The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-20
MORE FIREMEN
ANDPOLICEMEN
T0ASK RAISE
Nine Thousand Unaffected
by Recent Increase Draw
Up Petition.
ASK $500 A YEAR MORE
Commissioners Enright and
brennan Say They Have
Saved Necessary Funds.
ASK $500 A YEAR MORE

Six thousand first grade p1trolmen OF
the New York Police Department and
1000 frst grade 1remen. whose salaries
were left at the pre-war figure OF $1,000
when the Board of Estimate granted In
creases OF $3.50 yearly to men OF the
lower grades in both departments last
month. are planning to ask $500 per
annum boost for themselves when the
board reconvenes in the fall.
Committees representing the Patrol
mems Benevolent Association and the
Uniformed Flremen's Association have
conferred with Commissioner Enrtght.
Commissioner brennan and Fire Chief
Kenlon. and with their approval are
drafting petitions.
The patrolmen will call the Board OF
Estimates attention to the fact that
with all their valuable police experience
almost all Of them might at any time
step into jobs outside the department
which would pay them much better than
the city does.
90 Per Cent. Rise In Living Cost.
In its present incomplete form their
petition quotes the statistics presented
ny the State Department of Labor last
May. which shows a 60 per cent rise in
the cost OF living since 1915. and says
that wages In the industries have kept
pace. 1t refers to the distribution among
the force Of dollar apiece tickets for the
police meet at Sheepshead Bay as an
extra drain and points out that economy
in the matter OF clothing Is made i'm
possible by the departmental regulations.
Assuming that the board is we'll aware
Of the higher living cost. the first grade
fremen intend to lay especial stress on
the danger that the Fire Department
will be disrupted by the Withdrawal of
its highest ella rs men. First graders, the
board will be shown. are resigning at
the rate OF one day and surrendering
all pension claims for the better living
that industry affords.
Civilian material to build UP the de-
partment is scaht. and the firemens pc
tition will present for what 1t Ia worth
In the way OF a hint the fact that re-
Gently eighty-fve out Of each hundred
applicants have been rejected.
Seek Perma nent Relief.
II is no temporary reflex the first
grade men of the two departments ask.
They want the $500 scale put into the
budget for 1919 and made a fixture. In
addition they Will request that they be
allowed extra back pay from July at
the rate OF $3.50 per annum.
Joseph ]. OReilly, who represented
the policemen and nremen before the
Board of Estimate when the men Of the
lower grades won their victory. will APP
pear for the first graders next month.
THE patrolmen and firemen expect
! the Board of Estimate will consider "a
yorably the petition already before II
for a salary increase OF $3.50 year to
take effect Immediately" Mr.. O'Rsilly
said yesterday. This was held up by
the board on the plea the money was not
available. and members OF the board
said that IL the city could do go it would
willingly grant the increases.
THE Police and Fire Commissioners
both state they have the money saved
20 enable the board to act before the
regular budget.
The conditions confronting the two
forces are deplorable. Patrolmen and
firemen find themselves going deeper and
deeper into debt to make ends meet. In
the meantime the city of New York il
confronted by real peril in the lack OF
trained patrolmen and fremen in time OF