The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-20
In It's Relation to the Munich
pal Fire Fighters.
UNDER DOUBLE PLATOON PLAN
Chief HanIOn Says No Change
From Present System.
Commissioner Porter Already
Is in Rebellion.

elySlan life when the double platoon
system is effective in the Topeka fire
1916, believes City Commissioner Por-
ter. The Topeka taxpayers have
voted the money, $4,000 a year, and
| it appears to be a life of ease for the
fire ladies, he says.
The daily routine of fireman, &C
cording to this plan, will be something
| like this:
I Home for breakfast after a night of
peaceful slumber (provided there are
no fire calls during the night to be
answered), in which the fireman was
far away from the fretful cries of the
| children. No walking the floor with
babies for him. Rested after a night
in a good bed he will eat a home
cooked breakfast and then have moth
| ing to do but help WHEY about the
| house, or putter around in the garden,
or play with the kiddies all day long.
| When night comes he can go to the
fire station and go to bed and in
peaceful slumber be prepared when
morning comes to do it all over again.
! And when his turn comes to go on
the day shift-weH, there may be
some floor-walking with the little ones
at night but he will be recompensed
by being at home and in the bosom of
his family, provided he has family.
| If he is a single man and energetic
he can take n job somewhere in the
city, do a good days work (provided
| he remains within hearing of fire
alarm calling out the full force which
| might happen once in steen years.,
receive a mans wages for his labor
report at the fire station when his
days work is done, turn into bed and
be paid by the city at the rate of $50
or $50 a month for sleeping in a bed
provided by the city. In the morning
to again go 20 his private employ
ment
Full of Possibilities.
1t was when visitor innocently in
quired what would be done with the
space in the city hall now used as
sleeping quarters for the firemen. that
he learned the full extent of the happy
life in store for the firemen. There
has been a cry for more room in the
city hall. 1t was thought that when
the extra shift of firemen was en-
ployed by the city, the sleeping quar-
tiers would not be needed and could be
used for city offices.
II should say not! We will need
room for one or two more beds when
feet" exclaimed the chief. The men
are going to bed at night just like they
always have. 1t doesn't make any diff
ference if the men will be on duty only
twelve hours a day then, those on the
night shift are going to go to bed when
night comes and they are going to
sleep right here. Think I am going
to keep my men up all night"
WATSON Tells a Story.
The reporter blinked and exclaimed,
But the city doesn't furnish house
rent and furniture and pay the laun-
dry bills for policem en- and other city
employees and then he encountered
w. H. WATSON, city commissioner of
finance, and asked him what he
thought of the proposition. The COM
story. The reporter listened and then
put the question again, and another
funny story was told. after which the
question was again asked.
.'See what the other commissioners
think about it," replied WATSON.
w. L. Porter, city commissioner of
parks, was the next person questioned
IT should say not" he exclaimed
having the firemen sleep on duty in
the fire stations. 1.-The taxpayers of
the city voted an expense on them
selves of $4,000 a year on a promise
of greater efficiency in the fire depart
ment.
Porter's Regulations.
mo, sir, those firemen are not go
ing to sleep on duty and they are not
going to be allowed to get more than
four feet away from their assigned po-
while they are on duty. If they are
said to be on duty twelve hours
day they are going to be on duty and
not sleeping. There is no more reason
why the city should furnish free beds
and places for them, and free laun-
dry for firemen working only twelve
hours a day, than there would be for
the city to pay the house rent for
policemen working the same number
of hours. The taxpayers are not going
to pay an additional expense of more
than $4,000 each month and have
nothing to show for it, if can help it,
Jay E. House, mayor, said: Haven't
thought anything about it. 1t is a
new question to me and l would not
care to be quoted until 1 have had
time to study the matter. but when 1
make up my mind what my position
shall be, the people will have plenty
of opportunity of knowing what 1 in
tend to do before 1 do it,
HEAllRa Lilo R+RRNE