The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-09-10
Mayor Coffman States He Will Call
Special "Park Meeting
Within Ten Days to De-
eide Upon Action
NEGROES WANT
COLORED OFFICER
Present Petition Before Council
Thursday Night; Contract Ap-
proved for Renting Auto
for Police Service

Discussion In the city council i
again crystalizing on the matter OF |
system of parks for Chickasha. Mayo
Coffman stated at the meeting of thu
town legislators last night that h,
had In mind a system that would in
clude one park in the Frisco addition
enc in the negro section and two IL
the down town section OF the city.
The mayor stated this morning that
he would call special meeting within
the next ten days. al which he expect
ed large number OF the property
holders OF the city. and where the
proposition OF parks for the city would
be discussed and an attempt made to
reach the best method OF supplying
this great need for Chickasha
The mater OF negro policeman for
Southtown also came up for consider
able comment at list nights meeting.
A delegation OF negroes appeared be-
fore the council and declared that they
realized II was next to impossible for
white officers to get to the scene OF
little squabbles, etc. without some
ones giving warning to the culprits
concerned 40 that they could escape
being caught. They declared that the
present police officers were exceed.
ingly efficient. but that experience
everywhere had shown that a negro
officer could be OF great amount Of
service to the regular ones in negro
sections. The matter was referred 10
the police committee" OF the city
council.
The mayor and all members, except
Councilman Dubois, who Is absent
from the city, were present at the city
council meeting last night.
After considerable discussion in
the matter OF compensation insurance,
II was decided that inssmuch as the
firemen would be directly beneGitted
by the fIremen's pension law, they
should be eliminated from considera-
ton
1t was further decided to pass over
the matter as it might apply 10 mem
bers of the police force.
Upon motion of Councilman Cane
man, the mayor and the city clerk
were instructed to take out insurance
under the act upon all employees Of the
water department. same to be paid for
out OF the waterworks fund.
The contract came up which called
for the rental OF autos to the city for
use Of the police at price of twenty
dollars per month. The o. X. com
pany and Shea Powell were to furnish
the service. In this contract II was
provided that the auto should be fur
nished al ANY time a police officer
should demand one and that in event
the company failed to provide the auto
when demanded the officer calling for
ii should be authorized to hire one and
charge the cost OF same to the parties
Of the second part in the contract.
Councilman Caneman made mo-
tIon that the contract be accepted and
the mayor authorized to sign in behalf
OF the city.
Councilman Lorenson objected and
asked that the paragraph authorizing
any policeman to call an auto and have
same charged to the parties of the sec
ond part be stricken out. MIR. Loren
son stated that this clause was palpa-
hly unfair to the auto companies. He
said that with this clause In the con-
tract. every officer who had to go a
couple of blocks on city business
would demand a taxi-that Il would
amount to putting the police force on
wheels"
Upon motion of Councilman Hayes
amendment accepted by Councilman
Caneman--the paragraph in question
was stricken from the contract and
the mayor authorized to sign in behalf
of the city. A provision in the con
tract provides that same may be In
validated by either party upon service
of thirty days notice.
"A. II. Kelly was appointed proba