Putnam patriot., 1918-09-06

AlteF ulsSuSSioh NHat idSbtu lultN over one hour. the common council of the city of Putnam at it's regular meeting Tuesday evening unanimous ly voted to compensate members of the fire department when they are called upon to do watch duty at fires after recall has been sounded, This question originally came up at the regular August meeting at which time Chief Bourcier presented a bill for S9 as payment for three members of the department (himself included) who stayed after the Mullan fire in August to insure that it did not ed whether or not to pay this bill and Mayor Allie W. Marcy flatly re fused to O. K it until the ordinance committee had looked into the legal ity of the question.
 The ordinance committee was not ready to report fully upon the matter at Tuesdays meeting, but Alderman Lapalme at once remarked This thing should be thrashed out tonight for the fremen are coming around and they want their pay. If we are going to dc anything we ought to do it now. and clean the matter up"
 This started things. Alderman Johnson asked if the property owners had not paid for men to watch fires ir the past. to which Chief Bourcier re. piled, Sometimes they do. and some times they don't" Mayor Marcy then switched the course of the argu- ment by asking if there were no fire police The chief replied affirmative. ly, at which Alderman Johnson asked what they did. "They get $10 salary and $10 for suit, don't they?" he queried.
 "Why shouldn't they stay and dc the watching7" asked Alderman Du vert. What do they get their mon ey for?"
 "It seems to me that we ought tc demand something of them," said MT Johnson.
 'Is there any objection for using the fire police for such work?" asked the mayor.
 "No," replied Mir Bourcier, "bu, they claim that as soon as recall is sounded that they can go home. They claim all they have to do is to keer people away from the fire"
 Well, think they are mistaken, returned the mayor.
 Chief Bourcier then told the coun cil that he seldom saw one of the fire police report, anyway. II run across one once in a while, that's all," he added.
 It was then that Alderman Duvert asked, "Is there captain of fire DO lice?" and Chief Bourcier replied tha there was not any that he was aware of
 Alderman Padgett then entered in | to the discussion and said: Gentle men, it seems to me tbat the sam, question has come up that came ul when this council was organized. I is question affecting the safety O the city. It seems to me that if { fireman does extra duty, he should receive extra pay. If l was called ou to a fire, and the weather was zer' weather, and recall was sounded but the chief came to me and said Stay I should certainly feel that deserved extra pay. The departmen now wants to be kept at the highes morale possible. l do not believe tha the expenditure for compensation O. this nature would exceed S30 year and we will be remiss if we perpetrat' any situation that may disorganiz' the department"
 Then Alderman Padgett moved that: "When the recall has beer sounded after any fire, the chief en gineer of the department may ordel one or more firemen to remain at thu scene of the fire to guard against iti further breaking out, if in his judg ment such action is necessary, ana such member or members shall b' paid for their services at the rate ot 30 cents an hour, after bills for th' same have been approved by thu chief, the fire committee and ma jority of the city council
 At this Mayor Marcy announced that he should like to have definite opinion of every member of the coun cil on this matter.
 'I say that the members of the fir police are wrong when they declar' that they can go home when reeal is sounded. There is just as much tt protect after fire as during it. Wha will prevent the taking of goods O