Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-09

Some of the terrible things that
MAY happen if Steelton council adopts
Burgess Fred Wigfield's efficiency po-
lice plan were forecasted by T. j..
Nelley. chairman of the police COM
mittee. in a speech at last evenings
session of council, in which he de-
clared he was opposed to the efficiency
plan.
Mr.. Nelley's speech followed an
other explanation of the plan by Bur-
CESS Wigfield, who had been asked to
take the floor by President Reynders
The burgess declared that his plan of
making special substitute policemen
out of the members of the fire patrol
would cost the borough practically
nothing and would enable him to keep
his patrolling force intact. Under
present conditions. he declared. when
ever there is cop off duty for sick
ness or other reason one-fourth the
borough is left without police protec-
ton.
Mr. Nelley took exception to the
burgess plan and declared that its
adoption would be a great response
bility upon council. He graphically
described the sentencing yesterday of
Patrolman Robert Scott, of Harris
burg, to twelve years in the peniten-
tiary for manslaughter and told an en-
tirely new story o fthe Scott affair
from the one that was told in court
He shocked the councilmen by declar-
ing that some of the fre-patrolmen
of the borough might get into the
same fix as Scott if they were given
police authority"
Wholly Unnecessary
He further opposed the plan by de-
clarinS that there were plenty of con-
stables and private detectives who
made their living by doing police work
and that this made it unnecessary to
have many borough police. lie re-
piled to much of the recent criticism
against the force by saying: There
are some people so foolish as to think
that there ought to be a COP at all pri-
vate functions such as dances. we'd
dings, and SO forth. The police have
no right to be there. Private officers
should look after those things"
Mr.. Nelley concluded his arguments
against the plan by saying: 80 L will
not vote that this fire patrol or any
part of it be allowed to have anything
to do with the police department"
Fire Loss Low
Fire Chief John II. Shupp. Jr.. re-
ported that during the year steelton's
a loss of $4.702 in the .Mohn street
fire. The loss in Steelton borough
alone was only $7.931. a glowing tri-
butte to the fire-fighting abilities of
the local department. Chief Shupp
reported that the department respond
ed to 32 alarms and fought fires for
total of 1871 hours.
Albert Leeds, president of the board
of health, in his annual report showed
that the town is an ideal place in
which to live. Communicable diseases
have been reduced to a minimum, de
declared. He reported that there were
nearly four times as many births as
deaths during the year.
President Reynders announced the
following changes in committees:
Nelley succeeds Stees on finance; Har-
Ian succeeds Nelley, highway; Wag-
genbaugh succeeds Stees, sanitary:
Henderson succeeds Stees on town
property; Harlan succeeds Stees OIL
ordinance committee.
Asked Damages
Council was asked by Robert
Sucker, a lawyer, to pay damages to
Marie Ball. 1874 Adams street, for in
juries received in a fall on AN alleged
bad pavement at 154 Ridge street.
John Hiler also asked council for dam
ages for his aged mother-in-a law. who
fell at the same place. Councilman
Capella offered a resolution that the
pavement be repaired. Council took
no action on a request from Ida Shott,
a South Front street property owner,
for damages resulting from paving op-
erations
w. A.. Keister. for years a member
of the water board was reappointed
by President Reynders and confirmed
by council.
Shortly before adjournment Coun-