The total reorganization of this de- partment and the fire department to- gether with the general smoothing over of other departments for possible es- capes is expected to consume the com missions time today.
 After these departments have been attended to, the commissioners will turn their attention to the obligations of the city along financial lines and try to work them out in the same gen eral way.