New Britain herald., 1917-01-04
COUNCIL IN FAVOR
 OF MORE FIREMEN
LanderS Also Believes in Station
 in South End

council in special session last night by which the fire department Is to have a number of additional permanent men, Councilman George M. Landers introduced a resolution asking that the safety board. in preparing next years budget, include sufficient ad- ditional amount to provide for a new fire station in the southern section of the city, either 8 new motor aerial truck or tractor and automatic hoist for the present aerial truck, and a sufficient sum to equip a flying squadron for the central station, as previously, outlined. Councilman Lam ders merely offered this resolution for consideration last night and requested that action bo deferred until the next meeting of the council
 There was practically no opposition to the ordinance change making the fire department more permanent. AL derman William McCabe, who ex- plained that he did not want his re- marks to be construed to mean that he is opposed to increasing the num-
 Der of men in the fire department, said that before the council took any action he thought it (the counciD should be assured that such action would result in lowering the insurance rates in the city. Alderman M I. Jester opposed any delay in augmsnting the fire de- partment and replied to the fifth ward alderman that by increasing the efficiency of the fire department the city may hope to decrease the insur- ance rates. Councilman Landers also explained that the way to go after reduced rates is to increase the eff1- cheney of the fire department, thus reducing the fire risk and it is reason- able to look for more advantageous insurance adjustments.
 New Ordinance Passed.
 Councilman William Mueller moved that the new ordinance be made legal by publication and it will become effective on January 15. It follows:
 "The fire department of said city shall consist of a permanent chief en- gineer, a call assistant chief engineer, six permanent captains, six permanent lieutenants and not less than thirty (3O) nor more than thirty-four (34) permanent men and 8 call force con- sisting of not less than twenty (2O) nor more than forty-two CAD, as de- signated from time to time by the board of public safety. Such captains, lieutenants, permanent, men and call force shall be assigned by the board of public safety among five hose com panies and one hook and ladder com pany. All officers and permanent men shall devote their entire time to their duties under the direction of the board of public safety All officers and per manent men shall be appointed from civil service lists, provided by ordf- nance. but the call force shall in the first instance be raised from among the present callmen and substitute callmen of said department. Subse- uuent appointments to the call force, that is to say, appointments after such call force Is once constituted, shall be made in accordance with the civil ser vice rules It shall be the duty of the call force to answer all alarms of fire"
 There shall be paid to the several members of the fire department who shall faithfully perform their respec- tive duties compensation as fixed by Each member of the call force, if while acting as temporary for a member or the per- manent force, shall be paid at the rate provided for the first year firemen' deduction for such time being made from his salary as member of the call force.
 Great Building Increase.
 In introducing his resolution to ask the safety board to seek additional finances to augment the fire depart ment, Councilman Landers onered some statistics of a. convincing variety. He declared that during the past eight or nine years figures show that new buildings have been constructed Tn the city at a cost of almost eleven millions of dollars These are sub-divided ap- as follows: Dwellings. factories, $1,s6e,Ooo; city buildings, $465,000; additional fac tories se5,000 and $1,s00.0o0 for new buildings in 1916, making an approxl- mate total of $1o.41s,0o0.
 Little Spent on Protection.
 To protect these buildings, Council man Landers said, the city has spent over and above the $41,000 fire de- partment appropriation of ps07-1s0S, a bout s94,OOO. In 1907-1908 the fire department appropriation was exactiy s40.951. This amount is approxi- mately per cent. of the total revenue of the city, or $4S1, ,00O. In 1915-1916 the departmental appropriation was $54.O45, or about per cent. of the city's revenue, which was $S5S,Soo.' Continuing, Councilman Landers fur ther stated that "of this $9S.l6o 1n- creased appropriation for nine years, s24,26O has been spent for new ap- paratus At present there Is only about $4,500 due on the contracts for new apparatus to be paid this year.
 Showing figures to support claims of necessary additional fire protection, Councilman Landers quoted the fol- lowing figures, showing for each ward the number of tenements, buildings and dwellings added to and the num- Der of fires fin each ward during the past eight or nine years:
 Ward Tene- Build Dwell