The sun., 1918-07-13
SALARY INCREASES
SENT TOCOMMITTEE
Policemen and Firemen Disap-
pointed When Action Is
Delayed Again.
HYLAN AWAITS DATA
White Wings Assert It's I'm
possible to Live on 1899
Year.

Action on the police and fire salary
increases again was deferred by the
Board OF Estimate yesterday. The Po-
lice Commissioners letter. asking that
all ranks and grades OF his department
be advanced. and the Fire Commission
er's letter recommending a 10 per cent.
advance for all fremen below officer
rank, were referred to the committe on
finance and budget. This committee,
which consists OF all the members of tho
board. With Comptroller Craig as chair
man, will meet Monday afternoon and
lions
Many patrolmen and fremen went to
the City Hall yesterday expecting to
plead, through their spokesman, Joseph
]. O'Reilly. for an immediate answer to
their requests. The communications
from Commissioners Enright and Dren-
nan were Nos. 1913 and 1874 on the cal
endar. but as, Borough President Con-
molly said he would have to leave before
they were reached in the regular order.
they were taken up soon after the board
convened Both communications were
and budget" AS soon as the clerk
finished reading them Mr.. OReilly
stepped forward and began:
MIR. Mayor. may /"
NO, we will hear you before the COM
mlttee," said Mayor Hylan.
May ask that consideration be
given by unanimous consent to-day
to" resumed Mr.. O'Relly.
Again the Mayor broke in. saying:
NO. we will hear you before the COM
mlttee"
II was apparent that the board did
not want to hear any discussion OF the
salary question yesterday. but was WILL
ing to hear what the men had to say on
Monday at the meeting OF the finance
committee. Mr.. O'Reilly stepped back
accordingly. and he and the men in uni
form left City Hall.
Mayor Awaits Economy Data.
II was said unofficially that the Mayor
Is waiting to hear from the department.
heads az to what saving they can effect
for the rest of the year by means of the
economics recommended by the Board
OF Estimate two weeks ago, so that he
may know whether salaries in the Police.
Fire and other departments can be raised
without passing the expense along to the
annual tax budget.
The finance committee hopes to have
at least part OF this information in hand
when il meets Monday. But neither
officially nor unofficially have the patrol
men and firemen received any hint OF
what may be in store for them. The
most that any member OF the Board of
Estimate has been heard to gay in
public is the familiar: We should like
to grant increases to all deserving city
employees but where shall we get the
money
II looks now az IL the finance COM
mttee will have report ready for
consideration by the board next Friday.
BY Monday evening there may be some
indication of what sort OF report II
will be.
What Mr.. O'Reilly may have wished
to say to the board yesterday is set
forth in his civil service paper. The
Chief, which says:
THE Board Of Estimate must grant
an immediate salary increase for pa
trolmen and firemen. Unless financial
| relief is given and return to the day IN
FIVE or the establishment Of a platoon
system in the Fire Department the
city OF New York will he unable
to get men to All vacancies in
either department. no matter how
easy the examinations may he made
The simple fact is that able bodied men
are being paid far more in outside en-
ployment than in the civil service. only
| the pension has held hundreds II not
thousands OF patrolmen ana nremen In
the service.