Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-09-04

A ten per cent. Increase in the salaries
Of ali regular policemen, including Chief
Of Police Patrick J. Russell, Deputy Chief
Of Police Patrick ]. Cosgrove and Po-
Sergeant John H.. Ryan, the
of the veto Of Mayor J. Holmes
jackson on the resolution authorizing the
commissioners to purchase about s1S.-
oo worth OF motor apparatus, including a
ripple combination pumping engine, and
a statement OF the financial condition Of
the street department which showed that
the department was practically bankrupt
at the present time and must have more
money formed the features at the month
ly meeting Of the board Of aldermen
Tuesday night, which lasted until nearly
II 30 o'clock
The first item to come ur for copsidera-
ton Of Importance was the letter from
the mayor regarding the raise for the po-
licenen, 20 per cent. as asked. In which
he wanted definite Instructions from the
board Of aldermen as to how much of a
cut the board would like in order 10
grant the city's guardians a raise of ten
per cent. Oficer John Brothers, In be-
half Of the policemen, told the board
about the situation Of the patrolmen
with reference to hancial matters. the
high cost Of living and the wages as
paid in Burlington relative to those in
other cities.
Then Alderman Caise asked the mayor
II he could explain how the police force
could be reduced and still maintain eff
cheney, to which the mayor replied that
he was seeking that Information from the
aldermen. That led Alderman Beecher to
seek the floor and ansr-er the mayo with
1T Is a question Of politics with the mayor
and he lie just passing the buck to us. He
knows just "a well and better than we do
in many respects how he can reduce
the force il he is so inclined, Alderman
Caise then asked II a resular patrolman
could be laid of without preferring charges
for he said the last time the city tried
that they had to pay the salaries of the
patrolman laid of. The answer given
by the mayor was that none
could be discharged, but if in his
| opinion there were too many patrolmer
for an indefinite period. and that there
were only IA regulars and severa
specials,
Alderman Beecher then suggested thai
the cost Of the department is excessive
and thai il could be reduced by laying
! off some of the specials. Alderman
| Dryer was of the opinion that there We're
not any too many policemen now ant
that the three FIRE patrol" policemen
in the lumber yard district did some
good. Alderman Beecher said that they
had never reduced the fire insurance
rates and that they had been protect
ing private property to A great extern
for % years and were paid by the cit
e,,l tA.. ~ o~oasn tharo- aIGO main
tanned night watchmen. He urged tn
| reduction of the cost of operating Thu
department to offset the increase of tel
per cent, asked recommended by thu
aldermanic salary committee.
Alderman Hall then said that in MI
opinion the "fre patrol policemen die
not do much good and that the concern.
had their own watchmen. so why should
the city maintain a like service. Alder
man Caise then asked the mayor IL th'
police matron, Mrs. Austin, was an asse
to the department to which he replie'
that she was. Her salary is paid out o
the police departments appropriation.
Alderman Deyette was strong for lay
ing of some of the patrolmen as he sal,
that there were too many. Then Alder
man Beecher offered a resolution to in
crease the regular patrolman ten pc
cent. with the provision that two of tn
special are patrol officers he laid of
This was held up. pending the arrival q
Police Commissioner Edward Lavalle
and Chief Of Police Patrick j. Russell
The former was of the opinion that tn
men on the Are patrol We're not needle
and that they did any good an
that If II was the sense of the hoard tina
some Of these be cut he would agre
with the mayor. as he always did. Chic
Russell said that the FIRE patrol wa
established in 1901 and has heen tn
same to this day, the establishment bein
after several large Ares took place !
the lumber yard. They get the sam
pay as the other officers and from tn
city. He said that the regular force. nc
including the FIRE patrol members, cor
tanned one man less than before Mayo
Jackson was elected.
City Attorney Theodore F.. Hopkins az
vanced the opinion that the three men
hers Of the fire patrol" were not spt
cial policemen and therefore could not +
removed by the mayor and police CON
m%issioners unless with a hearing and II
prefernent of charges.
Alderman Caise then offered a resol,
ton giving the patrolman an increase
ten per cent. of their present salarie
to which an amendment was offered
Alderman Beecher putting in tine wo
regular" which shut out the three al
patrol policemen from the raise, and tn
was passed, Later, the subject of II
chief. deputy chief and the sergeant W;
brought up and when it was discovert
that the pay of these officers had n,
been raised last year they were include
in the resolution as being regular men
, bers and will get the accompanying rails
SUSTAIN VETO ON FIRE APPARATU
BY a vote of seven to two the aide
men were unable to pass the resolutio
calling for the purchase Of SIS, 0M worr
S OF motor fire apparatus for the local d
partment over the veto of Mayor Jackso
; there being necessary to pass any We
the vote of eight aldermen, The aide
; men voting to sustain the veto of II
, mayor were Bergeron and Dwyer Al
=, those voting TO overrule 1t were Aide
men Hall, Hanbridge, Caise. Woodbur
= Deyette, Mcbride and Beecher.
After the veto message was read Aide
F. man Hall asked the mavor II he won
= agree to the purchase Of a triple combini
= ton motor pumping engine, to which Il
mayor replied that he would ike to $,
4; the entire department motorized hut tn
= the finances would not warrant II no
+, and that he could not agree to II.
Y further stated that the letter from q
: New England Insurance Exchange 4
not, as he read it, positively euarant
that there would be a reduction in d
nre insurance rates to everybody In q
city II the motor pun ping engine we