Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-06
POLICE Improvement.
PROMISED STEELTON
Central Station May Be Established
With Telephone and
Light System

A~A~s SssAsAVsA NAWy ~ A~essANse0.ASN
With Telephone and
Light System
A discussion as to how to improve
the present inefficient police depart
ment, took up the greater part of last
nights meeting of the Steelton coun-
Gil. AS a result several plans were
suggested and action was taken which
it is believed will bring some sort of
efficiency to this department. On the
motion of Councilman Nelly,
chairman of the police COM
mittee. the office of lookup keep
er, an office which carries salary of
$500 annually and large fees, was held
open. 1t is the suggestion of Council
man Nelly that a central station be
fitted up and that desk officer at a
salary of $500 a year be employed.
system of telephones and lights
will be Installed, if the plans of the
chairman of the police committee are
carried out in full. which will enable
the desk officer and the patrolmen
out on their beats to be in constant
communication with each other.
The necessity for some immediate
action that shows efficiency in Chief
Longnaker's next report, was brought
to the attention of the councilmen
when II. T. McEntee, the retiring bur-
CESS, read his final report. In this re-
port, which dealt almost entirely with
the police, the retiring burgess strove
manfully to give Chief Longnaker's
department a clean bill of health. He
martyrized himself by attempting to
take the blame for the present ineffi-
cheney of the police force upon him
self, saying "Chief Longnaker and his
department has always worked in en-
tire harmony with me and under my
instructions"
Something Has to BE Done
Following Mr.. McEntee's report the
report of Chief Longnaker was taken
up. 1t was a short report. 1t was
this report of the chief himself that
impressed the councilmen with the
necessity of making some immediate
efforts to improve the department.
Chief Longnaker reported that
within the past year two murders We're
committed in the borough. One of
these murderers, the report boasted
was captured on the spot. The re-
port however omitted to state that the
arrest was made by Joseph II. Gore
private detective. The last murderer,
Steve Loncar, the chief reported, has
outwitted the department and escaped.
Continuing the chief said he was will
ing to rest upon his record and that
he didn't want to be egotistic but
thought that his subordinates should
get their share of the praise" that is
being showered upon the department
During the first year, 1909. that Long
maker was chief, according to his re-
port, 1873 arrests were made. The de-
partment began to become more in
efficient each year till the low water
mark was reached in 1912, when only
forty-eight arrests were made. In
1910, seventy-fiVe arrests were made;
in 1911, sixty -four; in 1912, forty
eight; in 1913, the year just closed,
siXty-four were made.
Chief Longnaker further reported
that during his term of four years he
had been instrumental in collecting for
the borough in licenses of all kinds
pole, amusement, hunter, dog, etc,
the sum of $4,720.25, or about $1,000
year. In sharp contrast to this amount
is the salary paid to the chief and his
department. These salaries amounted
last year to S4,335 or over $4,000 more
than the total amount of fines, license
fees, etc, collected by the department.
This report in the opinion of many,
proves the inefficiency of Chief Long
maker and his department
Officers are Elected
The report was followed by the cleo
ton of the borough officers. All the
the exception of the lookup keeper, an
office formerly held by the borough
secretary. When it came to the selec-
ton of a chief of police some hesita-
ton was shown. Finally Councilman
Nelly nominated Longnecker and his
selection was affirmed. There were
no other candidates for the office.
In commenting on the reelection
of Longnaker as chief of police, Fred
h,yr
into office last evening said that Long
makers selection was merely on a
ninety-day trial. eff there Is no eff
cheney in the department at the end
of that time" Burgess Wigfield assert
ed, IT shall certainly recommend the
dismissal of the chief of police
The two new councilmen who took
the oath of office last evening We're
Fred Wagenbaugh, from the Third
ward. and Charles Reisch, of the Fifth
ward. AS soon as the meeting was
called to order the minutes of the two
preceding special meetings were read,
and several ordinances were passed
on second reading. The ordinance re-
uuiring stop cocks on gas lines outside
the curb line was laid over on mo-
ton of Councilman Capella.
With Councilman Lewis taking the
chair. President Reynders, chairman
of the finance committee, read his re-
port. The total receipts of the Dor,
ough for the year were $114.250 and
the disbursements were $111,86O or a
gain of $3.50. Following the read
ing of the report councils volunteered
a vote of thanks to Mr.. Reynders ana
his committee for the careful fnanc-
ing of the borough.
The board of health asked 1or an
extra appropriation of $705.2O to de-
fray the expense of caring for small
pox patients. The appropriation was
granted.
Reynders Reelected
on a motion Of Councilman Black
we'll retiring Third ward councilman,
the old council adjourned and the new
one proceeded to organize. >. v. w.
Reynders was reelected president
with an unanimous vote; Charies Hol-
80, NOS alected clerk to council; c. P.
Feidt. borough secretary; Leroy Sut-
ton. treasurer and all the old ofhcers
were elected unanimously.
i H. h tal n