Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-27

been added to the force to take care
| of the very great increase in the num-
Der of children attending school,
With the opening OF our many new
buildings II has been necessary to
hire janitors and other helpers, to
buy much more coal and other sup
lplies. In addition. the system of edu-
cation has been broadened. We are
!. now teaching many things that we
1 did not in 1907.
| I'VE are also spending a consider
able amount of money to guard the
! health of the children in the schools,
employing doctors and nurses to look
after them, and in the line OF ath-
letics and physical development we
are spending much more literally
than we did before. l am prepared
personally, to stand back OF every
dollar of increase in the cost of school
maintenance, for l believe that our
money could not be more wisely in
vested than in educational purposes
| Police and Fire Departments.
1.-THE police department gets an ap-
preparation this year of a million dol
lars compared to expenditures of
$626,327.10 in 1907, showing an increase
of $373,672.90. In 1907 we had five
| ROAiSC PAC(ltlStS III LIlC City anu d lOIdl
membership in the department of $780,
| Today we have eight precincts. with
department membership of 745. We
have been criticised in some quaP-
| ters for thus Increasing the police
force, but l can say to you that the
increases have been made at earnest
demands of bodies of citizens in va
rious sections of the city, and also
because of the fact that modern con-
ditions, notably as regards traffic, put
burden upon the police department,
here and elsewhere, that was not felt
few years ago.
I'm 1907 the fire department expend-
ed $540,862.40. This year an appropria-
ton has been made to the depart
ment of $660,000. an increase Of $780,
1880. The membership of the fire
department in 1907 was 253; today 1t is
473. We have added eight buildings
in the eight years, including four fire
engine houses, one central station, two
combined truck and engine houses,
one repair and reserve building, and
now have total of thirty-six build
ings occupied by the department.
Moreover, we have added to the
system of flre-fighting, for which the
Newark department always bore an
enviable reputation, a system of fire
prevention which is reaping most
gratifying results. need scarcely
say that these things cost some
money, but they save to the indiv-
idual citizen important sums.
Salaries Fixed BY Law.
1.-The salaries of the rank and file
of both police and fire departments
are fixed by law, and the people
voted to place the laws on the stat-
ute books. There have been In
creases in the salaries of some of the
superior officers, which appear to me
to be entirely justified by the enlarged
duties and responsibilities which they
are obliged to shoulder. While / am
touching on the question of salaries
it may be well to remark that l have
seen some insinuations by our OPP
ponents leading one to think that we
had flooded the city government with
our own adherents and were wasting
the public money in payment of USE
less employees.
81 would merely suggest in this re-
spect, that since 1908 the city has
been under civil service regulations;
that in making appointments we
could not count upon putting our own
friends in, because we have to take
those whom the Civil Service Board
certifies to us, and that most, If not
all, of the salary increases. in the
City Hall forces, at all events, have
been fixed and acquiesced in by the
representatives of all the political
parties
"In 1907 the street lighting of the
city cost Spa, 426 80. The appropria-
ton for 1914 is $265,0Oo. showing an
increase of $22,573.61 in eight years.
The great growth of the city, with the
Increased mileage of streets, fully
warrants this increase.
For the Public Health.
I'm 1907 the expenditures of the
public health department, exclusive Of
the City Hospital, we're 500, 810.66. The
appropriation in 1914 was $4,000,
showing an increase of sos, 1894. a
very great part of this increase is due
10 the tuberculosis sanatorium in
Verona, which has aided hundreds of
persons suffering from one of the
most dreadful diseases that affiict
mankind.
"It was no. many years ago, gentle
men, that poor person who was told
he had consumption received the
equivalent of death warrant, be-
cause there was no place where he
could afford TO go to be treated. To-
day, thank God! there Is some hope
for HIM.
I'm 1907 the City 1oSpitai COST
$3.50, 407.02. This year there has
been appropriated to that insti-
tuition $200,000 showing an in
crease Of 500, 562.eS. If you do not feel
that that increase is justified l would
like you to make a visit to that in
stitution and see how they are
crowded in every ward, and some
times have beds laid in the corridors.
Talk with the physicians and the hos
pital force, and you will find that the
per capita expense Is about the lowest
of any first-grade institution in the
country.
''In 1907 there was expended for
public building maintenance $67, 234.25.
In 1914 the appropriation is 100000.
Some of our opponents would have
YOU believe that we are simply spend
ing this increase in salaries, but such
is not the case. This money is used
to replace furniture, carpets and
other things Of the kind, to mako
changes in buildings in order to pro-
vide quarters for new departments
which the growth of the city forces
upon us. to pay increased prices Of
Supplies. which have shown a gradual
rising tendency for number OF
years. to repaint and redecorate
and far Sffch