The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-21
F|REMEN REFUSED
INCREASE IN PAY
Firemen's Petition. Signed by 1us'-
ness Men, Asking for $40 Month
~ Increase is Turned
Down.
LACK OF FUNDS, REASON
Commissioners Collins, in Report 70
Council on the Matter Gives
Reasons for Rejecting
Petition.

crease of $40 month IN salary has
been turned down by the city council.
The petition, signed by over 100 prom
ineit business men of The city was
presented to the council several weeks
ago. The council referred it to Com
missioner Collins. Mr.. Collins has
made report to the council on the
matter. The report, giving his reas-
granted, follows:
To the honorable mayor and coun-
Gil of the city of Keokuk, Iowa:
Gentlemen: The petition of G. w.
Chase, E.. S. Baker, A. Weber and one
hundred and fifty other citizen tax
payers OF Keokuk, having been re-
ferred to me as superintendent OF
it is possible to grant the prayer OF
the petitioners for an increase of ten
dollars per month to members Of the
fire department, / have the honor to
submit the following:
Under our present state law, the
income of the city is limited to TAX
levy OF forty-eight mills on the assess
ed valuation of all real and personal
property, out of which a specified
amount, also limited by state law, can
be used for any one of the several
departments of city government.
At The present time the levy for all
purposes is forty-one mills, which is
apportioned to twelve separate funds,
each of which has separate bank &C
count.
That your petitioners may be fully
informed on the merits Of this request,
as we'll as the financial difficulties
which confronts the council .. the
present time, especially IL the fire de-
partment fund, and also onr reasons
for submitting this report without
recommendation that 1t be granted, we
have gone into details much more
than we would have otherwise done.
In this report we snail confine our
investigation to period OF six years,
the last four Of which covers the en-.
tire existence Of the present commits
sion form of government.
From April, 1908, to 1913. we find
the fire department. to have been con-
stituted as follows: One chief, one
assistant chief, four drivers, five men
on full time and eight minute men,
with an occasional helper. This pol
icy continued with slight variations
until April. 1913, when the present
plan was installed of one chief. one
assistant chief, four drivers. nine full
time men, and one minute man. Late
ly we have advanced one of the men
to second assistant chief, and as now
organized is very efficient, rendering
as high grade of service as will be
found in many of the larger cities,
for which reason they are entitled to
all of the consideration it is possible
for us to bestow. The credi. for it's
present organization and efficiency is
due to the former superintendent OF
public safety, Mr.. Thos. P. Gray, and
cur chief, Mr.. John Anderson.
We are now supporting more ef-
fcient fire department in equipment
than is contemplated by the state law
for cities OF our class, as is evidenced
by the amount of funds to which we
are limited for it's support.
During the four years ending March
81. 1914. the pay roll Of this depart
ment has increased from $s.16s.6s to
s1O,661.71. An investigation into the
receipts and expenditures OF this de-
rartment during those years, reveals
a very perplexing condition, which
must be remedied before we can as
sumo any greater burden. For your