The Sentinel=record., 1914-04-14
NEW COUNCIL CUTS DOWN THE FORCE AND MAKES RESTRlC-
 TON OF SPECIAL OFFICERS.
MORE MEN FUR STREET WORK
Ordinance by Alderman Resbee to Make City Collector Elective for Two-Year Period is Defeated by Old Council on Tie Vote.

The new city council in it's first session last night through the unani- nous passage of two ordinances took decisive stand on the question of less men for police work and more men for the street improvement of the city of Hot Springs.
 In adopting an ordinance presented by Alderman Sigman the police de- partment in the future is restricted to the chief day and night captains and jailers, two plain clothes men, Bertillion clerk and eight patrol men in the summer months and twelve in the season months. The ordinance met with the unanimous approval of the council, and is effec- tive on May i, 1914. which means that on the first of next month two patrolmen will be dropped from the list, and one of the office men of Chief Ellison.
 While the council was trimming the police department down in eff fective style, it was also taking a step for the improvement of the streets of the city, for the same unanimous approval of the council was given Alderman Ledwidge's or dnance providing that the street commission should have the author sftr fa tY.n for gf work to compose a flying squadron" to be used about the city as the com missioner directed.
 This ordinance means that the work done in the wards now by the street gang will not be neglected after the gangs are shifted from ward to ward under the Petit ordi- nance, but that there will be a squad ron of ten men who will be always prepared for emergency work any where, and for regular street main tenance all the time.
 Street Commissioner Golden was most pleased with the additional force he is to have, as well as the complete authority given him for handling the men. Under this ordi- nance the council nor the admins tration may direct the work, but it is left wholly with the street commits sioner, and there is little doubt that within very short time some sub stantial improvement will be made.
 Not alone is street improvement in it's general nature anticipated in the ordinance, but general street cleaning. There are many streets of the city which would look much bet ter if cleaned of the rubbish and kept clean of the weeds that soon will be making their appearance, and this flying squadron will have in charge that work.
 Alderman Rigsbee presented in the old council an ordinance which pro vides for the extension of the city collectors office by making the regular term of the office for two years He gave as hB reason for the ordinance that there was politics in jected into the election by the coun- cil of a city collector every year be- cause the various banks contended for the election of their individual men in order to get the ctiy deposits. and he stated that he would prefer himself to be relieved of the voting every year for city collector.
 Alderman Sigman stated that he did not see why discrimination should be shown. If the office of city collector was to be made for two years, other offices elective by the council should be so treated He did not favor extending the office of any for a year, and believed that other city councils should have the privi- lege of electing these officers the same as they had in the beginning of their terms.
 On a vote, those favoring the Rigs bee ordinance were Aldermen Will Hanson, Rigsbee Shepherd, Rey- holds, Burgaurer and Ledwidge. Those who opposed it were Aldermen Ellis, Peden, Mclaughlin, Gunther, Petit and Sigman. The vote being tie, the ordinance was lost. Mayor McClendon issued an annual message to the city council in which
 he called attention to the fact that | ] CONTINUED ON PAGE TWO.