Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-15
COUNCIL REFUSES
BONUS TO POLICE
Took This Action Last Night,
Though Favoring Increase
in Some Cases.

City Council. at its meeting last night,
.,,,,L adverse action on the Police Com
m,Ssiopcr's request for permission to pay
The policemen IL per cent bonus during
the war.
Although the bonus plan is disapproved
Of the iinancicommit suggests that the
men ON the force who are not receiving
500 "A month have their wages increased
10 that amount but the resout on adopted
no,nts out that this increase would have
to I've met by the Appropriation to the
BOARD OF Police Commissioners for the
current fiscal year.
The financial condition of The city,
said Mr.. Mcarns. made it impossible TO
grant bonus a. this time of Is per cent,
no matter how willing the members of
Council might be to grant it. He said
that 500 is little enough for q month s
pav for patrolman and that he knew
there was enough money IN the police
department To make 500 a month the
minimum pay OF the patrolmen.
Councilman Robertson said that it
was impossible To think of it at the
present time, that is To grant bonus of
IL per cent To the patrolmen. He said
further that ne did not think that the
bonus system on percentage basis is
there had been several vacancies on the
force and that the Board OF Police Com
mlsSloners had its full quota of money,
despite these vacancies. 1t is this money,
he SAID that Council thinks should bc
put into use and paid to the men not now
receiving 500 a month. The report of
the finance committee was accepted.
coal CONFERENCE SATURDAY NIGHT.
The fuel administrators Of this city had
been invited To attend the meeting oi
Council last night. but fulcd TO do 50 and
u communication WAS read AZ the meeting
from the administrators in which they
stated they would not be present at the
meeting. The communication WAS re-
cc,ved and filed. Councilman Abbcrger
said he did not see anything else to do but
To receive and file the communication, but
that he was sorry the fuel administrators
were not present at the meeting, As he
had some facts TO present TO them and he
thought that the administrators had Ig-
nnrcd Council He further added that he
thought that I'nitcd States Administrator
Garfield should he communicated with IN
the matter
Councilman AhhCrger made motion
that public meeting be held st 5 O'Clock
on saturday evening IN the Council
Chamber AT which time the coal situation
vii bc gone over and relief plans consider
Ell. Councilman Johnson said that he was
yer, much in favor OF this public meeting.
The meeting on Saturday night will be
opened 10 the public and those persons
needing coal and unable TO get any are
especially invited 10 bc on hand.
rIRE COMPANY SURVEY.
Councilman Johnson chairman OF the
fire committee. announced that the semi
annual inspections OF the fire companies
would bc made next Monday and Tuesday
nights. He invited all members TO toe
present for these inspections and the IN
vitation was accepted The west side COM
panies will he Inspected Monday night and
the east side companies on Tuesday night.
The inspection party viii leave the Public
Building al 80 O'Clock each night
Later during last night session, Mr..
Johnson had Council instruct the clerk
to write 10 every one Of the II companies
IN Wilmington and ask each for list
of their members, also the address OF each
member, when he was admitted to mem
bershlp and the number Of badges each
company has The purpose Tor seeking
this information was not explained
One hundred and twenty-five residents
az the Fifth and Twelfth wards presented
a protest against the action Of the Trac-
tion Co IN making Lincoln street one
az the skip-stop points under the new
trolley schedule Their protest was re-
ferred "a the company with the request
that II DO what 1t could TO adjust the
matter
The Delaware Committee on Women
and Industry urged an appropriation for
the school Board so night classes could
be- started To teach foreign males the
English language THIS matter was re-
ferrcd 20 the finance committee.
An invitation from the faculty of the
High school 10 attend the patriotic day
exercises there on February 20 was ac-
oepted.
The balance in bank was reported
10 be s66s. 529 s3. The following pay
rolls were allowed: Police, S5619 95;
Council. S295.79, miscellaneous, 81 .632.-
90: public building commission, S655 10,
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